Abstract The logical problem of evil challenges the coherence of classical theism by asserting an incompatibility between the existence of evil and the divine attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence. In this paper, we present a novel resolution through a formal framework. We begin by demonstrating the incompatibility between divine omnibenevolence and religious determinism, concluding that determinism must be rejected to preserve the coherence of theistic belief. We then construct a first-order theory ( LdM ) that formalizes the divine attributes and the classification of situations as good or evil. A set-theoretical interpretation of LdM confirms its consistency, neutralizing the logical problem of evil as traditionally framed. Extending this framework to LdM* , we introduce distinctions among God’s deliberate, desired, and permissive wills, along with a broader understanding of divine knowledge, encompassing both actual and possible states of affairs. Our expanded theory affirms the logical consistency of the God of classical theism as All-Good, All-Knowing, and All-Controlling, reconciling divine attributes with the presence of evil in the world. This approach allows us to offer a robust logical theodicy, addressing a fundamental philosophical challenge while respecting moral freedom.
Bertato et al. (2026) studied this question.