Evil

The theological problem of evil addresses one of the most profound questions in Abrahamic faith: If God is all-powerful and all-good, why does evil exist? The nature, origin, and ultimate fate of evil are central concerns in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The Problem of Evil (Theodicy)

Theodicy—justifying God’s goodness in the face of evil—takes different forms:

The Logical Problem

How can these three statements all be true?

1. God is all-powerful (omnipotent)
2. God is all-good (omnibenevolent)
3. Evil exists

If God can prevent evil and wants to prevent evil, why doesn’t He?

The Existential Problem

Beyond logic, there’s the lived experience of suffering:

• Why do innocent people suffer?
• Why does natural disaster strike indiscriminately?
• Why doesn’t God intervene to stop atrocities?

Types of Evil

Theological tradition distinguishes between different kinds of evil:

Moral Evil

Evil that results from the choices of free moral agents:

• Murder, theft, cruelty
• Sin and rebellion against God
• Injustice and oppression
• Originates in the misuse of free will

Natural Evil

Suffering that results from the natural world:

• Earthquakes, floods, disease
• Animal predation and death
• Physical and mental illness
• Raises questions about creation’s current state

Metaphysical Evil

The limitation and imperfection inherent in created beings:

• Finitude (we are not infinite like God)
• Mortality
• Ignorance
• The gap between Creator and creature

In Judaism

Biblical Perspectives

Creation and Goodness: God created the world “very good” (Genesis 1:31), suggesting evil was not part of the original design.

The Fall: Adam and Eve’s disobedience introduces sin and death into creation (Genesis 3).

God’s Sovereignty: “I form light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil; I, the LORD, do all these things” (Isaiah 45:7)—God’s ultimate control even over what appears evil.

Job’s Question: The book of Job grapples with innocent suffering:

• Satan operates only with God’s permission
• God is sovereign even when His purposes are mysterious
• Human wisdom cannot fully comprehend divine ways
• Suffering is not always punishment for sin

Rabbinic Thought

The Two Inclinations:

• Yetzer hatov (good inclination) vs. yetzer hara (evil inclination)
• Both come from God and serve divine purposes
• The struggle between them is part of human nature
• Even the evil inclination has a purpose (procreation, ambition, creativity)

Free Will:

• Humans have genuine choice between good and evil
• Evil results from human choice, not God’s nature
• God desires obedience but doesn’t compel it
• Suffering may refine character and test faith

This World vs. World to Come:

• This world (olam ha-zeh) is imperfect and temporary
• Justice will be complete in the world to come (olam ha-ba)
• Present suffering doesn’t reflect ultimate reality
• God’s justice operates across eternity

Kabbalistic Understanding

Mystical Judaism offers additional perspectives:

• Tzimtzum (divine contraction) made space for creation and thus for evil
• Breaking of the vessels (shevirat ha-kelim) introduced chaos
• Tikkun olam (repair of the world) as humanity’s response to brokenness
• Evil as shells (qlippot) that trap divine sparks

In Christianity

Biblical Teaching

The Fall and Original Sin:

• Adam’s sin brought death and corruption into the world (Romans 5:12)
• All creation was subjected to futility and decay (Romans 8:20-22)
• Sin is inherited or transmitted to all humanity
• The world as we know it is not as God originally intended

Satan and Spiritual Warfare:

• Satan is a fallen angel who rebelled against God
• He is “the prince of this world” but not its ultimate authority
• Demons are fallen angels who serve Satan
• Spiritual warfare is real and ongoing

God Is Not the Author of Evil: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:13).

Christ’s Victory:

• Jesus’ death and resurrection defeated evil
• The cross is God’s answer to the problem of evil
• God entered into human suffering rather than remaining distant
• Evil will be finally defeated at Christ’s return

Theological Responses

The Free Will Defense:

• God created beings with genuine freedom
• Freedom makes love and virtue possible
• But freedom also makes evil possible
• A world with free beings is better than a world of automatons

The Greater Good Defense:

• God permits evil because it serves a greater good
• Suffering can build character, compassion, and faith
• Courage requires danger; forgiveness requires offense
• The existence of free moral agents outweighs the risk of evil

The Soul-Making Theodicy:

• This world is a place of spiritual development
• Challenges and trials forge mature souls
• Without adversity, virtue couldn’t develop
• Suffering has pedagogical value

The Cross as Answer:

• God doesn’t explain evil; He suffers with us
• The crucifixion shows God bearing evil’s consequences
• Love is demonstrated not in preventing suffering but in sharing it
• The resurrection promises evil’s ultimate defeat

Augustinian Tradition

St. Augustine taught:

• Evil is not a substance but a privation (absence of good)
• Like darkness is absence of light, evil is absence of good
• God didn’t create evil; evil is corruption of good creation
• All that exists is good; evil is parasitic on good

In Islam

Quranic Teaching

God’s Sovereignty: “Say, ‘Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us’” (Quran 9:51)—ultimate control belongs to Allah.

Human Responsibility: Despite divine sovereignty, humans have real moral responsibility:

• Actions are judged on Judgment Day
• Good and evil deeds are recorded
• Free choice exists within divine decree

Iblis and Evil:

• Iblis (Satan) was a jinn who rebelled out of pride
• Refused to bow to Adam (Quran 2:34, 7:11-18)
• Vowed to lead humans astray
• Operates by God’s permission to test humanity

Fitrah (Natural Disposition):

• Humans are born with natural inclination toward good
• Sin corrupts this original purity
• Evil comes from following Iblis and the nafs (lower self)
• No concept of original sin—each person accountable for own deeds

Islamic Theodicy

Test and Trial: “Do people think they will be left alone saying ‘We believe’ without being tested?” (Quran 29:2)

• This world is a test (imtihan)
• Suffering separates true believers from false
• Trials purify and strengthen faith
• Patience in adversity is rewarded

Hidden Wisdom: “But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah knows, while you know not” (Quran 2:216)

• Human knowledge is limited
• What appears evil may serve good purposes
• Trust in Allah’s perfect wisdom
• Ultimate justice in the afterlife

Divine Justice:

• Allah is perfectly just (al-Adl)
• Injustice in this life will be rectified
• The Day of Judgment brings complete justice
• No one suffers without recompense

Philosophical Responses Across Traditions

The Necessity of Contrast

• Good cannot be recognized without the possibility of evil
• Courage requires danger; compassion requires suffering
• Moral choices require real alternatives
• A world without evil wouldn’t allow for meaningful virtue

The限ited Perspective Argument

• Humans see only a small slice of time and reality
• What appears evil in the short term may serve good in the long term
• We lack the cosmic perspective to judge God’s purposes
• Faith means trusting despite incomplete understanding

The Best of All Possible Worlds

• This world, with its mixture of good and evil, may be the best possible world
• A world with free beings necessarily includes the risk of evil
• The goods achieved (love, courage, sacrifice) outweigh the evils permitted

The Eschatological Response

• Evil is temporary; good is eternal
• Final judgment will right all wrongs
• The world to come will have no evil
• Present suffering is brief compared to eternal joy

The Reality of Evil

While philosophers debate, the traditions affirm that evil is real:

• Not an illusion or mere perspective
• Causes genuine suffering and destruction
• Must be resisted and opposed
• Will be ultimately defeated by God

Human Response to Evil

Across all three traditions, believers are called to:

Resist Evil:

• Fight against sin in personal life
• Oppose injustice in society
• Engage in spiritual warfare
• Practice virtue and righteousness

Trust in God:

• Maintain faith even when suffering
• Believe in divine justice
• Hope in ultimate redemption
• Accept mystery with humility

Alleviate Suffering:

• Show compassion to those who suffer
• Work for justice and peace
• Heal the sick, feed the hungry, comfort the grieving
• Partner with God in redeeming creation

Grow Through Trials:

• Allow suffering to refine character
• Develop patience, endurance, and compassion
• Deepen reliance on God
• Become more like God’s ideal for humanity

The Ultimate Answer

Each tradition affirms that evil will not have the last word:

Judaism: The Messianic age will bring peace and justice; the world to come will be free from suffering.

Christianity: Christ’s return will defeat evil finally; the new heaven and new earth will have no death, mourning, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4).

Islam: The Day of Judgment will bring perfect justice; Paradise will have no evil, only eternal peace and joy.

Contemporary Challenges

Modern discussions of evil address:

• The Holocaust and genocides (How could God allow such evil?)
• Natural disasters and disease (Why does creation itself cause suffering?)
• Animal suffering (Why do creatures suffer who cannot sin?)
• Hell as divine evil? (Is eternal punishment just?)
• The hiddenness of God (Why doesn’t God make His existence undeniable?)

Conclusion

The problem of evil remains a profound mystery. The Abrahamic faiths don’t offer complete explanations that satisfy every question. Instead, they offer:

• Faith that God is good despite appearances
• Hope that evil will be defeated
• Love expressed through compassion for sufferers
• Meaning found even in suffering
• Trust in divine wisdom beyond human understanding

The existence of evil tests faith, but for believers, it doesn’t disprove God. Rather, it calls for deeper trust, active resistance to evil, and hope in ultimate redemption. The answer to evil is not primarily intellectual but personal—the God who suffers with us and promises to wipe away every tear.