REL 100 Exam 3 Questions And Answers With Latest
Updates
Why is the Creation story in Western Monotheism important? ANS We all share the same creation story.
What are the 4 causes/kinds of suffering? ANS 1) Moral choices
2) Physical & mental
3) Natural disasters
4) Death/finitude
explain the Theodicy Problem ANS oThere is an all-powerful God
oThere is an all-loving/all-good God
oThere is much suffering, pain and death
oIf there were an all-powerful God, this God could stop or diminish suffering
oIf there were an all-loving/all-good God, this God could not bear to simply watch/allow so much suffering
What are 6 possible responses to the Theodicy Problem? ANS 1. God gives us suffering as punishment for
sin
2. God gives us suffering to test our faith
3. God gives us suffering in order to teach us
4. We are creatures of free will
5. Nature operates according to the laws of nature
6. God suffers with us
God gives us suffering as punishment for sin ANS Examples: creation story of Augustine, sin and
disobedience leads to "the fall", humanity and all creation, Christianity concept of "original sin"
PROBLEMS:
A. Challenges the "all loving" God idea
B. If you apply this response to suffering caused by moral choices, then you lose the idea that humans have
free will.
Ex. Florida (parkland) shooting, 9/11
, Ex. Augustine - He came up with the notion of "original sin." Because of Adam's and Eve's sin in the garden,
everyone after them is bound to sin.
God gives us suffering to test our faith ANS Examples: Job (bad things happen to Job), Spiritual Athletes
(tests to
separate weak from strong, "when God tests us, we never get more than we can bare")
PROBLEMS:
A. Challenges "all-loving God" idea (ex. 3-year-old obstacle course w/ candle)
B. If you apply this response to suffering caused by moral choices, then you lose the idea that humans have
free will.
God gives us suffering in order to teach us ANS Difference between God being there and learn from
suffering vs God giving us the suffering on purpose
PROBLEMS:
A. Challenges "all-loving God" idea
B. If you apply this response to suffering caused by moral choices, then you lose the idea that human have free
will.
We are creatures of free will ANS Examples: Freedom is a greater good than happiness, John Hick, Aldous
Huxley (Brave New World)
PROBLEMS:
A. Challenges the "all-powerful God" idea (God cannot control human free will)
B. Challenges "all-loving God" idea
(Dostoyevsky, setting hounds on little boy)
C. Limitation: only applicable to suffering caused by moral choices, not applicable to suffering caused by
natural disasters, physical/mental, death/finitude.
Nature operatures according to the laws of nature ANS *Irenaeus
- no one with extreme faith will jump out of a window
- nature is not inherently evil
Updates
Why is the Creation story in Western Monotheism important? ANS We all share the same creation story.
What are the 4 causes/kinds of suffering? ANS 1) Moral choices
2) Physical & mental
3) Natural disasters
4) Death/finitude
explain the Theodicy Problem ANS oThere is an all-powerful God
oThere is an all-loving/all-good God
oThere is much suffering, pain and death
oIf there were an all-powerful God, this God could stop or diminish suffering
oIf there were an all-loving/all-good God, this God could not bear to simply watch/allow so much suffering
What are 6 possible responses to the Theodicy Problem? ANS 1. God gives us suffering as punishment for
sin
2. God gives us suffering to test our faith
3. God gives us suffering in order to teach us
4. We are creatures of free will
5. Nature operates according to the laws of nature
6. God suffers with us
God gives us suffering as punishment for sin ANS Examples: creation story of Augustine, sin and
disobedience leads to "the fall", humanity and all creation, Christianity concept of "original sin"
PROBLEMS:
A. Challenges the "all loving" God idea
B. If you apply this response to suffering caused by moral choices, then you lose the idea that humans have
free will.
Ex. Florida (parkland) shooting, 9/11
, Ex. Augustine - He came up with the notion of "original sin." Because of Adam's and Eve's sin in the garden,
everyone after them is bound to sin.
God gives us suffering to test our faith ANS Examples: Job (bad things happen to Job), Spiritual Athletes
(tests to
separate weak from strong, "when God tests us, we never get more than we can bare")
PROBLEMS:
A. Challenges "all-loving God" idea (ex. 3-year-old obstacle course w/ candle)
B. If you apply this response to suffering caused by moral choices, then you lose the idea that humans have
free will.
God gives us suffering in order to teach us ANS Difference between God being there and learn from
suffering vs God giving us the suffering on purpose
PROBLEMS:
A. Challenges "all-loving God" idea
B. If you apply this response to suffering caused by moral choices, then you lose the idea that human have free
will.
We are creatures of free will ANS Examples: Freedom is a greater good than happiness, John Hick, Aldous
Huxley (Brave New World)
PROBLEMS:
A. Challenges the "all-powerful God" idea (God cannot control human free will)
B. Challenges "all-loving God" idea
(Dostoyevsky, setting hounds on little boy)
C. Limitation: only applicable to suffering caused by moral choices, not applicable to suffering caused by
natural disasters, physical/mental, death/finitude.
Nature operatures according to the laws of nature ANS *Irenaeus
- no one with extreme faith will jump out of a window
- nature is not inherently evil
