Reference

John T. Baldwin raises a significant theological concern regarding the role of God in the process of evolution, particularly in relation to death and extinction. Baldwin questions whether God employs death and extinction as His preferred method of creation. This concern touches upon the broader theological issue of theodicy, which deals with reconciling the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and benevolent God with the presence of evil and suffering in the world.

In essence, Baldwin is troubled by the idea that a benevolent deity would use such ostensibly harsh and destructive processes as integral to His creative method. This challenge is prominent in discussions around evolutionary theodicy, which seeks to explain why a loving God would allow evolutionary processes that involve extensive suffering and death.

For more detailed information on evolutionary theodicy and Baldwin’s contributions, you can refer to this Wikipedia article.