PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
GOD AND EVIL
FRANCOIS V. MEEK, MAA
About Author
François Vanasca Meek, MAA, is the Head of Theology at Midland Bible Institute and an adjunct lecturer at the Caribbean Graduate School of Theology. He holds degrees in Theology and Apologetics and has served in full-time ministry since the age of eighteen. His research explores the relationship between theology, philosophy, and culture, with particular interest in analytic theology and apologetics. A native of St. Mary, Jamaica, Meek contributes a Caribbean theological perspective to contemporary academic discourse.
ABSTRACT
This essay examines whether the existence of evil undermines or supports belief in God. It
analyzes both the logical and evidential problems of evil, which argue that an omnipotent,
omnibenevolent God is incompatible with suffering, particularly gratuitous evil. Using a
philosophical methodology, the essay evaluates key theistic responses, including Plantinga’s Free
Will Defense, skeptical theism, and theodicies such as the Greater-Good Theodicy, the Privation
Theory, and the Soul-Making Theodicy. While evidential arguments claim that certain evils are
unjustifiable, this essay contends that the very recognition of evil presupposes objective moral
values, which are best grounded in theism. Furthermore, the incarnation and atonement of Christ
provide a distinctively Christian response, demonstrating divine engagement with human
suffering. The conclusion argues that no single theodicy fully resolves the problem, but a
cumulative approach strengthens the case for theism. Additionally, it challenges atheistic
perspectives to account for objective evil without appealing to a transcendent moral framework.
Ultimately, this essay posits that rather than disproving God, the existence of evil paradoxically
reinforces the need for a just and moral foundation, which the Christian worldview uniquely
provides.