Heaven and the Goodness of God

Bibliographic Data

ID3313337
AuthorsJerry L Walls (Houston Christian University, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume12
Issue5
Pages316
Publication date2021-04-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel12050316
OpenAlexW3157499156
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited6

In this essay, I argue that we should take fully seriously the doctrine of heaven when dealing with the problem of evil in our world. The hope of heaven is integral to Christian theism so it cannot be neglected in any substantive discussion of the problem of evil. Indeed, heaven provides resources to respond to even the worst of evils and to fully redeem them in such a way that the victims of those evils can fully affirm the goodness of their lives. Anyone who achieves heaven will experience a good of such significance and value that the ultimate beauty and goodness of their life could not be questioned. The Christian doctrine of the afterlife also provides resources to make sense of ultimate accountability. The perpetrators of horrendous evil cannot escape and will be called to account for their actions. However, even those who have committed such evil evils can be fully transformed in such a way that they can be fully reconciled with their victims and heartily embraced by them. This shows the doctrine of heaven to be not only profoundly hopeful, but also starkly honest and realistic

Afterlife · Beauty · Doctrine · Epistemology · Heaven · Problem of Evil · Theism · Theology · Augustinian Studies and Theology · Philosophy · Theology and Philosophy of Evil · War, Ethics, and Justification

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