Calvinism and the Problem of Evil

This edited volume brings together leading philosophers to examine how Calvinist theology addresses the perennial challenge of reconciling God's sovereignty with the existence of evil. Michael Bergmann assembles contributions that explore whether Calvinism's distinctive commitments—particularly its emphasis on divine sovereignty, predestination, and providence—create unique difficulties for theodicy or offer distinctive resources for addressing the problem of evil.

The volume examines core Calvinist doctrines that bear on the problem of evil, including theological determinism, the doctrine of reprobation, and limited atonement. Contributors investigate whether these doctrines intensify the problem of evil by making God more directly responsible for suffering and damnation, or whether they provide a more coherent framework for understanding evil's place in God's providential plan. Several chapters address the question of whether Calvinism can accommodate human freedom in ways that preserve moral responsibility while maintaining divine sovereignty.

A central theme running through the collection concerns the relationship between God's causal activity and creaturely evil. The authors engage with both historical Reformed sources and contemporary philosophical discussions, examining how figures like Calvin, Edwards, and their theological heirs have understood divine causation, permission, and concurrence. Some contributors defend distinctively Calvinist approaches to theodicy, arguing that God's absolute sovereignty provides the only adequate explanation for why a good God permits evil. Others raise critical questions about whether Calvinist commitments render the problem of evil intractable.

The volume also addresses practical and pastoral dimensions of the problem of evil within Reformed theology. Contributors explore how Calvinist resources for understanding suffering and divine providence function in lived religious experience, examining whether doctrines like predestination provide comfort or create additional existential difficulties for believers facing tragedy.

Bergmann's collection advances contemporary philosophy of religion by providing sophisticated analysis of how a major theological tradition approaches one of theism's most pressing challenges. The volume demonstrates that Calvinism's distinctive theological commitments generate both unique challenges and resources for theodicy. By bringing analytic philosophical rigor to bear on Reformed theology, the contributors illuminate how different conceptions of divine sovereignty shape approaches to the problem of evil. The work serves as an essential resource for understanding how theological particularities influence philosophical responses to suffering and evil.