The Problem of Evil
Darkness does not exist in its own right
Our Orthodox Christian theology views evil not as a
primeval essence that is co-eternal and equal to God, but rather a falling away
from good. Evil does not exist in and of itself, and was not created by God.
Our Orthodox Church rejects the Gnostic teaching that the entirety of being is
made up of two realms which have forever existed together: the kingdom of
light, and the kingdom of darkness.
This darkness does not exist in its own right, but is
simply the absence or lack of light. Evil, according to Saint Basil the Great,
‘is not a living and animated substance, but a condition of the soul which is
opposed to virtue and which springs up in the slothful because of their falling
away from Good. Do not, therefore, contemplate evil from without; and do not
imagine some original nature of wickedness, but let each one recognize himself
as the first author of the vice that is in him’.
Nothing is greater than God, including evil, and evil
results when the free will of God’s creation is directed against God and
thereby engendering evil.
This is precisely what happened when the light-bearing
morning star (Lucifer), fell away from the Source of goodness, and became the
evil one, Satan. Lucifer, by imposing his own will, found himself in darkness.
Since his power is based in falsehood, he can only influence us by convincing
people that he is as powerful as God. Yet his power is finite, and good will
eventually triumph on the Last Day.
That God would allow evil to exist in the first place,
is a mystery, for the scriptures do not explain this. Yet we do know through
the scriptures that true love must express itself in action, and in the face of
evil and suffering, a Christian is called to action by loving God and his
neighbor. Evil then becomes but a simple practical problem, one that the Christian
finds ways to alleviate. As Christians we are charged with bringing God’s love
and goodness into the world by our actions.
Saint Anthony of Egypt, said, “The devil is afraid of
us when we pray and make sacrifices. He is also afraid when we are humble and
good. He is especially afraid when we love Jesus very much. He runs away when
we make the Sign of the Cross.”
With
love in Christ,
Abbot
Tryphon
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