Solving the Problem of Evil

Author:

Galdo, Stephen Christopher

Area of Honors:

English (Behrend)

Degree:

Bachelor of Science

Document Type:

Thesis

Thesis Supervisors:

Joshua Shaw, Thesis Supervisor
Craig Andrew Warren, Thesis Honors Advisor
Craig Andrew Warren, Faculty Reader

Keywords:

English
Evil
Problem of Evil
Philosophy
Catholic
Christianity
Suffering
Love.

Abstract:

Nothing has posed a greater challenge to Christianity than the problem of evil. How could an omnipotent, omniscient, and all good God permit evil? Why is there so much evil? Why is there pointless evil? God where are you? God are you real? These are questions I address in this thesis. In the first section, I address what I believe to be the most compelling challenges to faith in God: the logical, natural, and gratuitous problems of evil. I offer compelling arguments against the non-believer’s challenges: the existence of free will, greater goods result, and God’s attempt to use suffering to draw us into a personal relationship with him. In the second section, I share my personal experience with evil and suffering. I take a closer look at how God used suffering to lead me to an intimate relationship with him in my high school and college years. In the third and final section, I illustrate the power of having faith when encountering evil. I talk more about my personal approach to suffering and how I find meaning within it. Then I analyze popular misconceptions about Christianity’s views of suffering and explain that Christianity is ultimately a response of love to suffering.