Philosophy 3.4

Getting Started

In this part of the workshop, you will continue to work in your group. Each week you will meet with your assigned group to prepare for the Workshop Five PowerPoint project that you will submit as a group in connection with Chapters 5 and 6 of your textbook, A Christian Philosophical Journey.

This week you will continue an external group dialog on the philosophy of religion, which involves the problem of the origin and existence of evil, or what is sometimes called hamartiology. This dialog will continue to be shared in parts each week in your group until the compilation of your final PowerPoint presentation.

Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to:

· Explore the relationship between good and evil in philosophy, based on a Christian perspective.

Resources

· Textbook: A Christian Philosophical Journey

· A Standard Translation of the Bible as noted in the syllabus.

Background Information

This activity will help you become accustomed to working with others on philosophical questions, and will introduce the importance of a worldview perspective, as well as one of the most important questions in the philosophy of religion, which involves the problem of the origin and existence of evil.

Instructions

1. Make sure you have read Chapters 5 and 6 in your textbook, A Christian Philosophical Journey.

2. In the Group Discussion Forum, post your “logical conclusions” about the title and content of Chapter 6 in your textbook. From your reading and your best analysis and evaluation of arguments and proposals in the textbook, answer these questions in your post:

a. Does evil exist, and does it have its own reality?

b. How does one explain the problem of the cause and origin of evil?

c. Is God the author of evil or sin (by default) because He is the Creator?

d. Explain why or why not (think of His love, power, and goodness).

3. You will definitely want to use the Bible in your reasoning to shape your discussion and PowerPoint group presentation on the concept of theodicy. Again, this is not factual proof, but it does illustrate divine revelation about the question of evil.