哲學歷史上有許多關於神的惡的問題的討論，神的善與惡的存在之間的理論張力有許多哲學家都有提出，也有許多哲學家嘗試解決這個問題。其中最具代表的性的就就是普蘭丁格（Plantinga）的辯護理論，基本終結了惡的問題的邏輯矛盾問題。而希克（Hick）則是區別於歷史上的主流神義論理論，吸收了愛任紐的神學思想，提出了另闢蹊徑的愛任紐型神義論來嘗試解決惡的問題。愛任紐神義論認為，創造是一個分為兩個階段的過程：生物階段和倫理階段。通過這些階段，人在自由意志的基礎上逐漸成長為道德和靈性完善的個體。
本文分析了梅瑟爾的批評，梅瑟爾主要批判希克否定了世界上“真實的惡”，認為世界上的許多惡只是“表面惡”，其存在最終服務於神的更大善。梅瑟爾認為某些惡，例如納粹集中營、嬰兒夭折等，無法通過發展出美德和道德品質來正當化，這樣的惡純粹是無意義的痛苦，而不應成為神義論的辯護理由。
論文最後結合了希克對梅瑟爾批評的回應，希克認為梅瑟爾誤解了他的神義論，希克並未主張每個惡都是神直接安排的，而是這些惡在神創造的宇宙中偶然出現，最終仍服務於神的更大善。但是同時本文會更進一步找出希克和梅瑟爾的論述的漏洞，進一步完善愛任紐型神義論。

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