St.

Irenaeus: A Vale of Soul-Making 1

Theodicy of St. Irenaeus

A Vale of Soul-Making
In this world where we dwell, a lot of questions may arise bound to explaining the

philosophical side of humanity, living, and rationality. And as questions have risen, some of it

are raising as to why is there evil? And why is suffering a problem for religious believers?

Theodicy – a word coined by Leibniz created from the Greek words theos which means

God and dike pertaining to righteousness. Dilemmas, which in its most basic version comprises

the following assumptions, is the focus of a theodicy, which seeks to justify or defend God in

the face of evil. These dilemmas are bound to the following concepts: (1) God is all-powerful

and all-good, and as a result, he is also all-knowing, (2) God created the universe, and/or it

depends on God for its very existence, and (3) There is evil in the world. As such, proponents on

variety of ideologies are dependent on the two traditional theodicies -- St. Augustine’s soul-

deciding theodicy and St. Irenaeus’ soul-making theodicy.

As soul-making relies on the fact that evil indeed has to therefore exist so that

individuals and humane society can develop their souls by living and becoming goods persons

and moral beings, it depends on attempting to explain how the existence of God can coexist

with the evil, misery, and grief that we observe in the world. By outlining a divine design in

which the occurrence of evil is required for enabling the greater good of character development

of free moral actors, it attempts to address the dilemma of evil raised by non-theists. Many

religious philosophers have voiced serious criticisms to this theodicy. But the question is: What

really is the St. Irenaeus’ theodicy of soul-making? And where is it bound to considering the

reality of human justness and rationalizations?

 St. Irenaeus: A Vale of Soul-Making 2

Theodicy according to Irenaeus is 'soul making'. His theodicy places more emphasis on

the advancement of humanity. As such, he made a distinction between the 'image' and the

'likeness' of God. Although Adam had the appearance of God, he lacked his essence. Because

they were immature and needed to mature, or grow into the likeness (content) of God, Adam

and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden. They served as the starting point for a later

phase of God's creation process. In the context of this second phase of becoming more like God

in content, the fall of humanity is considered as a failure. By which, indeed, proved by the

reality of life, it is through suffering that human souls are elevated, hence pain is a vital

component of the universe that God has created. Thus, the world is a ‘vale of soul making’.

But, as to what extent is this “vale of soul-making” anchored to? Soul making is tested

through faith. Although it is difficult to understand God's plan, believers hold onto their faith in

the face of mounting evidence. This belief turns into a virtue. The 'epistemic gap' that results

from this ignorance is what John Hick refers to. Though the concept of suffering and evil has no

moral implications, in a predictable universe, we can be certain of things.

Moreover, in Irenaeus' Theodicy, heaven and hell play a significant role in the deification

—or elevating—of mankind to the divine. In brief, Irenaeus’ theodicy proposed the following

ideologies (a) In God's likeness and image, humans were made, (b) Although we have the

potential for moral perfection, our moral development is still in its infancy, (c) We transition

from being human animals to "children of God" throughout our lifetimes, (d) We choose God

above our lower impulse because it is a choice we have made through hardship and experience,

(e) There are no outside powers or angels at work in this situation, (f) Suffering is something
 St. Irenaeus: A Vale of Soul-Making 3

that God allows for the good of mankind, and (g) His theodicy teaches us about good morals

and the outside world.

In general, this theodicy showcases the idea that although God has allowed evil to exist,

we are bound to be influenced towards greater development as soul-making is being eyed to be

attained. By which, one can say that suffering and evil are both useful as a source of

information. Hunger makes you hurt and makes you want to eat. Humans attempt to assist

those who are suffering when they are aware of their own misery. Additionally, they exist for

our character development. Evil presents a chance to develop morally. There would be no

moral significance to our activities if we were taught to always "do the right thing." In a world

created as a whole paradise, Swinburne observed, "We would never learn the art of goodness."

And lastly, suffering and evil are settings that is predictable. Natural laws govern the way things

work in the world. These laws apply regardless of anything and are not influenced by our needs.

When these laws clash with our self-perceived demands, natural evil results.

Considering all of these concepts and ideas, this piece guided by St. Irenaeus’ soul-

making theodicy seeks to explain and expand the message that:

We are imperfect beings who must develop and progress. Notably, this paradigm also counts on

the existence of free will. Evil is a prerequisite for a world in which we conquer challenges and

overcome struggles to advance. This approach makes the observation that God frequently

permits our condition of suffering to advance us. Through the difficulties of life, we are purified.

According to some interpretations, our growth and purification will continue in the hereafter. As

such, these concepts are exemplified by the theodicy of soul-making.

 St. Irenaeus: A Vale of Soul-Making 4

Rationalizing for these philosophical accounts guided by reality, we can therefore say

that, evil exists because it serves a purpose. From St. Irenaeus’ perspective, evil provides the

essential difficulties for us to participate in "soul-making." Beginning from this perspective, evil

serves as a tool to achieve good since without it, there would be no way to advance spiritually.

But in this perspective, evil is created by god, and while it serves a function, it contradicts the

idea that god is essentially all good. But, all are bound to humane gratification and

development.

Over and above that, expounding this idea, in the face of evidence of evil in the world,

St. Irenaeus’ Soul-Making Theodicy argues for the likelihood of an almighty and

omnibenevolent (all-powerful and fully loving) God. There have been many different theodicies

put out, all of which contend that while evil exists, God is either not to blame for it or is not

guilty of it. The Irenaean theodicy typically claims that the world is the best of all possible

worlds because it enables humanity to reach their full potential. According to the majority of

Irenaean theodicies, since humans have not yet reached their full potential and experiencing

evil and suffering is important for this development, creation is incomplete. By which, these

exist as it is bound to the development of humanity and the moral character of human beings.