Divine Punishment as a Problem in Theodicy

by Roberta Allen

Suffering is evil, all punishment involves suffering, therefore punishment is an evil. As an evil, particularly as it is inflicted evil, punishment requires justification. The justification of punishment is a subject of philosophy but because God is thought to inflict punishment on sinners it must also be a subject of theodicy.

This dissertation will begin by establishing what is meant by the concepts 'punishment' and 'evil' in relation to the 'legal' and 'divine' contexts. Included here will be an explanation of the basic philosophical theories of punishment: deterrence, rehabilitation, and retribution. In the light of these definitions it will be necessary to determine whether God punishes. Many people today would dispute divine punishment on the grounds that it is not compatible with a loving God. The notion that extrinsic divine punishment is unnecessary because evil is self-destructive will also be considered.

The conclusion to this discussion will be that God does punish but that punishment is a metaphor. It will be proposed that speech about God is metaphorical and that the purpose of the metaphor punishment was to express the 'wrath of God' which itself is a metaphor expressing the shadowside of God. It will also be proposed that the metaphor punishment has interacted between the Divine and legal contexts, and that the justifications of punishment in philosophy interact with theodicy.

Contents

Introduction
Concepts and theories relating to punishment

1. A defintion of punishment
2. The 'evil' of punishment
3. The philosophical theories of punishment

Does God punish?

1. The confusion of sin
2. Objections to divine punishment
   1. The universalist objection to divine punishment
   2. Objection on the ground that evil is self-destructive
   3. The conditionalist objection to eternal punishment
3. The root of the problem - exegetical misunderstanding and problems of language
4. The importance of metaphor in religious language

What is divine punishment

1. Divine punishment as retribution
   1. Philosophical critique of retribution
2. Divine punishment as deterrence
3. Divine punishment as rehabilitation
4. Divine punishment as evil

Conclusion and envoi
Bibliography

Acknowledgements

I studied theology at Westminster College, Oxford 1982- 1985. Sadly, this excellent college is no more. I have put up my dissertation as a tribute to the college and to the staff who established and maintained one of the finest Theology courses in the UK.

In particular Dr Bernard Farr, who not only directed the theology and was my supervisor but more importantly taught me to think; Rev. Dr Philip Budd who fostered my interest in Biblical Studies; Peggy Morgan, Dr. David Cook, Rev Dr Ralph Waller, now principal of Harris Manchester (where I also studied) and many others including last but not least our Principal Rev. Dr. Kenneth Wilson.

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