Tom Price, lecturer at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, spoke to the Philosophy Society on the evening of 24th November about the Evidence of Absence? Do suffering and evil really count towards atheism?
In his talk, he explored the impact of evil and suffering on the ability to commit to theism. He took us through a survey of theodicy, reflections on Eastern and Transhumanist worldviews and deep into an exploration of the potential for faith in God despite life’s challenges and horrors. Whilst he acknowledged that theism can only ever offer a partial explanation for evil, he discussed the importance of the moral basis for theism and the idea that Christianity can offer a substantive pathway to human and metaphysical transformation.
The room came alive in the Q&A session, when, joined by his colleague Sara Stevenson, he answered difficult questions with passion and depth of thought; the pupils raised important issues of contrast between Christian and Buddhist approaches, the potential for God’s intervention in the world and the nature of human relationships with God, which made for a thought-provoking evening.
Ginny Brown
Philosophy Department
“Tom offered a remarkably thought-provoking contention of what I regarded as a very fair vindication of evil and suffering from a theist standpoint. Whilst Tom answered many important questions theists are faced with, it left me, as well as everyone else I’m sure, wanting to delve further into the topic.”
Fred C
(Upper sixth)
“Tom Price’s talk answered questions on the existence of suffering posed by Mackie and earlier by Hume and Epicurus as well as presenting a reasoned and intellectual approach to his belief in Christ and the journey that led him there. He also presented arguments for the existence of God, their rebuttals, and his views of a more personal God. The talk was thoroughly interesting and encouraged me to engage more with a theist perspective.”
Lochie P
(Upper sixth and Philosophy Society Liaison)
