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→Christian theology and optimism
== Christian theology and optimism ==
== Christian theology and optimism ==
Christian theologians commonly declare that the world was the best of all possible worlds, as it was created by [[God]]. Therefore, even what appears to many as bad is actually part of God's perfect plan. For example, adversity improves Christian character.
[[Christianity|Christian]] theologians commonly declare that the world was the best of all possible worlds, as it was created by [[God]]. Therefore, even what appears to many as bad is actually part of God's perfect plan. For example, adversity improves Christian character.
[[Image:Leibniz.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Gottfried Leibniz]] ]]
[[Image:Leibniz.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Gottfried Leibniz]] ]]
[[Gottfried Leibniz|Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz]] (1646-1716) was a German, Christian philosopher who was born into a pious [[Lutheran]] family close to the end of the [[Thirty Years’ War]], which had laid Germany in ruins.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/best-of-all-possible-worlds Best of all possible worlds], Encyclopedia Britannica</ref>
Encyclopedia Britannica's article ''Best of all possible worlds'' states:
Encyclopedia Britannica's article ''Best of all possible worlds'' states:
{{Cquote|Best of all possible worlds, in the philosophy of the early modern philosopher [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gottfried-Wilhelm-Leibniz Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz] (1646–1716), the thesis that the existing world is the best world that God could have created.
{{Cquote|Best of all possible worlds, in the philosophy of the early modern philosopher [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gottfried-Wilhelm-Leibniz Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz] (1646–1716), the thesis that the existing world is the best world that God could have created.