154. Loren Pankratz on the Problem of Evil and Mormonism's 'Great Secret'

In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Loren Pankratz to discuss his article: “Mormonism’s ‘Great Secret,’ Freedom, and Evil”. What is the Problem of Evil, both in terms of the existence of evil and of “gratuitous evil”? Is it a problem of equal weight upon the Christian and LDS traditions, given their differing views of the nature of God and gods? Today, Loren takes us through the Christian thinking of Alvin Plantinga and others and how they have argued in defense of God in a way that takes into account the Problem of Evil – and then uses that analysis to see if Mormonism can avail itself of the same philosophical reasoning. Loren argues that the differing accounts of who God is, who/what Jesus is, and of the origin of creation leads to incompatible accounts of why evil exists, and of the hope that eventually it will cease. We end with a discussion of the differing concepts of “grace” and how the differing traditions view the Cross as essential to salvation.Article: “Mormonism’s ‘Great Secret,’ Freedom, and Evil”Also hear our previous interview: hereOther resources:“King Follett Discourse”; “Sermon in the Grove” by Joseph SmithGospel Principles: “Jesus Christ, Our Chosen Leader and Savior” and "Exaltation" (also here and here)"Sister's Participation in the Gathering of Israel" by President Russell M. Nelson “His Grace Is Sufficient” by Brad WilcoxGirls Who Choose God: Stories of Courageous Women of the Bible by McArthur KrishnaA Rational Theology by Elder John A. WidtsoeThe Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimballhear our interview with Eric Johnson about Kimball's book hereConflict in the Quorum by Gary Bergera (also see here)God, Freedom, and Evil by Alvin Plantinga“The Existence and Irrelevancy of Gratuitous Evil” by Kirk R. MacGregor (Philosophia Christi 14 (2012):165-180)“The Humean Obstacle to Evidential Arguments from Suffering: On Avoiding the Evils of ‘Appearance’” by Stephen J. Wykstra (International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 16, 1984, 73-93)Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. TozerThe Many Faces of Evil: Theological Systems and the Problems of Evil by John S. FeinbergEvil and the Cross by Henri Blocher“To See Darkness, To Hear Silence”: St. Augustine, Herman Bavinck, and the Incomprehensibility of Evil” by Travis Ryan PickellAlso see the “Introductory Essay” by William Dennison in The Problem of Evil by CVT