Hi, my name's Ms. Minton, and welcome to this Christian Beliefs lesson on The problem of evil.

Now, by the end of this lesson, you'll be able to explain the problem of evil and divergent solutions offered to the problem of evil.

Now, lots of our learning today might be new to you, but please don't worry, because I'm here to guide you through each step of our lesson, and I'm confident that by the end, you will achieve the outcome.

So, let's get started by taking a look at our keywords for today.

We have evil, omnibenevolent, omnipotent, and suffering.

Now, the word evil refers to the opposite of good, and it's a cause of suffering and goes against the will of God.

Omnibenevolent refers to the belief that God is all-loving.

And omnipotent refers to the belief that God is all powerful.

And finally, suffering is an effect of evil, and it's when somebody undergoes pain or hardship.

Now, our lesson today will have three parts.

We'll start by looking at the problem of evil and suffering.

We'll then look at responses and solutions to the problem of evil.

And then finally, we'll look at the success of the solutions to the problem of evil.

So, let's get started by taking a look at the problem of evil and suffering.

Now, Fiona is an Anglican Christian, and she describes what she believes God is like.

Fiona says, "As a Christian, I believe in one God who is just and fair, omnipotent and omnibenevolent." Now, God's characteristics or qualities that Fiona is describing is often referred to as God's nature.

So, when we use the phrase nature of God, we mean what God is like, what characteristics, and qualities God possesses.

Now, many Christians like Fiona have used the Bible to understand God's nature.

And through the Bible, God can be seen as just, omnibenevolent, and omnipotent.

Examples of where God is seen as omnipotent in the Bible include Exodus chapter 7 - 11, where God sends the 10 plagues to free the slaves and Genesis 1 - 3, where God is described as being responsible for creation.

An example of where God is seen as omnibenevolent in the Bible includes Psalm 103:8, which says, "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love." And finally, an example of where God is seen as just and fair in the Bible is in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats when God separates the good from the sinners at the end of time.

So, what we've seen so far is that Christians hold a number of beliefs about what God is like.

So, let's imagine that I've been asked to outline three Christian beliefs about God.

I've said that Christians believe God is omnipotent, and Christians believe that God is just and fair.

Now, I've not quite managed to answer the question, because the question has asked me to outline three beliefs and I've only outlined two.

So, I would like you to outline another Christian Belief about God.

So, pause the video and have a go.

So, another Christian belief about God is that Christians believe that God is omnibenevolent or all-loving.

Well done.

Now, on the screen you can see a statement that says that the world is perfect.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being strongly disagree and 10 being strongly agree, I would like you to either discuss with a partner or have a think about how far you agree or disagree with this statement, and why.

So, pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself.

Off you go.

Now, as part of your thinking time or your discussion, you may have started to realise that it would actually be really difficult to say that the world is perfect.

And that's because even though there are so many wonderful things in the world, the world also contains lots of evil and suffering.

Now, as humans, we are aware that evil and suffering exists, and that's because we've either seen it or experienced it in our own lives.

And this evil might be a result of the natural world around us, which is known as natural evil, or it might be a result of human action, which is known as moral evil.

Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

Can you think of any examples of natural or moral evil? So, examples of evil and suffering that's caused by nature and examples of evil and suffering that are caused by humans.

Off you go.

So, for natural evil, you may have considered events like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, or hurricanes.

And for moral evil, you may have considered things like murder, theft, assault, or bullying.

So, let's now check your understanding.

Which of the following best describes moral evil? a, evil and suffering caused by the natural world, b, evil and suffering caused by God, or c, evil and suffering caused by humans? Fantastic, the correct answer is c.

The statement that best describes moral evil is evil and suffering caused by humans.

Well done.

Now, the problem of evil and suffering refers to questions about God's nature that the existence of evil raises.

And an ancient Greek philosopher, Epicurus, summarised the problem of evil like this.

He said, "Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he's not omnipotent.

Is he able, but not willing? Then he's malevolent, which means he wishes to do evil." So, let's check your understanding again.

Questions about God's nature that the existence of evil raises is known as a, the problem of God's nature, b, the problem of evil and suffering, or c, the problem of sin? Fantastic, the correct answer is b, the problem of evil and suffering refers to questions about God's nature that the existence of evil raises.

Well done.

Now, the ideas of Epicurus were later formulated into what's known as the inconsistent triad.

And the inconsistent triad aims to demonstrate three things that are inconsistent with one another.

These are God as omnibenevolent, God as omnipotent, and the existence of evil.

Now, I would like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself about why this is known as the inconsistent triad.

Off you go.

So, this is known as the inconsistent triad because these three things are inconsistent with each other.

So, this means that they don't make sense together.

Now, this is because if God is omnibenevolent, he would want to stop evil.

If he was omnipotent, he'd have the ability and the power to stop evil.

But evil still exists.

And we know this for sure, because we see and experience it every single day.

Now, this leads some people to argue that the existence of evil and suffering means that if God does exist, it's not possible to describe God as omnipotent or omnibenevolent, or either of these things.

And some people might also question whether God is righteous and just for allowing evil and suffering to happen.

And this problem might even cause Christians to actually question whether or not God exists.

So, let's now check your understanding.

Which characteristic of God does the problem of evil question? a, omnipotence, b, omnipresence c, omniscience, or d, omnibenevolence? Fantastic, the correct answers are a, omnipotence and d, omnibenevolence.

Well done.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

I would like you to use this diagram as a prompt to explain what the problem of evil is and how the inconsistent triad demonstrates this.

So, pause the video and a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So, you are asked to use the diagram as a prompt to explain what the problem of evil is and how the inconsistent triad demonstrates this.

And your response might be similar to this.

"The problem of evil refers to questions or doubt about God's nature that the existence of evil raises.

The inconsistent triad demonstrates the problem of evil and suffering by referring to the Christian belief that God is omnipotent and omnibenevolent and shows that these two characteristics of God are inconsistent with the existence of evil and suffering in the world.

The inconsistent triad highlights that evil and suffering could mean that either God is not all-loving, not all powerful, or possibly neither of these things.

The inconsistent triad can also be used to question whether God exists at all." So, well done for your work during that task.

We're now moving on to the second part of our lesson, which is to look at responses and solutions to the problem of evil.

Now, most Christians agree that the existence of evil and suffering doesn't mean that God is not all-powerful or all-loving.

And David is an example of a Christian who holds this belief.

David says, "I know that evil and suffering exist in the world, and I have experienced this in my own life.

However, this has not changed my beliefs about God.

Even though I've gone through difficult times, I still believe that God is omnipotent and omnibenevolent." Now, when defending God's nature against the existence of evil and suffering, Christians will generally use solutions or responses that fit into these three main approaches.

Biblical, so arguments that are based on teachings from the Bible, theoretical, so theories that have been developed to try and make sense of evil and suffering, and practical, which refers to tangible actions that people can do as a response to evil and suffering.

So, let's now take a look at some examples of solutions and responses to the problem of evil.

So, biblical solutions to the problem of evil include the belief that suffering is a result of human free will.

Now, Genesis 2 states that God gave Adam and Eve free will when he created them, but they misused this free will to disobey God's command.

And this introduced into the world evil and suffering.

Now, since Adam and Eve, humans have continued to misuse their free will, continued to disobey God, and this has led to moral evil.

Another example of a biblical response to the problem of evil is that suffering can be explained as being a test from God.

Now, in the book of Job found in the Old Testament, we hear the story of a devout unrighteous man.

And in this story, Satan tells God that Job is only faithful because he's been blessed.

So, God gives Satan permission to test Job to see if he remains faithful.

In the story, Job experiences many misfortunes, including the death of his family members.

But at the end of the story, Job realises that the suffering he endures might have a purpose, but as a human, he might not be able to see or understand that purpose yet.

Theoretical solutions to the problem of evil include that suffering can actually bring about a greater good.

So, for example, when people experience or see suffering, it can actually promote awareness of issues and it can even provoke groups, communities, or even whole societies to act on issues and make positive changes.

Another theoretical response to the problem of evil is that suffering can actually help people develop.

Now, some Christians would respond to the problem of evil by saying that evil has a purpose, and this purpose is to provide opportunities for people to become better as individuals.

Now, this theory is known as the vale of soul-making, and it was put forward by a philosopher named Irenaeus, and then later developed by another philosopher named John Hick.

Now, John Hick argued that evil and suffering existed so that humans can grow into the likeness of God.

And finally, practical solutions and responses to the problem of evil include that many Christians actually worship and pray as a response to evil and suffering.

So, many Christians will pray to God to either ask for strength or maybe even ask God to perform a miracle when they see or experience suffering.

Also, the existence of suffering can actually lead individuals and communities to follow the teachings and examples of Jesus, particularly by doing things like giving to charity to try and lessen the suffering of other people or make the suffering more manageable.

So, let's now check your understanding.

Which of the following is not a type of solution to the problem of evil? a, theoretical, b, biblical, c, logistical, or d, practical? Fantastic, the correct answer is c.

Logistical is not a type of solution to the problem of evil.

Well done.

Now, Christians might use a variety of biblical and theoretical arguments to defend God's nature and also combine this with practical responses in their own lives.

And Danielle explains how she does this.

Danielle is Roman Catholic and she says, "I use biblical and theoretical arguments to defend my belief that God is omnibenevolent and omnipotent, whilst acknowledging that evil and suffering do exist.

I then use practical solutions like praying and giving to charity to help me get through difficult times and support others going through difficult times." So, now, we've seen that there are a range of solutions and responses to the problem of evil.

Let's imagine that I've been asked to outline three Christian responses to the problem of evil and suffering.

I've said, "One response to the problem of evil is that suffering is a test from God.

Another response to the problem of evil is that suffering is a result of the misuse of free will." Now, I've not quite managed to finish my response.

I've only outlined two responses, where the question asks to outline three.

So, I'd like you to outline another Christian response to the problem of evil and suffering.

So, pause the video and have a go.

So, you may have said that another response to the problem of evil and suffering is that suffering helps humans become better people.

You may have referred to this as the vale of soul-making.

So, well done, and thank you for helping me finish my answer.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

I would like you to explain two solutions Christians might give to the problem of evil and suffering.

In your answer, you must refer to a source of wisdom and authority.

When responding to this task, you might like to use this guidance.

So, offer a point giving one Christian response to the problem of evil, and then develop that point by explaining what that means or what that shows.

Then offer another point giving another Christian solution to the problem of evil, and then develop that point by explaining what that means or what that shows.

Now, for one part of your answer, you should refer to a relevant source of wisdom and authority.

This could be an exact or paraphrased quote or it could be a general teaching from a named source.

So, pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So, you ask to explain two solutions Christians might give to the problem of evil and suffering, and you will also ask to refer to a source of wisdom and authority.

Your response might be similar to this.

"One Christian solution to the problem of evil and suffering is that it's a result of human action.

In the creation story in Genesis, God created humans to have free will.

And many Christians believe that evil and suffering is a result of the misuse of free will, because free will is used incorrectly, it can cause pain and suffering for others." "Another Christian solution to the problem of evil and suffering is that it can bring about good.

Some Christians believe that when we suffer, we use this as an opportunity to grow as a person and take positive action." Now, what you can see from my answer is that I have used Genesis as my source of wisdom and authority.

You may have used a different source of wisdom and authority that better supports the point that you've given.

And if you have, this is absolutely fine.

So, well done again for your work on that task.

We're now moving on to the third part of our lesson, which is to look at the success of the solutions to the problem of evil.

To get started, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself about how these solutions and responses might help Christians who experience or witness suffering.

Off you go.

So, as part of your thinking time or your discussion, you may have considered that these solutions might help Christians because it might reassure them of God's nature as being omnipotent and omnibenevolent.

They might also comfort Christians during difficult times.

Or they might help Christians respond with positive action and good works during times of suffering.

So, let's check your understanding.

True or false? The solutions and responses to the problem of evil and suffering stop the problem completely.

Fantastic, that statement is false.

But why is that statement false? Well, it's because the solutions and responses to the problem of evil don't eliminate evil and suffering from the world, but they do help Christians in a number of ways.

For example, they reassure them of God's nature and comfort them during difficult times.

So, well done for identifying that that statement was false and for identifying the reason why.

We're now going to hear from some Christians who are going to explain to you how successful they believe the solutions to the problem of evil are.

We're going to start with Asher who is going to focus on biblical solutions to the problem of evil.

Asher says, "Because I believe that the Bible is the word of God, the biblical solutions to the problem of evil and suffering reassure me that suffering is part of God's plan, and that it's okay if I don't fully understand this." Danielle is Roman Catholic and she's now going to focus on the theoretical solutions to the problem of evil.

Danielle says, "I seek comfort knowing that when I experience or witness evil and suffering, I can use this to help me grow into a better person and become closer to the person that God wants me to be.

For example, I was unwell once, and this helped me become more appreciative and grateful for my health.

I also feel more at peace knowing that suffering has a purpose." Finally, David, who is an Anglican Christian, is going to focus on practical solutions.

David says, "As a doctor, seeing evil and suffering is part of my daily life.

Although it upsets me when I see my patients suffer, I try to respond to these experiences by doing things that can reduce suffering for individuals.

For example, I take part in a lot of events and fundraisers in an attempt to raise money for charities that help people who have illnesses." So, what we've seen from Asher, Danielle, and David is that although solutions and responses to the problem of evil don't eliminate evil in the world, they can help Christians by comforting them, reassuring them, and encouraging them to do good works.

So, let's now check your understanding.

True or false? The solutions and responses to the problem of evil and suffering are successful because They encourage all Christians to do charity work.

Well done, that statement is false.

But how do we know that that statement is false? Well, it's because although some Christians might be encouraged to do work for charity, like we saw in David's example, this isn't necessarily the case for all Christians.

And Christians can actually be inspired to respond to the problem of evil and suffering in other ways.

For example, it can encourage Christians to accept suffering as part of God's plan and to grow to be better people.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

Lucas has started to plan how he would respond to this statement.

"God would not allow suffering if he was all-loving." Now, today, Lucas has only been completing a plan, but if he was completing a full response, he would be expected to evaluate the statement considering arguments for and against.

And in his response, he would need to refer to Christian teaching and reach a justified conclusion.

Now, because Lucas is only focusing on a plan today, I would like you to help Lucas by completing the table on the next slide and adding further arguments for and against the statement.

So, here is the start of Lucas's plan.

So far, arguing for the statement, Lucas has said that, "Evil and suffering are inconsistent with the Christian belief that God is all-loving.

And if God loved humans, he would stop evil and suffering." For arguments against the statement Lucas has said, "Suffering is the result of a misuse of free will, including the sin of Adam and Eve, and the misuse of free will by many humans since." So, I'd like you to pause the video now and have a go at adding further arguments for and against the statement.

Off you go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So, you were helping Lucas complete his plan, responding to the statement that God would not allow suffering if he was all-loving.

And your responses might look similar to this.

For arguments for the statement, you may have said that, "The existence of both moral and natural evil in the world show that there is too much evil for God to be described as loving." And for arguments against the statement, you may have said that, "God might allow suffering to help humans develop and become better people, or he might use suffering as a test of faith, like in the story of Job." So, well done for helping Lucas complete his plan.

We've now reached the end of our lesson on The problem of evil.

But before we finish, let's take a look at some of the key things that we've learned today.

So, we've learned that the Bible teaches that God is just, omnibenevolent, and omnipotent.

And that the problem of evil and suffering refers to questions about God's nature that the existence of moral evil and natural evil raise.

We've seen that the inconsistent triad represents evil as being inconsistent with God as omnipotent and omnibenevolent.

And the evil and suffering can actually cause people to doubt God.

But many Christians do believe that God is still omnipotent and omnibenevolent, even though evil exists.

And finally, we saw how many Christians refer to the story of Job, free will, the vale of soul-making, and the positive influence that suffering can have in order to defend God's nature.

So, a huge well done for all of your work today.

It's been wonderful learning with you.