Apologetics - Final Exam Study Guide with Key
Topics and Practice Questions
1. Moral Evil (1) a categorical term referring to unjust human acts (2) the belief that humans
act in ethically unacceptable ways; that they are capable of wicked deeds that
demand just punishment
2. Natural Evil a categorical term referring to the destructive forces of nature such as �oods,
volcanoes, hurricanes, disease, genetic defects, etc.
3. Theodicy a logical, philosophical justi cation of God's actions with a view to defending
God's Person and character. Example: A theodicy explains why God permits evil
in His creation.
4. Defense an analysis of axioms of Christian theology with a view to defending Scriptural
propositions as logically consistent. Example: A defense demonstrates that the
simultaneous existence of God and evil are logically compatible
5. The question of how is it that we all know good and yet love evil?
moral evil
6. The question of why does nature in�ict endless and horri c pain on civilization?
natural evil
7. The fundamental what is God's relationship to evil in His creation?
question
8. Irreconcilable ax- God is all good~ God is all powerful ~ evil exist
ioms?
9. Three possible 1) Defensive approach 2) O ensive approach 3) Evangelistic approach
responses to the
problem of evil
10. Defensive ap- a Theodicy
proach
,11. Atheist Argu- (a) An omnipotent, omnibenevolent God exists.
ment: (defensive (b) Evil exists.
approach) (c) These statements are irreconcilable.
Implicit assumptions:
(d) If God is omnipotent, then He can create any possible world that He desires.
(e) If God is good, then He prefers a world without evil over a world with evil.
12. Four o�ensive 1) The moral implication of evil—an objective Personal standard exists.
propositions 2) People love evil more than they admit.
3) The atheist's quantitative argument is self-defeating.
4) The ineptitude of alternative worldviews in solving the problem of evil (Dualism,
Pantheism, Enlightenment Utopias, Atheistic Naturalism)
13. Explanation of why is there so much evil in the world? Implicit assumption: if God exists He must
the atheist's do "x." Example: "if God exists, He must eliminate Stalin" or "if God exists, He must
quantitative ar- cause Hitler never to be born." But why do nite beings get to determine how God
gument must act? An omniscient God doubtless has explanations we don't comprehend.
14. Evangelistic ap- O ering People the Christian Perspective. - The Christian perspective on personal
proach evil, The Christian perspective on societal evil, and the Christian perspective on
time
15. Two radical 1) Old Testament: Man is abnormal not normal. (Evil cannot be resolved globally.
claims in the bib- Evil cannot be resolved nationally. Evil cannot be resolved individually.)
lical narrative: 2) New Testament: God personally resolves the problem of human evil. - Chris-
tianity o ers a "why" and a "solution."
16. Enlightenment a seventeenth-and eighteenth-century western ideology that emphasized reason,
nature, and progress. Enlightenment philosophers argued for the basic goodness
of man, the authority of philosophy, the inevitable progress of science, and a
deistic view of God.
17.
, Four Enlighten- 1) The autonomy of man's thinking
ment beliefs 2) The universe should be desacralized
3) Men are inherently good.
4) Progress toward utopianism is inevitable.
18. Rethinking God's Denis Diderot, Francis Bacon, And Isaac Newton
role: three
representative
thinkers
19. Denis Diderot His Encyclopédie permitted only naturalistic explanations; supernaturalism was
excluded.
20. Francis Bacon HIs Novum Organum ("New Instrument") established the scienti c method as the
primary tool for knowledge acquisition.
21. Isaac Newton His Principia Mathematica (somewhat unwittingly) displaced providence with
natural law.
22. Deism a monotheistic anti-Trinitarian view of God that attributes to Him the attributes
associated with transcendence, but denies His immanent involvement in the world
through supernatural activity subsequent to the original act of creation
23. The deist's narra- Creation, Fall (non-historic), Redemption (unnecessary) - God is transcendent;
tive God is not immanent.
24. Samuel John- "The opinion of those that only acknowledge one God, without the reception of
son (de nition of any revealed religion"
deism)
25. Lord Edward Her- There is one supreme God. God is chie�y to be worshipped. Piety and virtue are
bert (de nition of the principle aspects of worship. Man must repent of his sins; if he does, God will
deism) pardon him. There are rewards for good men and punishments for bad men in
the future state.
Topics and Practice Questions
1. Moral Evil (1) a categorical term referring to unjust human acts (2) the belief that humans
act in ethically unacceptable ways; that they are capable of wicked deeds that
demand just punishment
2. Natural Evil a categorical term referring to the destructive forces of nature such as �oods,
volcanoes, hurricanes, disease, genetic defects, etc.
3. Theodicy a logical, philosophical justi cation of God's actions with a view to defending
God's Person and character. Example: A theodicy explains why God permits evil
in His creation.
4. Defense an analysis of axioms of Christian theology with a view to defending Scriptural
propositions as logically consistent. Example: A defense demonstrates that the
simultaneous existence of God and evil are logically compatible
5. The question of how is it that we all know good and yet love evil?
moral evil
6. The question of why does nature in�ict endless and horri c pain on civilization?
natural evil
7. The fundamental what is God's relationship to evil in His creation?
question
8. Irreconcilable ax- God is all good~ God is all powerful ~ evil exist
ioms?
9. Three possible 1) Defensive approach 2) O ensive approach 3) Evangelistic approach
responses to the
problem of evil
10. Defensive ap- a Theodicy
proach
,11. Atheist Argu- (a) An omnipotent, omnibenevolent God exists.
ment: (defensive (b) Evil exists.
approach) (c) These statements are irreconcilable.
Implicit assumptions:
(d) If God is omnipotent, then He can create any possible world that He desires.
(e) If God is good, then He prefers a world without evil over a world with evil.
12. Four o�ensive 1) The moral implication of evil—an objective Personal standard exists.
propositions 2) People love evil more than they admit.
3) The atheist's quantitative argument is self-defeating.
4) The ineptitude of alternative worldviews in solving the problem of evil (Dualism,
Pantheism, Enlightenment Utopias, Atheistic Naturalism)
13. Explanation of why is there so much evil in the world? Implicit assumption: if God exists He must
the atheist's do "x." Example: "if God exists, He must eliminate Stalin" or "if God exists, He must
quantitative ar- cause Hitler never to be born." But why do nite beings get to determine how God
gument must act? An omniscient God doubtless has explanations we don't comprehend.
14. Evangelistic ap- O ering People the Christian Perspective. - The Christian perspective on personal
proach evil, The Christian perspective on societal evil, and the Christian perspective on
time
15. Two radical 1) Old Testament: Man is abnormal not normal. (Evil cannot be resolved globally.
claims in the bib- Evil cannot be resolved nationally. Evil cannot be resolved individually.)
lical narrative: 2) New Testament: God personally resolves the problem of human evil. - Chris-
tianity o ers a "why" and a "solution."
16. Enlightenment a seventeenth-and eighteenth-century western ideology that emphasized reason,
nature, and progress. Enlightenment philosophers argued for the basic goodness
of man, the authority of philosophy, the inevitable progress of science, and a
deistic view of God.
17.
, Four Enlighten- 1) The autonomy of man's thinking
ment beliefs 2) The universe should be desacralized
3) Men are inherently good.
4) Progress toward utopianism is inevitable.
18. Rethinking God's Denis Diderot, Francis Bacon, And Isaac Newton
role: three
representative
thinkers
19. Denis Diderot His Encyclopédie permitted only naturalistic explanations; supernaturalism was
excluded.
20. Francis Bacon HIs Novum Organum ("New Instrument") established the scienti c method as the
primary tool for knowledge acquisition.
21. Isaac Newton His Principia Mathematica (somewhat unwittingly) displaced providence with
natural law.
22. Deism a monotheistic anti-Trinitarian view of God that attributes to Him the attributes
associated with transcendence, but denies His immanent involvement in the world
through supernatural activity subsequent to the original act of creation
23. The deist's narra- Creation, Fall (non-historic), Redemption (unnecessary) - God is transcendent;
tive God is not immanent.
24. Samuel John- "The opinion of those that only acknowledge one God, without the reception of
son (de nition of any revealed religion"
deism)
25. Lord Edward Her- There is one supreme God. God is chie�y to be worshipped. Piety and virtue are
bert (de nition of the principle aspects of worship. Man must repent of his sins; if he does, God will
deism) pardon him. There are rewards for good men and punishments for bad men in
the future state.
