In the article “And The Atheist Shall Lie Down With The Calvinist: Atheism, Calvinism, And The Free Will Defense” written for the Trinity Journal, John Feinberg discusses the solution to the problem of evil. Feinberg’s main thesis is that the Calvinist objection to the Free Will argument as a solution to the problem of evil is dependent upon the same reasoning used by atheists to reject the same propositions. Feinberg bases his argument upon the differences which he distinguishes between definitions of the term “freedom.” Noting atheist Anthony Flew’s distinction, he states, “One sense of the term ‘free’ means ‘unconstrained,’ while the other means ‘libertarian,’ according to Flew.”[i] Feinberg critiques the atheist response to the Free Will argument. He then notes the similarities within the Calvinist system of argumentation against Free Will, and responds with answers to both atheists and Calvinists by explaining the Free Will argument and how it answers the problem of evil. He concludes the article by summing up the similarities between atheist and Calvinist thought; while still differentiating between the systems of thought.
John Feinberg argues for the concept of Free Will by observing that it consistently (within its own system of belief) answers the “problem of evil.” The “problem of evil” needs to be distinguished, according to Feinberg, as he states, “I like to distinguish between what can be called a religious problem of evil and a philosophical/theological problem of evil.”[ii] He notes that the religious problem deals with a particular source of evil, while the philosophical problem deals with the presence of evil in general. He argues that the problem of evil is one that should be dealt with internally within each theological system. Feinberg answers the problem of evil by defending the “Free Will” argument. He claims, “on an incompatibilistic account of freedom, the Free Will Defense does solve its theology’s problem of evil.”[iii] Feinberg’s argument for the Free Will as the solution to the problem of evil is grounded in his rejection of atheist arguments of causal determinism (which states that God could create a world with free creatures who always do what is right[iv]); as he notes, “Causal determinism and freedom are incompatible.”[v] His argument style is based almost solely on philosophy and anthropology rather than Scripture. He argues very clearly for the position of Free Will as a solution to the problem of evil; however, he fails to clearly show the Scriptural basis for such arguments. His argument is a sufficient response philosophically, but it lacks in Scriptural support. By implication, then, the argument works only philosophically and not theologically. The argument solves the philosophical problem of evil; but fails to deal with the root issue, which is the theological and Biblical problem of evil.
John Feinberg does a fine job of evaluating the philosophical problem of the existence of evil. He also argues very soundly the Free Will response to the problem of evil. His argument focuses on the absolute freedom of man’s will being the reason for the existence of evil within the world which God created as good. The article does leave the reader with several questions, however. If free will is, as Feinberg claims, “good of the highest order which counterbalances and overbalances the evil which is present in the world,”[vi] then why should that good be afforded to man and not God? Why should man be the one afforded free will, as opposed to God being given the right to His free will? Certainly God being free-willed does not solve the problem of evil in and of itself, for evil still exists. However, this is where the Biblical argument for the existence of evil begins. This is another question raised by Feinberg’s arguments. Shouldn’t Christians use the Bible as their answer to all of life’s problems, and use philosophy as a tool in that argument? Why should one separate the argument into two different problems, when the Bible addresses both? The answer to these questions would greatly benefit the reader of this article in dealing with the situation Biblically, as opposed to merely philosophically.
Feinberg, John S. “And The Atheist Shall Lie Down With The Calvinist:
Atheism, Calvinism, And The Free Will Defense.” Trinity Journal 01:2 (Fall 1980): 142-153.
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