Many philosophers have contended that (traditional) theism or supernaturalism suffers from what can properly be called the
Problem of Divine Hiddenness (the
PDH). [See Howard-Snyder and Moser 2002]. Moreover, it is the contention of many proponents of the
PDH that this “problem,” if, indeed, not just a
component of the “problem of evil,” bears a striking
similarity to the latter. Specifically, at the heart of this ostensible difficulty for theism is that Divine “Hiddenness,” like pain
and suffering—or at least pain and suffering in the amount that the world contains—is precisely the opposite of what one would
expect if there existed a (maximally great) supernatural Person. Accordingly, it is maintained by proponents of the
PDH that supernaturalism is
disconfirmed by the relevant “problem.” The aim of this essay is to establish that there is more than ample metaphysical warrant (of a
sort overlooked thus far) for maintaining that the “hiddenness” of God is exactly what
should be expected if theism is true. Thus, the conclusion we hope to secure is that the
PDH has considerably less to recommend it than its proponents have thought, and, accordingly, that it fails to constitute an
effective threat to supernaturalism.
Keywords God - Hiddenness - Life - Death - Omnipresence - Radiance - Survival