Date

5-20-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Theology and Apologetics (PhD)

Chair

Ronnie Campbell

Keywords

Theodicy, Problem of Evil, Evil, Existence with Evil, Afterlife, Afterlife Theodicy, Beatific Vision, Libertarian Free Will, Privation Theory of Evil, Eschatology, Divine Justice, Moral Responsibility, Theosis, Transworld Depravity, Omniperfect, Moral Evil, Natural Evil

Disciplines

Philosophy | Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Abstract

The problem of evil has remained a central issue in philosophical theology, prompting both ancient and contemporary scholars to propose various theodicies and defenses concerning the existence of evil in a world created by an omnipotent, omniscient, and wholly good God. While Plantinga’s Free Will Defense, Hick’s soul-making theodicy, and the Augustinian-Thomistic greater-good tradition offer significant contributions to the discussion, each faces important limitations. Plantinga’s model functions primarily as a logical defense and leaves unresolved questions concerning transworld depravity and eschatological fulfillment, while Hick’s instrumental use of evil as a means of soul-building has been criticized for potentially compromising divine goodness. Moreover, many traditional theodicies focus predominantly on present existence and provide only provisional explanations for evil.

This dissertation argues for a non-instrumental and eschatologically grounded theodicy rooted in biblical revelation and the classical doctrine of the beatific vision. It contends that evil is contrary to the nature of God, who, as omniperfect and wholly good, neither creates nor positively wills evil as part of the divine ideal for creation. A critical distinction is therefore drawn between the divine antecedent will and the divine consequent will. Building upon and extending key insights from Augustine and Aquinas, this study proposes a “Theodicy of Afterlife,” arguing that the ultimate resolution of evil is realized eschatologically through participation in the beatific vision. The dissertation develops a structured moral-eschatological model: Purity → Vision → Transformation → Fulfillment, to explain how rational agents are progressively oriented toward their final end in God. In this way, the study seeks to provide a coherent bridge between classical and analytic traditions while presenting a biblically grounded account of divine justice, moral freedom, and the final defeat of evil.

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