ABSTRACT
In the Sacred Canopy, sociologist Peter Berger writes that one function of every religion is to provide a way of understanding life, of fitting the events of life into a meaningful pattern. Insofar as evil presents a challenge to theism, it presents a challenge to any version of expanded theism. Philosophers of religion have always been deeply interested in the question of whether there are rational grounds for either belief in God or disbelief in God. Impressive arguments have been constructed to show that God exists—such as the ontological, cosmological, and teleologioal arguments. The problem involves religious beliefs about the existence and nature of God, giving it a distinct theological aspect. In its traditional role, philosophy clarifies and analyzes our beliefs, examines them for logical consistency and coherence, and evaluates their adequacy for explaining important human phenomena. The problem of evil expresses a kind of moral protest and so involves categories of good and evil.
