Ep. #24 – Aquinas on Evil with Dr. Gloria Frost [Interview]

Summary

Dr. Gloria Frost presents the privation account of evil affirmed by Aquinas and explains his answer to the logical problem of evil. Additionally, Frost comments on Aquinas’ commentary on the book of Job and shares some insights related to animal suffering and natural disasters.

Guest Bio

Dr. Gloria Frost is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN.  She earned her master’s and PhD from the University of Notre Dame and her BA in philosophy from the Catholic University of America.  Dr. Frost specializes in the thought of Thomas Aquinas and medieval philosophy more generally. She has published articles in a variety of leading journals for the history of philosophy and is also an assistant editor for the American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly.

Episode Outline

Dr. Gloria Frost presents key insights from St. Thomas Aquinas that relate to the Problem of Evil and Suffering. She explains the privation view of evil and shows how it can explain purported counterexamples like murder.

Next, she summarizes the logical problem of evil and explains briefly how Aquinas answers this charge. Additionally, she addresses how Aquinas might respond to other examples of evil from the contemporary literature: natural disasters and animal suffering.

Dr. Frost also provides several important points gleaned from Aquinas’ commentary on the book of Job. Listeners will learn how Aquinas thinks sufferings can bring about goods as well as what he takes to be “gratuitous gifts” from God.

Important Quote

As Augustine says (Enchiridion xi): “Since God is the highest good, He would not allow any evil to exist in His works, unless His  omnipotence  and goodness were such as to bring good even out of evil.” This is part of the infinite goodness of God, that He should allow evil to exist, and out of it produce good.

Aquinas, ST 1.2.3 Reply to Objection 2

Resources Mentioned

Wandering in Darkness by Dr. Eleonore Stump

Dr. Frost’s Personal Website and Papers

Dr. Frost’s Youtube Channel with great philosophy videos

Thomas Aquinas’ Commentary on the Book of Job

Thomas Aquinas on God and Evil by Fr. Brian Davies

Related Episodes

The Problem of Evil with Dr. Taylor O’Neill [Interview]

Three-part Dialogue on God and Evil [with Karlo Broussard]