María José Bravo Vargas, “God After Theodicy: Evil, Suffering, and the Practice of Hope,” Revista Portuguesa de Filosofia 81, no. 3 (2025): 965–78, https://doi.org/10.17990/RPF/2025_81_3_0965.
| Item Type | Journal Article |
|---|---|
| Author | María José Bravo Vargas |
| Abstract | This article explores the moral and philosophical limitations of traditional theodicies and anti-theodicies in addressing the problem of evil, particularly as they pertain to passive moral evil (evil enacted or sustained through omission, indifference, or inaction). Drawing on John Swinton’s concept of “practical theodicy,” the article argues for a philosophical approach that moves beyond abstract rational justification to embodied practice. While classical theodicies seek to reconcile God’s goodness with the existence of evil and anti-theodicies challenge the legitimacy of such efforts, both often remain theoretical, potentially fostering either indifference or despair. Swinton’s model, by contrast, invites a lived response. By reframing evil through Augustine’s privation theory and situating the theoretical response within salvation history, practical theodicy addresses the moral residue of evil, restoring dignity to victims, awakening responsibility in perpetrators, and inspiring healing within communities. In doing so, it offers not only a renewed theodicy but also a testimony to the survival of God in a post-theodical age: not as an abstract hypothesis, but as a presence manifested in acts of compassion, hospitality, and hope. |
| Date | 2025 |
| Language | English |
| Rights | © 2025 by Aletheia - Associação Científica e Cultural |
| Volume | 81 |
| Pages | 965-978 |
| Publication | Revista Portuguesa de Filosofia |
| DOI | 10.17990/RPF/2025_81_3_0965 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Journal Abbr | RPF |
| ISSN | 0870-5283 ; 2183-461X |
| Date Added | 10/29/2025, 9:29:50 PM |
| Modified | 10/30/2025, 5:32:42 PM |
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