Date
8-2019
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Theology and Apologetics (PhD)
Chair
Edward Martin
Keywords
William Lane Craig, Unevangelized, Molinism, Soteriological Problem of Evil
Disciplines
Christianity | Religion | Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion
Recommended Citation
Breitenbach, Zachary Paul, "Would an Omnibenevolent God Allow Some to Be Lost Who Would Have Been Saved in Different Circumstances? A New Molinist Theodicy against the Problem of the Contingently Lost" (2019). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2195.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2195
Abstract
This dissertation addresses a particular issue within the soteriological problem of evil: Would an omnibenevolent God allow anyone to be lost who would have freely chosen to be saved in other circumstances? It critiques various Molinist theodicies that respond to this issue, especially the prominent theodicy of William Lane Craig. Ultimately a new Molinist theodicy is proposed. An argument is also given for how this soteriological theodicy can help to reduce concerns in the broader problem of evil relating to the amount of evil observed in this life and the apparent gratuitousness of some evil.
