Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Back to Study HubBrowse Year 11 Religious education Guides

Year 11 - Religious education

Christianity and suffering

Issues of Good and Evil

Unit Summary

In this unit pupils will study ideas of crime and how Christians and Muslims may view crime is caused. From that, they will examine different ideas of punishing crime and treating criminals focussing especially on a case study of the death penalty and ideas of forgiveness.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain the philosophical challenge posed by the existence of evil and suffering and different Christian perspectives on the origin of evil.

Key Notes

  • Evil is often divided into two types: moral evil, caused by human actions, and natural evil, caused by nature.
  • The logical problem of evil argues evil makes it impossible for an all-powerful and all-loving God to exist.
  • The evidential problem of evil says that the scale of suffering makes it unlikely that such a God exists.
  • Augustine's theodicy explains evil as the result of human free will and the Fall.
  • John Hick's soul-making theodicy says suffering helps people grow in virtues like compassion and courage.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • evil: that which is considered extremely immoral, wicked and wrong
  • free will: the ability to make choices voluntarily and independently
  • soul-making: the belief that God allows suffering so that humans can grow spiritually
  • suffering: pain or distress caused by injury, illness or loss

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • All Christians believe human nature is fallen.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Evil is often divided into two types: moral evil, caused by human actions, and natural evil, caused by nature. The logical problem of evil argues evil makes it impossible for an all-powerful and all-loving God to exist.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'evil'

that which is considered extremely immoral, wicked and wrong.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: All Christians believe human nature is fallen. Correction: Some Christians, such as Catholics, believe original sin affects human nature, but they also believe we have free will. Other Christians, like Quakers, reject the idea of a fallen nature and believe suffering comes from how people use their freedom.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 11 Religious education guide library.