Theodicy

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Theodicy

The philosopher Gottfried Leibniz (1646–1716) coined the term "theodicy" from the Greek theos (God) and dike ( justice, right). Theodicy literally means "the justification of God." It is the justification of a deity's justice and goodness in light of evil and suffering. There are many different understandings of suffering: It is brought on by sinful human actions, it is redemptive, it is from oppressive systems, it is abusive. The reality of suffering and evil is juxtaposed against a view of God as omnipotent (all-powerful) and loving. This presents a problem that inevitably ends with the question "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Implicit in the question is another one: "If God is all-powerful and all-good, why does God permit suffering and evil to thrive in the world?" These questions form the framework for theodicy.

In Judaism, the Torah and various reflections and commentaries on it (Mishnah, Talmud, Gemorrah, Midrashim, and rabbinic writings) suggest two reasons for the origin of sin. One is that it is the rebellion of humanity, and the other is that it is the presence of evil. People are created with the impulse for doing good and doing evil. Judaism is reluctant to attribute evil to the work of God. When there appears to be no other option, the response is "God created the Evil Impulse, but He also created its antidote, the Torah" (Kiddushin 3ob). The orthodox explanation of suffering is that it is punishment for sin. However, this explanation is not without some problems. One can find a number of protests to God where suffering is thought to be unwarranted (e.g., the Book of Job in the Hebrew Bible). Nevertheless, the traditional response to suffering is prayer and penance, because the assumption is that suffering results from sin. The good person must live a righteous life that is expressed in one's words as well as in one's actions. The ultimate question in Judaism is not the fact of suffering, but its distribution: Why do the wicked prosper so often, while those who try to keep faith with God suffer?

In Christianity, the question of theodicy involves reconciling three traditionally affirmed propositions: God, the Creator, is omnipotent; God is benevolent (all good); and evil exists. The traditional Christian response is to attempt to preserve full divine omnipotence and benevolence. In reality, the focus is on divine omnipotence. This focus features a concern with power, specifically God's power—be it limited or unlimited—viewed as domination (neo-orthodox) or as persuasive (process theology). Therefore some traditionalists reject omnipotence and state that God's power is limited by other beings. Others argue that divine omnipotence is self-limited in that God decides to restrict God's power to allow humans to have free will. Still others contend that human free will does not inhibit or limit God's omnipotence. There is also a third alternative view of power in these traditional understandings of theodicy: power as enabling, empowering, and compassionate. This view comes from various liberation theologies (e.g., feminist, black, womanist).

More radical responses barely seem to justify God. The radical response to the theodicy issue actually questions the goodness of God. These theodicies of protest refuse to argue for God's justification because to do so would dishonor the memories of those who endured radical suffering (e.g., the Middle Passage in slavery, the annihilation of Native Americans, the Holocaust, domestic or sexual violence). Less radical responses to the theodicy question protect God's goodness by claiming that it is compatible with God's allowing evil and suffering to exist because evil and suffering are punishments for sin or a trial necessary for growth. Others in the less radical camp argue that God suffers with us. Whatever responsibility God might have for human suffering, God's goodness is established by God's willingness to share in that suffering.

Also within the Christian tradition there are those who do not address the theodicy question from the perspective of God's omnipotence; instead, they focus on arguing against the existence of evil. Some argue that if we look from an ultimate perspective, evil contributes to a more extensive and harmonious whole. Others appeal to a heavenly reward as compensation for any necessary sufferings on earth, which that will be unremarkable in light of the coming glory.

In Islam, the question of theodicy manifests itself in the problem of the apparent absence of God's control and power when it comes to suffering. This problem is solved in the Qur'an (the sacred text of Islam) with its repeated calls to the faithful to take God's omnipotence seriously. Suffering occurs only within God's creation; therefore, suffering is not out of God's control. This means that suffering may raise questions about the nature of God, but it cannot occur as a problem because God's omnipotence is firmly established. This, however, calls into question whether the underlying assumption is that the universe is not in God's control. Suffering could be a problem because its existence questions the basic assertion that God has power over everything. Because of the complexity of the preceding discussion, there is much thought in the Qur'an devoted to substantiating and exemplifying that God is omnipotent and that suffering must be a part of God's purpose.

Muslims must expect to be tested. Suffering helps create a faithful disposition and also helps to distinguish those who are sincere in their faith from those who are not. Suffering not only forms character for the Muslim, it also reveals one's true nature. Simply put, the faithful must endure suffering or choose suffering as a way to achieve martyrdom, which leads to riches in the next life. This means that the fundamental attitude of Islam to the reality of evil and the presence of an omnipotent God (Allah) is that one must submit to the right relationship with God. Suffering is viewed as punishment for sin and/or a trial or test. Hence suffering is part of God's justice, and it only appears that the wicked prosper, for in reality they ultimately suffer unending agony after death.

See alsoEvil; Free Will; Liberation Theology; Midrash; Qur'an; Suffering; Talmud; Torah; Womanist Theology.