Fr. Timothy Bellamah, a Dominican priest and scholar, delves into the theological quandaries surrounding evil from a Christian perspective. He contrasts Judeo-Christian views with mythological interpretations, offering insight into how suffering challenges faith in a benevolent God. The discussion touches on the Gnostic duality of good and evil and examines historical responses from thinkers like Augustine and Aquinas. Bellamah also explores how the nature of evil relates to original sin and human actions, enriching our understanding of divine goodness.
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insights INSIGHT
Evil as a Judeo-Christian Problem
Evil poses a unique theological problem specifically for Judeo-Christian beliefs.
Non-Christian religions experience evil's reality but typically do not see it as a theological problem.
insights INSIGHT
God's Goodness Intensifies Evil's Problem
Christian belief in God's perfect goodness and omnipotence heightens the problem of evil.
This contrasts with mythologies where gods' flaws explain evil as part of the world.
insights INSIGHT
Gnostic Dualism Explained
Gnostic beliefs involve radical dualism, separating a spiritual good God from a material evil God.
This solves the problem of evil by splitting it away from the perfect good God.
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Theogony
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Fr. Timothy Bellamah explores how the problem of evil emerged as a distinct theological issue within the Judeo-Christian tradition, contrasting it with ancient mythologies and examining historical responses from Gnosticism to Augustine and Aquinas.
This lecture was given on February 21st, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.
Fr. Timothy Bellamah, O.P. (Commissio Leonina) was born and raised in Washington, D.C. He entered the Order of Preachers in 1991 and was ordained a priest in 1998. He studied at Wake Forest University (B.S., 1982), the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception (M.Div. and S.T.B., 1997; S.T.L, 1999) and the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris, (Ph.D., Section des sciences Religieuses, 2008). He has previously taught at Providence College in the Department of Theology and the Department of the Development of Western Civilization. From 2010 to 2018 he served as editor of The Thomist and is a member of the Leonine Commission, a team of Dominican scholars responsible for the production of critical Latin editions of the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. He is also currently preparing a critical Latin edition of the Commentary on John’s Gospel by one of St. Thomas’ Dominican contemporaries, William of Alton.
Keywords: Aquinas, Augustine, Catharism, Gnosticism, Greek Mythology, Manichaeism, Marcionism, Metaphysical Dualism, Problem Of Evil, Theodicy
The Thomistic Institute 
