Creation Order Theodicy: The Argument For The Coexistence Of Gratuitous Evil And The Sovereignty Of God -- By: Connie Johnson

Journal: Conspectus
Volume: CONSPECTUS 27:1 (Mar 2019)
Article: Creation Order Theodicy: The Argument For The Coexistence Of Gratuitous Evil And The Sovereignty Of God
Author: Connie Johnson


Creation Order Theodicy: The Argument For The Coexistence Of Gratuitous Evil And The Sovereignty Of God

Connie Johnson

and

Robert Falconer

Keywords

Theodicy, Creation Order theodicy, greater good theodicy, Bruce Little, Gratuitous Evil, Sovereignty of God

About The Authors1

Connie Johnson

PhD candidate, SATS, In addition to owning a residential construction company, Connie has worked as an adjunct professor of religion and philosophy at Hampton University and presently at Saint Leo University.

Robert Falconer

BTech Arch, NMMU; PhD, SATS. After practicing architecture, Robert left for Kenya for three years as a missionary. He currently works at the South African Theological Seminary as the Masters and Doctoral Research Coordinator.

Abstract

The argument for the coexistence of gratuitous evil and the doctrine of the sovereignty of God is ardent amongst scholars. This article seeks to examine Bruce Little’s Creation Order theodicy and its claim that gratuitous evil exists concurrently with the sovereignty of God.

Upon exploring prominent greater good theodicies and enumerating both their strengths and weaknesses, Little’s justification for his Creation Order theodicy is posited, followed by the content of the theodicy. The Creation Order theodicy is then evaluated against prominent greater good theodicies and contemporary theodical viewpoints. Lastly, the Creation Order theodicy is evaluated as a valid explanation for the concurrence of gratuitous evil and the sovereignty of God.

This article contends that Little’s Creation Order theodicy does offer a valid argument for the existence of gratuitous evil concurrent with the doctrine of the sovereignty of God. Further, the Creation Order theodicy addresses many of the questions which plague theodicy and it does so in a manner which is biblically consistent. The Creation Order theodicy, with its

This article: https://www.sats.edu.za/johnson-falconer-creation-order-theodicy

associated gratuitous evil, offers a compelling answer to those who are experiencing evil or ministering to those experiencing evil.

1. Introduction

The Creation Order theodicy maintains that gratuitous evil exists concurrently with the sovereignty of God. If the argument for the coexistence of gratuitous evil and the sovereignty of God is determined to be valid, it would prove to alter not only the explana...

You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
Click here to subscribe
visitor : : uid: ()