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Below are further, detailed notes for this topic. Along with self-assessment forms for test questions.
The Devil:
The devil is one way of describing the power of evil in the world. Do you accept the devil is reality, is it a fiction to explain the existence of suffering? Or is it allegorical?
Download an introductory worksheet based on info in the green Folens book
The Fall:
Download The cut and paste version of the Fall. Read Genesis 3, put the images in the right order, stick them on a piece of paper and briefly state what is happening beneath each one.
Download: 'Fall, original sin and redemption' sheet. What do you make of the story about the Fall? Is it myth, truth or mere fairy tale? Does it matter?
Is original sin an acceptable concept? Surely a newborn baby hasn't committed a sin?
What is meant by redemption?
Responses to the Problem of Evil:
Supposedly 'evil' comes in two forms (according to the Philosopher Leibniz that is):
1. Natural evil: earthquakes etc
2. Moral Evil: Murder etc.
But this raises a problem for belief in God.
If God is omnibenevolent and omnipotent why does he allow evil to occur?
Christians have attempted to answer this riddle over the centuries. These answers are known as a 'Theodicy': ways to reconcile an all powerful good God with the existence of evil.
Two interesting theories were formulated by:
St Augustine and St Irenaeus
Download The St Augustine worksheet.
Download Irenaeus' Theodicy worksheet
Download the Christian responses to the problem of evil PowerPoint
Download The worksheet that goes with the above powerpoint
The story of Job
watch this movie clip for a basic version of the story
Download the worksheet that goes with the above clip.
Click on this link for the seatrain song/video describing the story.
Christian Responses to Suffering
Have a look at the clip about how to cope with senseless suffering of the Binghampton shootings. See a brief news report about the shootings here and the response by Christians here: part 1here and part 2 here.
Download
The 'coping with suffering' worksheet. You need to refer to 'Folens' (green book) and 'Philosophy Through Christianity' to complete this sheet.
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