The document discusses the philosophical problem of evil and various theodicies that attempt to reconcile the existence of evil with an omnipotent, omnibenevolent God. It outlines Augustine's theodicy which attributes evil to free will and humanity's fallen nature. It also describes Irenaeus' theodicy, called "soul making", which views suffering as necessary for human development from potential to actualizing God's image. The document raises criticisms of both approaches and considers whether they ultimately succeed in resolving the problem of evil.