29 Facts About Irenaean theodicy

1.

Typically, the Irenaean theodicy asserts that the world is the best of all possible worlds because it allows humans to fully develop.

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2.

Second-century theologian and philosopher Irenaeus, after whom the Irenaean theodicy is named, proposed a two-stage creation process in which humans require free will and the experience of evil to develop.

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3.

Irenaean theodicy supported the view that creation is incomplete and argued that the world is best placed for the full moral development of humans, as it presents genuine moral choices.

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4.

Irenaean theodicy was first identified as a form of theodicy by John Hick in Evil and the God of Love, written in 1966.

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5.

The Irenaean theodicy is distinguished by its acceptance that God is responsible for evil, but that he is not at fault since it is necessary for a greater good.

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6.

Key points of a soul-making Irenaean theodicy begin with its metaphysical foundation: that " The purpose of God in creating the world was soul-making for rational moral agents".

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7.

Irenaean theodicy is a response to the evidential problem of evil which raises the problem that, if an omnipotent and omnibenevolent God exists, there should be no evil in the world.

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8.

The Irenaean theodicy teaches that creation has two stages: humans were first created in the image of God, and will then be created in the likeness of God.

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9.

The Irenaean theodicy proposes that evil and suffering exists in the world because this is the best way for humans to develop.

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10.

Typical to variations of the Irenaean theodicy is the notion that the present world is the greatest possible world, or the best of all possible worlds.

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11.

Irenaean theodicy proposed that creation consists of two distinct parts: first in the image of God, then in the likeness of God.

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12.

Irenaean theodicy believed that, in order to achieve moral perfection, humans must be given free choice, with the actual possibility of choosing to do evil.

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13.

Irenaean theodicy perceived God's declaration in the Book of Genesis that his creation was good to mean that the world is fit for purpose, rather than being free from suffering.

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14.

Irenaean theodicy's suffering, being swallowed by a whale, both enabled God's plan to be fulfilled and brought Jonah closer to God: Jonah ended up repenting for his sin and the people of Nineveh turn to God.

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15.

Irenaean theodicy believed that there would be 6000 years of suffering before the world ends in a fiery purge.

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16.

Theologian Mark Scott has argued that John Hick's Irenaean theodicy is more closely aligned with Origen's beliefs than Irenaeus' and ought to be called an "Origenian Irenaean theodicy".

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17.

Schleiermacher began his Irenaean theodicy by asserting that God is omnipotent and benevolent and concluded that, because of this, "God would create flawlessly".

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18.

Irenaean theodicy proposed that it would be illogical for a perfect creation to go wrong and that evil must have been created by God for a good reason.

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19.

Irenaean theodicy conceived sin as being an obstruction to humanity's dependence on God, arguing that it is almost inevitable, but citing Jesus as an example of a sinless man, whose consciousness of God was unobstructed.

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20.

Irenaean theodicy interpreted the fall of man, described in the book of Genesis, as a mythological description of the current state of humans.

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21.

Irenaean theodicy argued that to be created in the image of God means to have the potential for knowledge of and a relationship with God; this is fulfilled when creation in the likeness of God is complete.

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22.

Irenaean theodicy argues that, if suffering was always beneficial to humans, it would be impossible for humans to develop compassion or sympathy because we would know that someone who is suffering will certainly benefit from it.

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23.

Nature of his Irenaean theodicy required Hick to propose an eschatology in which humans are fully morally developed.

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24.

Irenaean theodicy proposed a universalist theory, arguing that all humans would eventually reach heaven.

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25.

British philosopher Richard Swinburne proposed a version of the Irenaean theodicy based on his libertarian view of free will, a view that one's free actions are not caused by any outside agent.

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26.

Irenaean theodicy argued that, in order for people to make free moral decisions, they must be aware of the consequences of such decisions.

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27.

Irenaean theodicy argued that the Irenaean theodicy supposes that God inflicts pain for his own ends, which Griffin regarded as immoral.

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28.

Irenaean theodicy challenged the suffering both of animals and of young children.

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29.

Irenaean theodicy is challenged by the assertion that many evils do not promote spiritual growth, but can instead be destructive of the human spirit.

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