The Problem of "Salvation as a Natural Evil"; a Thomistic Solution

Document Type : Original Research

Author

Department of Philosophy & Religions, Faculty of Literature & Foreign Languages, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran

Abstract
One of the challenges of contemporary theology is natural evil. We will argue that since humans often play no role in the emergence of natural evils, one instance of natural evil is the issue of salvation and the well-being of those individuals who either lived long before the emergence of religions or have been deprived of encountering God's message. Therefore, the question of the possibility or impossibility of the salvation of such individuals can be included among theological discussions, especially in Christian theology, as well as in the realm of the philosophy of religion. This issue is also related to pluralistic and exclusivist approaches in Christian theology. However, based on Thomistic theology, although God manifested His message at a specific time and place in Christ, we will find that God has never deprived humans of encountering His saving message by having a correct understanding of God and His attributes.

Keywords

Subjects

- Aquinas T (1903). SUMMA THEOLOGICA. Leonine, editor. Rome: Wentworth Press.
- Aquinas T (1954). COMPENDIUM THEOLOGIAE. In: Verardo A, editor. OPUSCULA THEOLOGICA (t. 1). Rome: Taurini. [Latin]
- Avicenna (1983). AL-SHEFA: ELAHYAT. Madkur E, editor. Qom: AYATOLLAH MARASHI NAJAFI Press. [Arabic]
- Copleston F (2009). History of philosophy: Philosophy of medieval. Dadju E, translator. Tehran: ELMI & FARHANGI Press. [Persian]
- D'costa G (2000). The meeting of the religions and the trinity. Maryknoll: Orbis.
- Davies B (2006). The reality of God and the problem of evil. New York: Continuum.
- Davies B (2011). Thomas Aquinas on God and evil. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Dennett D (2006). Breaking the spell: Religion as a natural phenomenon. New York: Viking.
- Dupuis J (2002a). Christianity and the religions: From confrontation to dialogue. Maryknoll: Orbis.
- Dupuis J (2002b). Toward a Christian theology of religious pluralism. Maryknoll: Orbis.
- Heim M (2000). The depth of the riches: A trinitarian theology of religious ends. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
- Ilkhani M (2010). History of philosophy in medieval and renaissance. Tehran: SAMT Press. [Persian]
- Journet C (1963). The meaning of evil. New York: P.J. Kenedy & Sons.
- O’Collins G (2013). The second Vatican council on other religions. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Peterson MT (1997). Reason and religious belief. Naraghi A, Soltani E, Translators. Tehran: TARHE NO Press. [Persian]
- Rahner K (1978). Foundations of Christian Faith: An introduction to the idea of Christianity. Dych WV, translator. New York: Seabury Press.
- Rout P (2006). “Bonaventure”, Jesus, the complete guide. Houlden L, editor. London: Continuum.
- Rowe WL (1979). The problem of evil and some varieties of Atheism. American Philosophical Quarterly. 16(4):335-341.
- Swinburne R (1998). Providence and the problem of evil. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Volume 5, Issue 1 - Serial Number 17
Winter 2025
Winter 2025
Pages 1-11

  • Receive Date 03 February 2025
  • Accept Date 03 March 2025
  • Publish Date 10 March 2025