Ep. #21,#22, & #23 – God and Evil: A Dialogue by Brian Davies
Summary
Fr. Brian Davies wrote a 2003 article titled God and Evil: A Dialogue, which contains a wealth of information on the Problem of Evil. He approaches the issue from the perspective of Classical Theism with particular attention to St. Thomas Aquinas. In this episode, Karlo Broussard and I read the first three sections of the dialogue written by Fr. Brian Davies.
Update: In Part 1, I mention 2 books that Fr. Davies has written on the Problem of Evil, but I neglect to mention that He has been a prolific writer and editor for the past 30+ years. See here for more information on the rest of Fr. Davies’ books on Classical Theism, Philosophy, and Aquinas.
Quick tip
- Start a google doc with the testimony of your own faith journey.
- Listen to the podcast Every Knee Shall Bow.
- Also, distinguish the intellectual problem from the pastoral problem.
- See the bottom of this page for the Talking Points PDF.
Episode Outline
In the dialogue, Ron is the atheist/skeptic and John is the classical theist. They begin by talking about why Ron doesn’t think God exists. He presents the logical problem of evil, and John forces Ron to clarify the terms of his argument. They discuss what evil is and come to some agreement as to how they should think about evil.
The following questions are answered in Part 1 of the dialogue:
- What is the problem of evil Ron is pressing?
- How is John thinking about God?
- What examples of evil does Ron think disproves God’s existence?
- What is evil?
The following questions are answered in Part 2 of the dialogue.
- How can we distinguish different kinds of evil?
- What is God’s causal role with respect to evil?
- Is free will an explanation for evil?
The following questions are answered in Part 3 of the dialogue.
- Who is responsible for evil actions?
- In what sense are human actions free?
- What is determinism?
- Why is God not blameworthy for allowing so much evil?
Resources Mentioned
God and Evil: A Dialogue by Brian Davies (article)
The Reality of God and the Problem of Evil by Brian Davies (Book)
Thomas Aquinas on God and Evil by Brian Davies (Book)
Prepare the Way: Overcoming Obstacles to God, the Gospel, and the Church by Karlo Broussard (Book)
Related Episodes and Content
Ep. #19 – The Problem of Evil (Part 1) with Dr. O’Neill
A Blog Series on Davies’ Approach to the Problem of Evil
I think Fr. Davies’s name is pronounced “Dave-Ease,” not Dave-iss.”
Hi Bill!
Thanks for the comment. I used to think so too, until I heard that it’s a type of British pronunciation. Dr. Jennifer Frey explains the correct pronunciation here toward the end of the Q and A of this lecture:
Peace,
John
Thank you for the correction, John. I should have known that because I’m an anglophile who wants to move from the U.S. to London.