Hick's Soul-Making Theodicy
John Hick's development of Irenaean theodicy, arguing that moral and spiritual development (soul-making) requires an environment of freedom and challenge. Evil and suffering enable humans to develop virtues and deepen relationship with God. Divine omnipotence includes the ability to create free, developing creatures, which logically requires genuine risks.
Real World
Nelson Mandela's 27 years of imprisonment on Robben Island are frequently cited as a real-world illustration of Hick's theodicy — extreme suffering produced moral and spiritual depth that transformed not just Mandela but an entire nation.
Exam Focus
Contrast Hick with Augustine on the origin of evil to show evaluative depth; examiners reward comparative analysis between theodicies over isolated description.
How well did you know this?