How does Coptic Orthodox theology address the problem of evil?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

The "Problem of Evil"—often phrased as "If God is good and all-powerful, why does evil exist?"—is addressed in Coptic Orthodox theology not as a philosophical puzzle, but as a consequence of the misuse of free will and the reality of ancestral sin.

1. Evil Is Not a "Thing" (The Lack of Good)

Following the teaching of St. Athanasius the Apostolic, the Coptic Church maintains that God, who is the Source of Life, created everything "good." Evil is not a substance created by God; rather, evil is the absence of good, just as darkness is the absence of light or sickness is the absence of health.

• Evil occurred when rational creatures (first Satan, then man) turned their will away from God, the source of life, toward "non-existence."

2. The Gift and Risk of Free Will

God created man in His image and likeness. A primary part of that image is freedom.

• True love cannot be forced. For man to truly love God, he had to have the power to reject Him.
• Source 1 and Source 4 note that the "Kingdom of Satan" attacks our capacity to reject evil, but God respects human freedom so much that He allows us to choose our path. Evil exists because humans (and fallen angels) choose to act against the nature and will of God.

3. The Result of the Fall (Ancestral Sin)

When Adam sinned, he introduced corruption and death into the world.

• Natural disasters, diseases, and "natural" evils are not "punishments" sent by a mean God, but are the "groaning of creation" (Romans 8) caused by the fall of man.
• Because we are all children of Adam, we live in a broken world where the "animal" or irrational traits of nature have become accentuated (Source 5).

4. God’s Response to Evil: The Cross

God did not answer the problem of evil with an explanation; He answered it with a Person.

• Instead of destroying the world or taking away our freedom, God the Word became Man.
• He entered into the suffering and evil of the world. He allowed evil men and the "Kingdom of Satan" to crucify Him.
• The Victory: By His death, He trampled down death and gave us a way to endure and overcome evil. In the Coptic Church, the Cross is the ultimate answer: God suffers with us to bring us to a place where "He will wipe away every tear."

5. Why Does God Allow It to Continue? (The Goal of Salvation)

If God destroyed all evil today, He would have to destroy everyone who has an evil thought, which would be all of us.

• He is "Long-suffering and Plenteous in Mercy." He allows time for repentance.
• As noted in Source 4, evil is often manipulated to test the capacity of the faithful to reject it. God uses the presence of trials to refine the saints, just as gold is refined in the fire.

6. The Straightforward Truth About the Devil

There is a real, personal evil—Satan.

• Source 1 describes a "Satanic kingdom" that is armed and active in the world.
• Evil is not just a "mistake"; it is a conspiracy of the enemy to destroy the image of God in man. We fight this through the Sacraments, the Sign of the Cross, and the power of the Blood of Christ.

Summary

The Coptic Orthodox Church teaches that God is not the author of evil. Evil is a parasite that lives on good. It began with the pride of Satan and the disobedience of Adam. God allows it to remain for a season to preserve our free will and to allow for our salvation through struggle. Ultimately, at the Second Coming, Christ will abolish all evil, death, and sorrow forever. Until then, our role is to "overcome evil with good."