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Response essay assignment

The two types of the "problem" of evil are the logical problem and the evidential

problem. The analytical problem of evil argues that the existence of evil is logically incompatible

with the presence of an all-powerful and all-good God. Dew & Gould's answer to this is that the

logical problem of evil fails to consider the complexities of an omnipotent, omniscient, and

omnibenevolent God and that it is possible that an almighty God could be justified in allowing

evil and suffering to exist in the world. The evidential problem of evil argues that the existence

of evil and suffering in the world is evidence that God does not exist. Dew & Gould's response is

that the presence of evil and suffering in the world does not necessarily prove that God does not

exist, as it is possible that a good God could have reasons for allowing evil and suffering to live

in the world.

Dew and Gould's chapter on the problem of evil and divine hiddenness presents several

potential answers to the challenge of reconciling the existence of indecency with a God who is

all-powerful and all-loving. In Pruitt's article "God, Evil and the Human Good," she makes

several arguments that could be used to provide support for some of these answers.

First, Pruitt claims that God is not responsible for evil. Instead, humanity is the cause of

it. She argues that when humans are given free will, they can choose to do evil, and God cannot

be blamed for the consequences. This could support Dew and Gould's answer that evil is
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necessary to give humans the freedom to choose between good and evil. According to Pruitt, free

will is required for humans to grow and develop spiritually and morally. This growth is only

possible if humans are given the ability to choose between good and evil.

Second, Pruitt argues that God allows evil to exist to bring about a greater good. Pruitt

claims that the pain and suffering caused by evil can lead to spiritual growth and that this

spiritual growth ultimately benefits humanity. This could support Dew and Gould's answer that

evil is a means of spiritual development. According to Pruitt, suffering can lead to growth if

viewed correctly, which ultimately benefits humanity.

Finally, Pruitt claims that God allows evil to exist to give humans a sense of

responsibility for the world. She argues that when humans face evil, they are forced to take

responsibility and use their free will to improve the world. This could support Dew and Gould's

answer that evil is necessary to promote moral growth. According to Pruitt, when humans face

evil, they are forced to take responsibility for their actions, leading to moral development. Pruitt's

arguments could be used to support some of the answers presented by Dew and Gould in their

chapter on the problem of evil and divine hiddenness. Specifically, Pruitt's arguments could be

used to support the idea that evil is necessary to give humans the freedom to choose between

good and evil. Evil serves as a means of spiritual development. Evil is essential to promote moral

growth.

In "C. S. Lewis on the Problem of Divine Hiddenness," Dumsday argues that God's

hiddenness may express divine love and mercy. He argues that if we were constantly exposed to

God's presence and power, our mortality and finitude would be overwhelmed, and we would be

unable to choose between good and evil freely. Therefore, divine hiddenness allows us to choose

between good and evil and develop a moral character.

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The most intriguing argument that Dumsday offers is his argument from the "divine

middle ground." He argues that God's hiddenness is a middle ground between two extremes—

complete divine visibility and absolute divine invisibility. On the one hand, unlimited religious

visibility would be overwhelming and could lead to a situation in which our free will is impaired.

On the other hand, absolute divine invisibility would lead to a situation in which we feel

abandoned and alone. Dumsday suggests that the religious middle ground of hiddenness allows

us to experience God's presence in a way that is neither overwhelming nor absent. We can feel

the presence of God without being overwhelmed by it, and we can experience God's presence

without being completely overwhelmed by it.

This argument from the sacred middle ground is compelling because it responds to the

problem of evil that is both reasonable and compassionate. Rather than suggesting that God is

distant and aloof, Dumsday's argument suggests that God's hiddenness is an expression of divine

love and mercy. By allowing us to experience God's presence in a way that is neither

overwhelming nor absent, God is allowing us to freely choose between good and evil and

develop a moral character. This argument from the religious middle ground thus presents a

response to the problem of evil that is both reasonable and compassionate.

Dumsday's argument from the sacred middle ground is a compelling argument that offers

a response to the problem of evil that is both reasonable and compassionate. By suggesting that

God's hiddenness is an expression of divine love and mercy, Dumsday's argument presents a way

of understanding the problem of evil that is both reasonable and compassionate. This argument

from the religious middle ground is thus an intriguing and powerful argument that is well worth

considering.
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The problem of divine hiddenness is that God's existence is not evident, leaving us to

wonder why He remains hidden. Chapter 13 of Dew & Gould's book offers a reasonably general

answer to this problem, stating that God's hiddenness is a test of faith and allows us to choose to

believe in Him freely. However, Dumsday's article takes this answer further by explaining how

God's hiddenness can be seen as an act of love and grace.

Dumsday argues that God's hiddenness allows us to have a sense of autonomy and to

pursue the good without feeling coerced or manipulated. He states that God's hiddenness will

enable us to choose our interests without feeling like we must do so out of fear or obligation.

This is in contrast to the idea of a God constantly intervening in our lives and making us feel

obligated to follow His will. This idea of freedom is further explored in Pruitt's article, where she

argues that God's hiddenness allows us to experience the good in our lives without feeling

manipulated or forced to do so. Pruitt argues that God's hiddenness protects us from feeling like

we are being controlled by an external force, allowing us to pursue the good freely. This sense of

autonomy is essential for humans to experience life's fullness and follow the good.

Overall, Dumsday's contribution to the problem of divine hiddenness can be seen as a

way of explaining why God remains hidden. While Dew & Gould's view is that God's

hiddenness is a test of faith, Dumsday and Pruitt's arguments provide further insight into why

this might be the case. God's hiddenness gives us the opportunity to experience the good without

feeling pressured or coerced by allowing us a sense of freedom and autonomy. This is an integral

part of the human experience and is essential for us to be able to choose to pursue the good

freely. Therefore, Dumsday's arguments can be seen as providing additional evidence for the

idea that God's hiddenness is an act of love and grace.

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My overall conclusion is that the problem of evil does not necessarily prove God does not

exist, but it does show that there is a problem to be addressed. In particular, Pruitt's article

highlights the importance of understanding how God's existence can be reconciled with the

presence of evil and suffering. Dumsday's article furthers this by exploring how C.S. Lewis's

work can be used to explain divine hiddenness and how it might be related to the problem of

evil. Based on my reading of these articles and the chapter in Dew and Gould, I think that God's

existence can be reconciled with the presence of evil and suffering. This is because, as Lewis

points out, God's will is not necessarily determined by what is best for us, and sometimes God

withholds knowledge and insight to protect us from harm or prevent us from sinning. As Pruitt

explains, this means that God cannot be blamed for all of the suffering and evil in the world, as

there are many factors at play.

The evidence presented in these articles and the chapter in Dew and Gould suggests that

we can have faith in the goodness of God even though there is suffering and evil in the world.

This is because the evidence indicates that God does not intend for evil and suffering to exist and

is actively working to bring about a better world. As such, I believe that the case for God's

existence is still strong, even in the face of the problem of evil. Even though the existence of evil

and suffering can be difficult to reconcile with the idea of a good God, I think it is still possible

to maintain faith in God's goodness.

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Works Cited

Dumsday, Travis. “C. S. Lewis on the Problem of Divine Hiddenness.” Anglican Theological Review,

vol. 97, no. 1, Dec. 2015, pp. 33–52, https://doi.org/10.1177/000332861509700104.

Howard-Snyder, Daniel, et al. Divine Hiddenness. Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Pruitt, Shane. 9 Common Lies Christians Believe. Multnomah, 2019.