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Evaluate Luther’s rejection of every attempt at theodicy.
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Luther rejected these alternatives of every attempt at theodicy. He refused to solve the problem of theodicy because he believed the biblical writers to get no further than Job who finally had to stand before God in all humility and be told to “Let God be God”.
The Doctrine of evil much remains a mystery. Luther refused to attempt a theodicy. Luther rejected the challenge to sort out why some are saved and others are not. He refused to go to a higher intellectual level to pursue philosophical questions that he believed biblical writers did not pursue.
Three alternatives Luther rejects:
1. Alternative of Christian Science, which denies that evil exists and so can live with a good and Almighty God.
2. Luther rejects the idea in this play and film script, shows Amadeus and Salieri accepting a god permits evil in this world and who is almighty. Rabbi Harold Kushner provided a third alternative in his book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People.
3. In the play that God is still evolving toward almightiness, and we can hope that He is getting close and must forgive Him until He gets there for failing to live up to to our expectations. Luther did reject these alternatives. Luther took evil seriously, the understanding of evil is to work with Law and the gospel. Luther expressed the gospel as fully and completely in the love of God which embraces fallen sinners, with the good word of Jesus Christ, which brings life and forgiveness through the forgiveness of sin.