Providence and Evil: Medieval Philosophers of the Abrahamic Faiths

Although during the 10th through 13th centuries the three Abrahamic faiths did not co-mingle much religiously and politically, they shared many theological and philosophical concerns, stemming from their common monotheistic faith. One such concern is the relationship between divine providence and evil. An examination of the thoughts of the Muslim Ibn Sina (980-1037), the Christian St. Anselm (1033-1109), and the Jew Moses Maimonides (1138-1204) reveals insights into the divine nature, the reality of evil, and God’s relationship to evil that have proven to be salient and informative for subsequent generations of thinkers who wrestle with this important and always timely issue—divine providence and evil.