Graduation Year

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.A.

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Degree Granting Department

Religious Studies

Major Professor

Michael P. DeJonge, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Tori Lockler, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Gil Ben-Herut, Ph.D.

Keywords

Biblical Literature, Christianity, Divine Command Theory, Ethics, Philosophy of Religion, Suffering

Abstract

This thesis attempts to serve two functions. The first is to discuss how the problem of evilin Christianity has been a problem not only in modernity, but also with premodern authors and editors of biblical canon. The second is to explain how the literary character of Satan has developed alongside the narrative in a way that seeks to answer to the problem of evil in the form of a literary theodicy. While it may be demonstrated in the textual evidence that this character can take away some of the ethical implications imposed on God by taking on evil himself, it is shown through the revision history and literary analysis, that the problem of evil cannot be solved by fixing God’s benevolence in this way. We are shown that the author’s continuous choice to force evil and suffering onto Satan, rather than God, God’s omniscience and omnipotence can become questionable. By using both canonical and extracanonical writings, this thesis points out moments where the ancient authors are manipulating not only the story but the problem of evil itself and how, even as the character of Satan becomes more necessary to Christian narrative, his character ultimately becomes more of a complication in the problem of evil rather than a solution.

Download

Share

COinS