Developing an Alternative to the Standard Options

Abstract

This chapter introduces the basic idea of the divine presence model, briefly tracing its roots in Eastern Orthodox theology, and then turning to the task of making the positive philosophical case for the view. The author argues that the problem of divine hiddenness is intertwined with the problem of hell, and reflection on the problem lends support to the divine presence model even as it reveals critical weaknesses in its competitors. The chapter then explores the way that the divine presence model receives further support from a classic treatment of the phenomenology of religious experience. In closing, the author considers the way that the model rejects the claim that the purpose of hell is retribution, yet still manages to accommodate the traditional idea that the punishment of hell is inflicted upon the damned, rather than being a simple function of the choices of those who are finally lost.