**4. Lisbon's earthquake: theological crisis of the theodicy**

This is not the first time that all of humanity has faced a common danger from a natural calamity, be it disease or social and political turmoil. The story of the beginnings of mankind tells of Adam's initial journeys on the face of the earth, and recounts thrilling, spectacular events as well as dark and threatening ones. There are remarkable and exciting discoveries, technological and economic progress, but also grim and bloodstained wars, unbearable violence, and humanity's heroic struggle with and against nature. Hidden in that chronicle is another volume, one in which human recounts His holy aspiration exemplified by values, longevity, and good health. It also includes the story of humanity's war with the disease, against tiny, invisible enemies that threaten his life and health. 'Contagious diseases' and 'great epidemics' have accompanied humanity from its earliest history and have impacted all of the aspects of society—politics, faith, economy—and at times even determined the size of the world's population. The chapter that is being written in our days about this year's epidemic—'the corona epidemic'—is but another episode in human's war against his fate.

One of the greatest events in the history of theological thought and the development of theodicy was the Lisbon earthquake (1755). This famous event was the great "disaster" in the history of Portugal in modern times. The earthquake that killed thousands of people has become a theological question about divine justice. The history of ideas is difficult to rewrite, but must be returned to. We have to ask ourselves: what was it about this event—more than any other event—that shook religious thought? It is difficult to give a responsible answer. Still, we know that this event caused a change in religious consciousness.

The question of human suffering caused by disease still plays a major role in religious thought. It is the question Moses asks as he pleads to God "pray let me know Your ways," and by Job, as he cries out "Let me know what You charge me with." It has stirred the passions of philosophers and theologians since the days of the great Lisbon earthquake of 1755, which caused vast destruction and engendered a similar philosophical and theological upheaval regarding the justification for the tragedy and God's actions. How is it possible to comprehend a natural calamity of such enormous proportions that is not the result of the sins of humanity? François-Marie Arouet, known by his pen-name Voltaire (1694–1778), was one of the strongest critics of the religious reaction that sought to justify natural disasters. In his "Candide," he paces his naïve young protagonist through the wide world which he imagines as "perfect," as all forms of tragedy and catastrophe befall him [12]. Its depiction of our world as "the best of all possible worlds" remains a classic until today, as does the scorn he heaps upon those who believe that no natural calamity or suffering can disturb their belief in God's righteousness (theodicy).
