The universe, divine providence-and-sin relationship in St. Thomas

Abstract

The problem of evil has so far been treated by several theologians and philosphers in an attempt to define better the 'raison d'etre' of a phenomenon whose occurrence defies in many respects man's own intelligence. Strange to say, even those holding beliefs different from the catholic doctrine seem to come closer to the catholic standpoint in their explanations of this thorny problem. JOHN JAMES, a protestant, for example, has of late treated this subject with great competence, and by following a strict exegetical method of Old and New Testament texts has been able to arrive to the same conclusions of catholic thinkers. So too, C.S. LEWIS, although his approach to the problem is quite different from that of the former, comes more or less to the same conclusion: namely that one cannot give a mathematical solution, but only approve of God's behaviour in either permitting moral evil or willing per accidens material evil on certain occasions.