The Solution to the Existential Problem of Evil: An Analysis of a Neglected Cognitive Loop

The existential problem of evil is a crisis that theists experience when confronted with unjustifiable suffering. Using a descriptive-analytical method and an interdisciplinary approach (philosophical, psychological, and theological), the present study investigates the causal structure of this problem. It demonstrates that the existential problem of evil possesses a multi-layered structure in which "belief" functions as an "intrinsic element" and a mediating factor between the "occurrence of evil" and its "emotional-behavioral consequences." By focusing on this intrinsic element, this article presents the foundational requirements and the necessary theoretical framework for designing any practical solution, such that emphasis is placed on the changeable factor (beliefs) without falling into the essence-accident fallacy. Consequently, the present analysis provides a solid theoretical foundation for the idea that overcoming the crisis necessitates transforming theoretical cognition into existential belief and employing practical techniques for internalizing meaning in suffering. This transition, as a transformation in the lived pattern, encompasses the entirety of the individual's being.