Theodicy: Exploring the Nature of Divine Justice and Human Suffering

Introduction Theodicy is a philosophical and theological inquiry that seeks to address the question of why a benevolent, omnipotent God permits the existence of evil and suffering in the world. This report will explore the nature of divine justice in the context of human suffering, examining the philosophical arguments and theological perspectives that seek to reconcile the existence of a good God with the reality of suffering. The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of theodicy, discussing various philosophical approaches, including the free will defense, the soul-making theodicy, and the process theology perspective, while also considering the implications of these views for understanding human suffering.

Theodicy and the Problem of Evil The term “theodicy” was coined by the philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz in the 17th century, deriving from the Greek words for “God” and “justice.” The central challenge of theodicy is the so-called problem of evil, which posits that if God is all-good, all-knowing, and all-powerful, then the existence of evil in the world is inexplicable. This dilemma has been a focal point of theological d