A Divine Love Theodicy: Addressing James Sterba’s and Erik Wielenberg’s Problem of Evil Arguments

2. Does God Exist?, Adam Lloyd Johnson, Apologetics, Christianity, ConvincingProof.org, Divine Love Theodicy, evidential, Gospel, Gratuitous Evil, Logical, Problem of Evil, Suffering
Abstract: James Sterba claims my Divine Love Theodicy does not address the working parts of his new logical problem of evil. In this paper I summarize Sterba’s new logical problem of evil, respond to it with an explanation of my Divine Love Theodicy, and point out how my theodicy does address the working parts of his logical problem of evil in that it satisfies the moral requirements he lays out. In addition, I will show that my Divine Love Theodicy also defeats Erik Wielenberg’s revised version of Sterba’s problem of evil argument which was published in 2022 in the journal Religions. Introduction James Sterba, Professor of Philosophy at Notre Dame, has made a tremendously strong claim. He has not claimed that ‘because there is horrendous suffering, it is difficult to believe God…
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If I Were a Mormon: A More Coherent View of God

2. Does God Exist?, Apologetics, Christianity, God, Gospel, Molinism, Mormonism, Philosophical Theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics, Theology Proper, Tim Stratton, Who is God?, www.FreeThinkingMinistries.com
Over the past several years—especially since 2018—I’ve made multiple trips to Utah every year. I’ve honestly lost count of how many times I’ve been out there, but it’s starting to feel like a second home. I can understand why Brigham Young reportedly said, “This is the place.” It’s beautiful. One of the things I appreciate most about Utah is the culture of open conversation. In many places, people are told to avoid discussing politics or religion. But that’s not the case in Utah. From a young age, Utahns are encouraged to think about what they believe—and to share it with others (often culminating in a two-year mission going door to door). That creates an extremely unique environment where meaningful conversations can actually happen. Because of this culture, those who reject…
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Some Definitional Drawbacks In Atheism

2. Does God Exist?, agnosticism, Apologetics, Atheism, Christianity, Gospel, intelligentchristianfaith.com, John Ferrer, Philosophical Theology, skepticism, theism, What is Atheism? Definitions
In a previous article I wrote about how “atheism” is best understood as a belief that there is no God. Those who prefer to describe themselves as merely “lacking God-belief” would do better to describe themselves as “negative atheists” as that is the more precise term. As a postlude to that article, I think it’s important to state why this stuff matters. I’m not confident that that this definitional minutia matters a lot. It matters. But it’s not of ultimate importance. Far more important things deserve discussion. Nevertheless, this stuff matters enough to deserve at least a little observation here. Here are some reasons why I think this stuff matters. First, Negative Atheism Comports With God’s existence                Perhaps the biggest most glaring problem with the “new” (negative/soft/weak) atheism is that it’s compatible…
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Which God When There are 3,000 to Choose From?

2. Does God Exist?, Apologetics, Arguments for God, Atheism, Christianity, Exclusivism, God, Gospel, Sean Redfearn, theism, which Religion?, Worldview
When I went to university, I encountered the biggest intellectual doubt I’ve ever faced as a Christian: How can I be sure that Christianity is true? Here was my thinking: “Can I really claim that I have the right religion when there are 3,000 others to choose from?” You might have come across a form of this argument via the atheist comedian Ricky Gervais. As I went to university, I knew that I couldn’t keep my faith, nor share it with any real conviction, unless I knew that Christianity was true (1 Cor 15:14). I had to know which God was the correct one. Ultimately, philosophy was the primary force that drove the cementation of my Christian faith.[i] Categories of Theism As I wrestled with this doubt, I discovered that…
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Defining Atheism: Belief in No God or No Belief in God

2. Does God Exist?, agnosticism, Atheism, Defining Atheism, IntelligentChristianFaith, John Ferrer
Is Atheism the absence of God-belief or the present belief that there is no God? Traditionally, “atheism” refers to the belief that there is no God. But in the last 20-30 years, it’s become popular to treat the term as a kind of agnosticism, “having no belief in God” or simply, “lacking God-belief.” Who’s right? And what does it matter? Atheos Let’s go back to the Greek word from which we get our word “atheism.” “Atheist” is a translation of the Greek: atheos using the alpha privative “a” – which translates as “un-/non-/dis-/not/no,“ and the term “theos” (God). It literally translates as “No God”. Note, it’s not a merger between the alpha privative and the english term “theist” or “theism.” Rather “atheist” as a whole word is a translation of the whole word…
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The Ultimate Kalam Cosmological Argument Resource List: 80+ Curated Picks from Top Philosophers and Apologists, Part 2

2. Does God Exist?, Apologetics, Arguments for God, Big Bang, Christianity, Cosmological Argument, First Cause, Gospel, Graham Oppy, Kalam, Miguel Rodriguez, SmartFaith.me, william lane craig
[Editor’s Note: this blog series was originally posted as a single blog. The section “Introduction to the Kalam” is repeated here in both entries, for context, for the reader.] Introduction to the Kalam The Kalam Cosmological Argument (KCA) is one of the most widely discussed arguments for the existence of God in contemporary philosophy and apologetics. It goes like this: Whatever begins to exist has a cause. The universe began to exist. Therefore, the universe has a cause. Though it sounds simple, the implications are profound. If the universe had a beginning—and beginnings require causes—then something (or Someone) beyond time, space, and matter must have brought it into being. The Kalam has sparked conversations among scientists, philosophers, theologians, and skeptics alike, making it a cornerstone of modern theistic argumentation. This post…
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The Ultimate Kalam Cosmological Argument Resource List: 80+ Curated Picks from Top Philosophers and Apologists, Part 1

2. Does God Exist?, Apologetics, Arguments for God, Big Bang, Christianity, Cosmological Argument, First Cause, Gospel, Graham Oppy, Kalam, Miguel Rodriguez, SmartFaith.me, william lane craig
Introduction to the Kalam     The Kalam Cosmological Argument (KCA) is one of the most widely discussed arguments for the existence of God in contemporary philosophy and apologetics. It goes like this: Whatever begins to exist has a cause. The universe began to exist. Therefore, the universe has a cause. Though it sounds simple, the implications are profound. If the universe had a beginning—and beginnings require causes—then something (or Someone) beyond time, space, and matter must have brought it into being. The Kalam has sparked conversations among scientists, philosophers, theologians, and skeptics alike, making it a cornerstone of modern theistic argumentation. This post brings together over 80 carefully curated resources—from beginner-friendly explainers and historical texts to scholarly journal articles, courses, and public debates. Whether you’re a curious newcomer or a seasoned thinker…
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The Current Argument from Information for the Existence of God

2. Does God Exist?, Apologetics, Arguments for God, Ben Kissling, Christianity, ConvincingProof.org, design argument, Gospel, information, Intelligent Design, Philosophical Theology, Philosophy of Religion
Introduction The argument from information in contemporary terms is a novel teleological argument[1]  for the existence of God with its deepest roots in the mid-20th century. Most would describe its origins differently, including many proponents of this argument. They would begin their history of it with William Paley’s “watch in the heath” argument from 1802. Both arguments point to an object with unknown origin and reason from features of the object to the conclusion that it was designed by some intelligence rather than “naturally” occurring. Some modern design arguments are similar to Paley’s, such as Michael Behe’s irreducible complexity or Douglas Axe’s functional coherence. However, these types of arguments do not appeal to the concept of information as William Dembski’s specified complexity argument does. Ideas like irreducible complexity and Paley’s watch…
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Moral Argument 3.0: How Neuroscience Bolsters Objective Morality

2. Does God Exist?, Apologetics, Christianity, Gospel, Immaterial Soul, materialism, Mind-Body, Moral Argument, naturalism, neuroscience, objective morality, Richard Stevens, Salvo Magazine, scientific apologetics
Thinkers for centuries have strived to develop arguments to prove the existence of God.[i] Who’d have thought that neurosurgeons would find keys to rocket the traditional Moral Argument into the 21st century? The earlier moral arguments used reason, logic, and common internal thoughts and human experience to make a case for God’s existence.[ii] The Immortal Mind (2025),[iii] by brain surgeon Dr. Michael Egnor and mind researcher Denyse O’Leary, takes the venerable case to new cerebral and spiritual levels. Argument 1.0 The Standard Moral Law Argument   The Moral Law Argument (Argument 1.0) includes three main Elements:[iv] Every law requires a lawgiver. Moral laws exist. Therefore, there is a moral lawgiver. These “laws” refer to rules governing human behavior, not physical or mathematical laws. Argument 1.0 is inductive, meaning it draws from…
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How The Multiverse Theory Could Challenge Your Child’s Faith

2. Does God Exist?, Alexa Cramer, Cosmological Argument, does God exist?, First Cause, MamaBearApologetics.com, multiverse, physics, universe
What comes to mind when you hear the word “multiverse”? Do you (a) cringe, (b) hink of your kid’s favorite Marvel movie, or (c) do you cock your head like a confused (but very cute) puppy? In case you chose “c,” the term “multiverse” refers to a theory that we live in one of many (potentially even an infinite number) of universes. It makes for MARVELous movies (see what I did there?). But what happens when this theory makes its way into the minds of our kiddos as a plausible explanation of reality? Can this affect their view of God? How a “Multiverse” Replaces God         The mainstream scientific consensus is that the universe as we know it had an ultimate beginning at “The Big Bang.” This is a massive problem…
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