The Thomistic Institute

The Problem of Evil, Dystopia, and Dostoevsky's ‘The Brothers Karamazov' | Prof. Stephen Meredith

Mar 16, 2023
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INSIGHT

Christian Problem of Evil Trilemma

  • The Christian problem of evil is a trilemma involving God's goodness, power, and existence.
  • Attacking one attribute causes issues with the others, complicating the question of why evil exists if God is good and all-powerful.
ANECDOTE

Personal First Encounter with Evil

  • Stephen Meredith first encountered the problem of evil through Dostoevsky's "Rebellion" chapter in college.
  • He initially thought it was a strong atheistic argument but realized it was voiced by Ivan, not Dostoevsky's true stance.
INSIGHT

Dostoevsky's Indirect Response to Evil

  • Dostoevsky doesn't respond to Ivan's tirade with another argument but through characters' lives, especially Elioia and Father Zosima.
  • This indirect response emphasizes active love as the antidote to Ivan's rejection of God's goodness.
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