Evil and the Christian God

This monograph offers a systematic philosophical defense of traditional Christian theism against the problem of evil, engaging both classical and contemporary formulations of the challenge. Peterson develops a comprehensive theodicy that seeks to demonstrate the logical compatibility of God's existence with the reality of evil while maintaining orthodox Christian commitments about divine attributes and human nature.

The work begins by carefully analyzing various versions of the problem of evil, distinguishing between logical and evidential formulations. Peterson examines the logical problem as articulated by Mackie and others, which claims an inherent contradiction between the existence of an omnipotent, omniscient, wholly good God and the presence of evil. He then addresses evidential arguments from Rowe and others suggesting that the amount and distribution of evil make God's existence improbable. Throughout this analysis, Peterson insists on precision regarding what constitutes genuine evil versus mere suffering or limitation.

Central to Peterson's theodicy is a robust free will defense that draws upon but extends Plantinga's influential work. He argues that morally significant freedom requires the genuine possibility of choosing evil, making some evil inevitable in any world containing free creatures. Peterson develops this further by incorporating a Christian understanding of sin and fallenness, arguing that moral evil stems from creaturely rebellion rather than divine design. He addresses natural evil through a combination of arguments about natural law, the interconnectedness of creation, and the effects of moral corruption on the natural order.

The monograph engages extensively with competing theodicies and anti-theodicies within philosophical theology. Peterson critiques process theology's limitation of divine power, Hick's soul-making theodicy, and various attempts to deny the reality of evil. He defends a version of the greater good theodicy while avoiding the implication that God directly causes evil for beneficial purposes. His approach emphasizes mystery and epistemic humility while maintaining that rational belief in God remains justified despite evil.

Peterson's contribution lies in providing a philosophically rigorous theodicy that remains faithful to traditional Christian doctrine. Unlike theodicies that modify classical theism to solve the problem, he defends orthodox beliefs about divine attributes, human nature, and evil's origin. The work demonstrates how analytical philosophy can serve constructive theological purposes, offering believers intellectual resources for maintaining faith while honestly confronting evil's challenge.