Essentials of Christian Apologetics - Lesson 5

The Problem of Evil

 

I.  What is the problem of evil?

A.  Two Kinds of Evil

1.  Moral

2.  Natural

B.  Different Forms of the Problem

1.  Theoretical

2.  Personal

 

II.  Two Alternative Worldviews

A.  Religious Dualism

1.  Step 1

2.  Step 2

3.  Step 3

B.  Naturalism

 

III.  Two Versions of the Problem

A.  Deductive Problem of Evil

1.  Search for the Missing Premise

2.  New Proposition

3.  New List of Christian Beliefs

B.  Inductive Problem:  Gratuitous Evil

1.  Deductive Formulation

2.  Inductive Formulation

3.  Final Point

 

IV.  The Christian Worldview

A.  Two Kinds of Good

1.  Transcendent

2.  Nontranscendent

B.  Two Kinds of Evil

1.  Transcendent

2.  Nontranscendent

C.  Scripture Texts

1.  Romans 8:28

2.  Romans 8:18

For more information, see:

The full course, Christian Apologetics, Lecture #4 The Problem of Evil

Nash, Faith and Reason, pp. 177-221.