Reference

Marilyn McCord Adams made significant contributions to the discussion on the problem of evil, particularly through her focus on what she termed "horrendous evils." Here are some key points of her contributions:

1. Horrendous Evils and the Goodness of God:

   • In her book Horrendous Evils and the Goodness of God, Adams explores the impact of "horrendous evils"—evils so severe that they can make a person's life seem not worth living. She argues that standard theodicies are often inadequate when addressing these types of evils.
   • She suggests that only God can defeat such evils by integrating the suffering they cause into a larger, meaningful context, thereby ultimately defeating them (source).

2. Classification and Redemptive Suffering:

   • Adams classifies evils by their magnitude and proposes that the suffering caused by horrendous evils can be redemptive. She contends that the Christian narrative of redemptive suffering provides a unique solution to the problem of evil (source).

3. Natural vs. Moral Evil:

   • She clarifies the distinction between natural and moral evils, arguing that discussions focusing only on moral evils often miss the profound impact of horrendous evils (source).

4. Integrating Personal Experience and Theological Reflection:

   • Adams's approach is notable for integrating personal experiences and theological reflection. She posits that horrendous suffering should not merely be theoretically addressed but needs to be meaningfully integrated into each sufferer's life by God (source).

By focusing on these individual and extreme cases of suffering, Adams has brought a nuanced and deeply empathetic perspective to the philosophical and theological discourse on the problem of evil.