Origin of Evil

There are three pairs of statements to be balanced in our understanding of the status and origin of evil.   In the first pair of these, as shown below, we balance the holiness and supremacy of God with the separateness of creation from God.  On the one hand, God is never the origin of evil; evil represents the absence of God.  On the other hand, God is the Creator of everything that exists.  Evil is found in the good Creation as a kind of shadow, an absence, or a parasite on the good creation.  Evil draws its power from the good, although it has a different intent, away from God. 

Statements A and B below represent the complementary pair, Sovereignty and Creation, as they apply to the nature of evil. The upper theses offer a moderate synthesis that can be affirmed without contradiction. The lower theses, -B and -A, represent exaggerations of A and B respectively that are commonly stated. Click the 'more' links for more details on each of the views. This is one of three complementary pairs linked by the left and right arrows. Overview of this dialogic diagram. Also see 3-D Overview.

	Sovereignty and Creation
	A: God is absolutely, eternally, perfectly good. There is no evil in God or in anything God does or creates. more	B: God created a real universe 'outside of himself'. Creation is made by God, but it is not God. more
	-B: God is creation: God is identified with the processes of the world: pantheism or panpsychism. more	-A: Creation is not good; evil is inherent in creation from the beginning: naturalism, materialism. more

Origin of Evil

The second dialogic (below) brings into creation the aspect of time, or Providence.  Evil is not, as the Manichees said, an eternal principle equal in power to God.  Rather, evil arose in the history of the world, and it will be destroyed by God in the future, when God creates a new world in which righteousness dwells.  

Statements B and C below represent the complementary pair, Creation and Providence, as they apply to the Christian view of the origin of evil. The upper theses offer a moderate synthesis that can be affirmed without contradiction. The lower theses, -C and -B, represent exaggerations of B and C respectively that are commonly heard. Click the 'more' links for more details on each of the views. This is one of three complementary pairs linked by the left and right arrows. Overview of this dialogic diagram. Also see 3-D Overview.

	Creation and Providence
	B: The universe God created was very good, as Genesis declares.   Evil will ultimately be banished from creation. more	C: God continues to sustain the universe in time.  Time is real.   Evil came into the world in time. more
	-C: Since God cannot change, and God is good, therefore all evil is an illusion: monism. more	-B: God is involved in a temporal struggle with evil in creation forever: Manicheism, process theology. more

Origin of Evil

Evil should not be treated as a temporary or superficial problem. It is a deep problem that demands our utmost efforts to oppose -- it even demanded the death of God's Son.  On the other hand, this does not mean that the universe is out of control and God is helpless against it.  But the redemption of the world is a process in which we have a responsibility.

Statements C and A below represent the complementary pair, Providence and Sovereignty, as they apply to the Christian view of the origin of evil. The upper statements offer a moderate synthesis that can be affirmed without contradiction. The lower statements, -A and -C, represent exaggerations of C and A respectively that are commonly heard. Click the 'more' links for more details on each of the views. This is one of three complementary pairs linked by the left and right arrows. Overview of this dialogic diagram. Also see 3-D Overview.

	Providence and Sovereignty
	C: God commands us to oppose evil.  We are participants in the redemption of the world. more	A: God's sovereignty means God's immanence in the creation. God is not surprised at anything that happens in the world. more
	-A:God is not almighty; the creation is autonomous; naturalism. more	-C: Evil was programmed into the world by God.  Therefore it is not realistic to fight evil: fatalism, determinism. more