Skip to main content
Log in

Divine intimacy and the problem of horrendous evil

  • Published:
International Journal for Philosophy of Religion Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The problem of horrendous evil is the problem of reconciling the existence of horrendous evils with the existence of a God that is nevertheless good to individuals. A solution to the problem along the lines of that proposed by Morilyn McCord Adams resolves the problem by appeal to various sorts of intimacy with God on the part of the participants in horrendous evils. One half of the problem concerns the victims of horrendous evils. A second half of the problem of horrendous evil is the same problem for those perpetrators of horrendous evils who also potentially have their lives defeated. The present paper argues not only that the intimacy such an overall strategy appeals to fails to solve the first half of the problem, but also that it makes no progress at all on the second half.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams M.M. (1989) Horrendous evils and the goodness of God. Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplemental Volume 63: 297–310

    Google Scholar 

  • Adams M. M. (1999) Horrendous evils and the goodness of God. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Chisholm R. (1969) The defeat of good and evil. Proceedings and Addresses of the American Philosophical Association 42: 31–38

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dennis Earl.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Earl, D. Divine intimacy and the problem of horrendous evil. Int J Philos Relig 69, 17–28 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11153-010-9233-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11153-010-9233-x

Keywords

Navigation