{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Sgwrs Tei Bow","provider_url":"http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/cy","author_name":"Clarke Roberts","author_url":"http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/cy\/author\/clarke-roberts\/","title":"Where is God? Searching for a new way to justify God's existence in the face of evil. | Bow Tie Talks","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"68ugKdMlEG\"><a href=\"http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/cy\/2013\/05\/23\/where-is-god\/\">Ble mae Duw? Yn chwilio am ffordd newydd o gyfiawnhau bodolaeth Duw yn wyneb drwg.<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/cy\/2013\/05\/23\/where-is-god\/embed\/#?secret=68ugKdMlEG\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Where is God? Searching for a new way to justify God&#8217;s existence in the face of evil.&#8221; &#8212; Bow Tie Talks\" data-secret=\"68ugKdMlEG\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>","description":"1.0\u00a0 Introduction The fact of evil constitutes the most serious objection to the Christian belief in a God of love. (Hick 1988: ix) The above quote from John Hick explains that the biggest problem faced by belief in the traditional Christian God of love, is the fact that evil and suffering exist in the world, and that these notions are incompatible with each other (Bowker 2004: 968). One may often hear the question asked: \u201cwhy if God is so loving and all-powerful, does He allow bad things to happen?\u201d It is this idea of the incompatibility of the Christian ideal and the stark realities of the world, that may often cause one to lose their faith or to abstain from religion altogether. Numerous attempts have been made throughout history to justify the existence of God in the face of evil and suffering (the task of theodicy \u2013 see Migliore 2004: 426), but there remains a lack of consensus as to the problem of evil. Is it then, time to consider a new approach and to construct a contemporary theodicy? This essay aims to argue that the traditional approaches to theodicy and the conservative interpretation of God\u2019s nature are incompatible with the existence of evil and suffering in the world; a move away from a conservative understanding of God and His link to evil is required, if we are to maintain belief in His existence. Through a discussion and critique of classical theodicies, a liberal approach (as offered by John Hick, 1966; 1988; 2001) will be suggested as the appropriate method of interpreting the problem of evil. In conjunction with this, the argument put forward by protest theologian[1] John Roth will be considered in order to argue for a change in perception and understanding of the nature of God. 2.0 Classical approaches to the problem of evil Before new ways of approaching the problem of evil can be assessed, it is important to gain an understanding of the theodicies from which contemporary theories have stemmed. The Patristic era of Church history saw the formulation of two significant and opposing theologies surrounding the question as to the link between God\u2019s \u2018goodness\u2019 and the existence of evil; the notion of Original Sin as set out by St. Augustine, and the idea of \u2018person\/soul-making\u2019 suggested by Irenaeus. Augustine and Original Sin The affirmation of God\u2019s goodness and the original state of perfection in which the world was created is the central precept upon which, Augustine\u2019s theodicy is based (McGrath 2011: 225). The theory of Original Sin allows for belief in the omnipotent and benevolent God, prescribed to by those within traditional streams of Christianity, to be maintained; the \u2018blame\u2019 for the coming into existence of evil is placed directly with humanity. Based on the \u2018fall of man\u2019 narrative found in Genesis 3, the disobedience to God displayed by Adam and Eve\u2019s free choice[2] to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, caused the world to be \u201ccontaminated\u201d with suffering and evil [&hellip;]"}