RE good and evil

What is evil

Something immoral, bad, harmfull, causes injury or suffering

What are two types of evil?

Moral evil - actions done by humans which cause suffering by misusing theit free will eg. war and theft

Natural evil - things that cause suffering but have nothing todo with humans

What is a sin?

An act again the will or laws of god eg. murder

What does Epicurus states about God?

• God wants to stop evil but cant so he is not omnipotent

• God can stop evil but doesnt want to so he is not omnibenevolent

• God cant and doesnt want to stop evil so he isnt perfect and should not be called God

What is Mackies inconsistent triad?

God is omnipotent, God is omnibenevolent, Evil exists

What is the impact of original sin?

• we are now born with tthe desire to sin

• we have become distant from God

• humans need help to be saved from sin

• the natural world became corrupted and broken creating natural disasters

• women will experience pain during childbirth

• man have to work hard

• we were kicked out of the garden of Eden

How does St Augustine justifies evil?

Accordingto St Augustine evil is nota thing itself but an absence or lack of goodness (privation)

For example blindness is not a thing itself but an absence of vision

In The Enchiridion St Augustine said that we enjoy and value the good more when we compare it with the evil and described God as “supremely good” therefore saying that evil does not come from him.

Why is God good?

• He describes his creation as “very good” (genesis 1)

• there is beauty in Gods creation eg. rainbows

• His creation provides for all life eg. water for life “he makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains” - psalm 104

• God made humans in imago dei. When we perform good actions it is the reflection of Gods goodness “in the image of God he created them” - genesis 1

• God sacrificed his only son to save humanity “behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” - John

• because Jesus is good, God is good

What are Catholic responses towards evil?

• some believe that it is a test of faith and that it has a reason but humans can not understand it so they should trust in God

• Catholic believe that they should follow the example of Jesus and fight against evil eg. being doctors

• some believe that humans are to blame because the misuse their free will

• some believe that it prepares for life in heaven

• God is transcendent and beyond human understanding

• evil helps us appreciate the good

What does John Hick say about evil and suffering?

He argues that we are made imperfect to grow into the “likeness of God” and it is done through experiencing suffering during our lives. He describes it as “The vale of soul making”

What does Fry say about God?

“God is a maniac”

What does Rowe states about God?

There is no God because of the regular intense suffering eg. Deer in the forest fire

What does Hume states about evil and suffering?

There is no evidence of an all powerfull and loving God but there is evidence of evil

What is the trinity?

• Belief that God is 3 in 1: Father, Son and Holy Spirit

• Father is the creator and law giver showing Gods omnipotence, Son died for sins showing omnibenevolence, Holy Spirit is God in the world today showing omniscience

• Still monotheism

• Not polytheism

• “Baptise all nations in the name of the father the sonand the holy spirit”

• Evidenced in Great Comission, The Creed and Jesus baptism

What does Augustine suggest about the Trinity?

• All parts of the Trinity are equally God and equally great

• Compared the trinity to the love analogy: lover = father, beloved = son, love = holy spirit

• “God is love” - 1 John, Bible

• Word analogy: speaker = father, word = son, speaking = holy spirit

• “The word of the God” - John, Bible

What is incarnation?

• Means ‘God made flesh’

• The virgin birth shows jesus is the incarnation: “The holy spirit will come upon you” Luke

• Jesus shows both human and divine qualities

• Human: death

• Divine: miracles, resurrection

What is Kenosis Hymn?

• A document written by St Paul

• It states that God ‘emptied himself’ to become human

• God ‘humbled himself’ to serve humans as a ‘slave’

What are virtues?

• Virtues are good qualities or behaviours that we do EG: Kindness, patience, honesty

• We are created in God's image and likeness so we can show virtues

• Aquinas states we have virtues of Love, Faith and Hope

• St Paul teaches that Love is the most important virtue

• Jesus teaches people to be merciful:

• ‘Blessed are the peace makers'

• Virtues help you to be more God-like and get to Heaven.

What is conscience?

• It is God guiding you in the world today

• Helps you to do good and avoid evil

• John Henry Newman: "The voice of God within"

• St Catherine says that we are made imago dei, and this gives us a conscience (mirror example)

• Freud argues that it is not the voice of God but guilt from your parents and upbringing.

What is Pieta?

• Mary holding Jesus after he has been taken down from the cross

• Mary does not directly touch Jesus, showing his divinity (God)

• Mary has upturned hands and looks upset but not crying: Shows God has a plan for Jesus' death (forgiveness of sins

• Mary looks youthful, showing her sin free nature (immaculate conception)

• Jesus looks peaceful in death

What is a pilgrimage?

• Journey to a place of spiritual significance

• Helps you to connect with God
  Strengthens your faith

• Visit important sites such as Bethlehem (Jesus' birth), Jesus' life death and resurrection (Jerusalem)

• Jesus and his family went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, so you are following his example

Why do Catholics go to Lourdes?

• St Bernadette saw Mary

• Spring flows there which people collect and bathe in Torchlight procession - rosary prayed

• Mass attended to receive the Eucharist (Jesus High stations (stations of the cross) taken part in Pilgrims help the elderly and disabled

• Report of miracle healings happening there.

• "Faith without works is dead" James

Why is Jesus a moral authority?

• Jesus teaches how to behave: "no one goes to the Father, except by me"

• Beatitudes: Blessed are the meek, merciful, peacemakers

• Parables: Good Samaritan - love thy neighbour, Unforgiving servant: Forgive 70 x 7

• "Treat others how you want to be treated"

• Made laws of Moses stricter: 'Do not kill' changed to 'do not even get angry'. Stop sinful thoughts because they lead to sinful actions.

What is a rosary?

• Set of prayer beads to connect with God

• Prayers include: Our Father, Hail
  Mary and Glory Be

• 5 decades. Decades remember a mystery from Jesus and Mary EG: Sorrowful mystery: Jesus' crucifixion & Jesus crowned with thorns

• "Compendium of the Gospel" John Paul ll

Why did Jesus suffer?

• Jesus suffers and dies to take away the sins of the world: “lamb of god”

• Isaiah said the suffering servant would: “be rejected by mankind” and be “pierced for our transgressions”

• Jesus was innocent and crucified

• Jesus’ death forgives sins, and brings people closer to God (atonement)

What is Salvifici Doloris?

• A document writing by St John Paul ll

• Means redemptive suffering

• Through suffering people can experience Jesus’ suffering on the cross

• God can comfort suffering if you offer it to him in prayer

• God has a plan for suffering: by the crucifixion he saved all people through the resurrection

What is natural law?

• Written be St Thomas Aquinas

• It helps Catholics “do good and avoid evil”

• 5 primary precepts: preserve life, live in ordered society, worship god, educate and reproduce

• We are all made in Gods image so we have ‘recta ratio’ (right reason/thinking) to help you follow Natural Law