A monergistic theological account of moral evil

The problem of evil is not only a hotly debated question among philosophers but also one that intrigues and perplexes many Christians. The undeniable reality of evil in our world presents a challenge to the Christian belief in the Creator God who is all-powerful and perfectly good.; This thesis addresses the problem of evil from a monergistic theological perspective. As a context for treating the problem, it begins by defining and defending a specific sovereignty view of providence. A critical examination of the biblical material and the relevant logical arguments leads to the monergistic conclusion that God is absolutely sovereign over the specific events that occur in the world. This is followed by an exploration of the doctrine of the goodness of God and its implications for divine moral obligation and divine freedom. A survey and analysis of major existing proposals yields valuable insights for the task of theodicy.; Having defined a theological framework and a strategy for addressing the problem of evil, the thesis proceeds to offer a proposal for a monergistic account of evil. The proposal is composed of three basic theses, each of which is grounded in the available scriptural data. The first is that God intentionally permits moral evil for purposes that will one day be universally acknowledged as wise. The second is that in spite of the presence of evil in the world, God is morally blameless in all his works. The third is that it is possible for evil to originate apart from divine causation within a world that, as originally created, contained neither evil nor the seed of evil.; Within the framework of theological monergism and a non-consequentialist account of ethics, this thesis presents a justification of God without minimizing evil. It also presents reason for confidence and hope in a God who is fully sovereign and perfectly good while holding to a realistic account of evil.