How a devout Catholic philosopher approaches the problem of evil

A quandary first posed by the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, the ‘problem of evil’ ponders how an all-powerful, all-loving god could allow for evil and suffering in the world. The question has been endlessly deconstructed by philosophers and theologians in the millennia since, debating if this monotheistic view of a benevolent god held by many millions of Christians, Jews and Muslims worldwide can be reconciled with the widespread and persistent anguish we see all around. In this video from the interview series Closer to Truth, Eleonore Stump, professor of philosophy at Saint Louis University in Missouri and a devout Catholic, offers her view of the ‘problem’, constructing an argument that, while suffering can never be eliminated or ignored, it can be redeemed as a powerful path toward shared spiritual growth.