An Integral Advaitic theodicy of spiritual evolution

Karma , rebirth, universal salvation, and mystical panentheism

Dados Bibliográficos

ID20310489
AutoresSwami Medhananda (Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, autor correspondente), Ayon Maharaj (0000-0002-8395-8446)
Ano2023
Volume59
FascículoS1
PáginasS67-S81
Data de publicação2023-12-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoReligious Studies (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0034-4125 • E-ISSN: 1469-901X
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s003441252200004x
OpenAlexW4293086203
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas3
Referências citadas21

This article outlines and defends an ‘Integral Advaitic’ theodicy that takes its bearings from the thought of three modern Indian mystics: Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Sri Aurobindo. Their Integral Advaitic theodicy has two key dimensions: a doctrine of spiritual evolution and a panentheistic metaphysics. God has created this world as an arena for our moral and spiritual evolution in which evil and suffering are as necessary as good. The doctrine of spiritual evolution presupposes karma , rebirth, and universal salvation. The doctrines of karma and rebirth shift moral responsibility for evil from God to His creatures by explaining all instances of evil and suffering as the karmic consequence of their own past deeds, either in this life or in a previous life. The doctrine of universal salvation also has important theodical implications: the various finite evils of this life are outweighed by the infinite good of salvation that awaits us all. After outlining this Integral Advaitic theodicy, I address some of the main objections to it and then argue that it has a number of comparative advantages over John Hick's well-known ‘soul-making’ theodicy

Buddhism · Doctrine · Epistemology · Karma · Metaphysics · Mysticism · Philosophy of religion · Problem of Evil · Soul · Theodicy · Theology · Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs · Philosophical Ethics and Theory · Philosophy · Theology and Philosophy of Evil