The Problem of Evil

With sixteen lectures and a Q&A session, Dr. David Schenk provides a logical response to the problem of evil. He presents William Rowe’s argument for the problem of evil as an argument against the existence of God. Then, using the work of several other theologians and philosophers, he begins to address Rowe’s propositions and conclusions. Using metaphors to help with these complex ideas, Dr. Schenk addresses the advantages and shortcomings of each argument.

Theodicy is a branch of theology that addresses the problem of evil and suffering. Throughout this course, Dr. Schenk draws upon a number of theodicies including Richard Swinburne’s virtue theodicy, asserting that God intends the virtues for humankind. Swinburne says that we “are cast into a world where adversity is already stitched in to develop virtue.” At the heart of these lectures is the question of how an angel can become a devil. To answer this question, Dr. Schenk builds upon the arguments of thinkers from late antiquity, including Augustine and Anselm. In doing so, he offers a satisfying response to the problem of evil while conjecturing, near the end of the course, that justice, autonomy, and beauty are all compelling impulses that could cause an angel to fall.

Finally, to supplement the course, Dr. Schenk offers some book recommendations to enhance your knowledge of this thorny topic.

Dr. David Schenk is a faculty member at the Trinity School at Greenlawn (founded in 1983). David also has over a decade of experience as a professor of philosophy at Messiah University where he taught courses in logic and philosophy. Loved for his clarity of thought and quick wit, David is passionate about helping students to learn the art of cogent thinking. He is also an advocate for the renewal of classical, liberal arts education and has attended classical conferences hosted by the Society for Classical Learning and the Alcuin Fellowship. He is also a podcaster with his show Philosophia on the TrueNorth podcast network.

To learn more about earning a certificate for this course, please visit “How do I Obtain a Course Certificate?” on our FAQ page. Our course certificates are valued by classical schools and co-ops worldwide. Teachers certified with either ACSI or ACCS will see continuing education unit (CEU) credits listed on our course certificate for you to submit to either organization (with more information on certification credit here).