Series: Question of the week by Dr. William Lane Craig "Sceptical Theism and the Problem of Evil"

Here is a question that was sent in by someone that so many people ask, the problem of evil.

Question:

Dr. Craig,

I wonder if we can rely too much on "skeptical theism". To my understanding, it classically endorses these three theses:

ST1: We have no good reason for thinking that the possible goods we know of are representative of the possible goods there are.
ST2: We have no good reason for thinking that the possible evils we know of are representative of the possible evils there are.
ST3: We have no good reason for thinking that the entailment relations we know of between possible goods and the permission of possible evils are representative of the entailment relations there are between possible goods and the permission of possible evils.

But, true or false: Skeptical theism then undermines any of our judgments about how likely it is that any state of affairs obtain, as God could have reasons to bring such a state about or prevent it.

For example, do you think it's unlikely that God would permit/cause a pink lizard to randomly materialize on top of your head tonight and then explode like a firecracker? Why do you think this is unlikely? Consider the butterfly effect and your complete inability to discern how this would change the course of history! So then, given an unmitigated skeptical theism, you should strip off any expectations you'd have about whether God will cause/permit this to happen tonight.

Blake
USA

Dr. Craig responds:

Please click HERE to see Dr. Craig's response.

For  more questions of the week check out Dr. Craig's website reasonablefaith.org and if you have any questions you can email me or pastor J at intelligentfaith315@gmail.com or jason@claycup.com.

There is nothing wrong with asking questions, there is if you don't ask!!!

Have an Intelligent Faith!!!

- Nelis