Journal of Religion and the Contemporary World

Journal of Religion and the Contemporary World

Explanation and investigation of the theodicy of The Free-Will Defense in justifying evil

Document Type : Review Article

Author
Yadollah Rostami
Assistant Professor of Islamic philosophy and Theology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
10.22096/rc.2026.2073817.1275
Abstract
This article examines and critiques the Free Will Defense theodicy, a theory that assigns responsibility for moral evil to human beings and, by emphasizing free will, seeks to reconcile the existence of moral evils with belief in an omnipotent and perfectly benevolent God. Augustine and Alvin Plantinga are among the principal proponents of this view, arguing that although human freedom is accompanied by suffering and evil, it nevertheless makes possible the emergence and existence of moral and spiritual virtues. In this study, through an analysis of the Genesis narrative in the Bible and the traditional perspective, alongside contemporary critiques that combine philosophical, theological, and ethical approaches, the limitations of this theodicy are demonstrated. These include the problem of justifying and explaining the intensity and magnitude of evils throughout human history, the tension and apparent incompatibility between God’s omniscience, omnipotence, and perfect benevolence on the one hand and human freedom on the other, and the dependence of this account on the narrative of the Fall of Adam and Eve. Nevertheless, responses are provided to the critiques raised.
Keywords
Free Will Theodicy
Free Will
Problem of Evil
Moral God
Religion and Ethics
Plantinga
Augustine
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Journal of Religion and the Contemporary World
Volume 12, Issue 1 - Serial Number 22
Spring & Summer 2025, Isuue 22
April 2025