The Problem of Divine Hiddenness

American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly 90 (3):395-413 (2016)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

The problem of divine hiddenness is, along with the problem of evil, one of the two principal arguments for atheism in the current literature. Very roughly: If God really existed, then He would make His reality rationally indubitable to everyone (or at least everyone willing to engage Him in relationship). Since that hasn’t happened, God does not exist. Among the many replies made to this argument, a basic distinction might be drawn between (1) those made from within generic theism (theism prescinding from any specific religion), and (2) those made from within a definite faith tradition and employing the distinctive doctrinal resources of that tradition. That same division is apparent in the literature on the problem of evil, and among faith-specific work on that problem, one idea occasionally entertained (especially in the context of natural evil) is that the reality of evil spiritual beings may play a role in a defence or theodicy. Heretofore no one has imported that idea into the debate over hiddenness. In this paper I try out several versions of this strategy, eventually arguing that for those branches of Christianity with a doctrinal commitment to the reality of fallen angels, novel responses to the hiddenness problem are thereby made available. It is clearly a response unlikely to persuade atheists, but for Christians willing to consider the problem from within a distinctively Christian perspective it may carry some force. It may likewise be of use to those less concerned about countering atheism and more concerned with simply answering the longstanding theological question of why God might properly permit rational doubt in His reality.

Other Versions

No versions found

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 97,297

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

The Problem of Divine Hiddenness.Klaas J. Kraay - 2013 - Oxford Bibliographies Online.
A Thomistic Response to the Problem of Divine Hiddenness.Travis Dumsday - 2013 - American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly 87 (3):365-377.
How to make the problem of divine hiddenness worse.Aaron Rizzieri - 2021 - International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 90 (1):3-17.
A Critical Evaluation of Rea’s Response to the Problem of Divine Hiddenness.Ross Parker - 2014 - European Journal for Philosophy of Religion 6 (2):117--138.
Two solutions to the problem of divine hiddenness.Andrew Cullison - 2010 - American Philosophical Quarterly 47 (2):119 - 134.
Divine hiddenness and the one sheep.Travis Dumsday - 2016 - International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 79 (1):69-86.

Analytics

Added to PP
2016-06-04

Downloads
112 (#165,189)

6 months
15 (#301,646)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Travis Dumsday
Concordia University of Edmonton

Citations of this work

Hiddenness of God.Daniel Howard-Snyder & Adam Green - 2016 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Add more citations

References found in this work

No references found.

Add more references