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Thomas Aquinas, a thirteenth-century scholastic philosopher and theologian heavily influenced by Augustine, [21] proposed a form of the Augustinian theodicy in his Summa Theologica. Aquinas began by attempting to establish the existence of God, [ 22 ] through his Five Ways , and then attested that God is good and must have a morally sufficient ...
Thomas Aquinas OP (/ ə ˈ k w aɪ n ə s / ⓘ ə-KWY-nəs; Italian: Tommaso d'Aquino, lit. 'Thomas of Aquino'; c. 1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian [6] Dominican friar and priest, the foremost Scholastic thinker, [7] as well as one of the most influential philosophers and theologians in the Western tradition. [8]
The Theodicy was deemed illogical by the philosopher Bertrand Russell. [20] Russell argues that moral and physical evil must result from metaphysical evil (imperfection). But imperfection is merely limitation; if existence is good, as Leibniz maintains, then the mere existence of evil requires that evil also be good.
[5] This is exemplified in how Satan is portrayed as the direct perpetrator of Job's suffering in the Book of Job. Traditional theism (e.g. Thomas Aquinas) distinguishes between God's will and God's permission, claiming that while God permits evil, he does not will it. [7]
Exodus 17:1–7 (and the book of Job) characterize suffering as testing and speak of God's right to test human loyalty. 2 Corinthians 4:7–12 says human weakness during suffering reveals God's strength and that it is part of the believer's calling to embrace suffering in solidarity with Christ.
Another definition of theodicy is the vindication of divine goodness and providence in view of the existence of evil. The word theodicy derives from the Greek words Θεός, Theos and δίκη, dikē. Theos is translated "God" and dikē can be translated as either "trial" or "judgement". [5] Thus, 'theodicy' literally means "justifying God". [6]
Thomas Aquinas suggested the afterlife theodicy to address the problem of evil and to justify the existence of evil. [170] The premise behind this theodicy is that the afterlife is unending, human life is short, and God allows evil and suffering in order to judge and grant everlasting heaven or hell based on human moral actions and human suffering.
Thomas develops on his views when commenting on Matthew 25:31-46. [ 25 ] According to Aquinas, the Last Judgment is ultimately a judgment of merits, after which the reward of eternal happiness follows from two causes: "[o]ne on God’s part, i.e., God’s blessing, another on our part, i.e., the merit which is from free will.