cross-posted at Justin Taylor’s blog

This summer my church, CrossWay Community Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has hosted a “Difficult Issues Series” on Wednesday nights, and last night I addressed this topic: “How Could a Good God Allow Suffering and Evil? A Biblical Approach to the Logical and Emotional Problems of Evil” (MP3s Part 1 & Part 2 | Handout PDF). I am especially indebted to Drs. Carson, Feinberg, Frame, and Piper. Here’s the outline:

1. Introduction

1. What is evil?
2. What are some examples of evil that are (almost) universally outrageous?
3. What is the problem of evil?
4. Why must Christians address the logical and emotional problems of evil?
5. What are some challenges to solving the logical and emotional problems of evil?

2. What are some unbiblical/inadequate solutions to the logical-intellectual-philosophical problem of evil?

1. Evil is not real.
2. God is not all-powerful.
3. This is the best possible world, and evil is necessary for its perfection.
4. Evil is a result of peoples’ free will, so God is not accountable for evil.
5. Evil is necessary for people to mature (i.e., build character).
6. God is the indirect (not direct) cause of evil, so He is not accountable for evil.
7. God is above the law, so He can do what seems evil to other people.
8. Non-Christians have no right to question whether God is both all-powerful and all-good.

3. What does a biblical approach to the logical-intellectual-philosophical problem of evil include?

1. Bad things do not happen to good people; good and bad things happen to bad people.
2. The problem of evil is an argument for God, not against Him.
3. God is not obligated to explain the problem of evil to anyone.
4. God (not our sense of justice) is the standard for what He does.
5. God ordains and causes evil, but He cannot be blamed for it.
6. The logical problem of evil (including providence) involves mystery, requiring that Christians maintain doctrinal tensions in biblical proportion.
7. God uses evil for a greater good.
8. There was no problem of evil before the fall, nor will there be one in the eternal state.
9. God uses natural evil to illustrate how bad moral evil really is, and the right response is repentance.
10. The most significant problem of evil is the cross.

4. What does a biblical approach to the emotional-religious-existential problem of evil include?

1. People who are suffering typically are wrestling primarily with the emotional problem of evil (not the logical one).
2. Understand how people initially react to suffering.
3. You shouldn’t say certain things to people who are suffering.
4. You should do certain things to people who are suffering.

5. Conclusion

6. Recommended Resources

1. Books [23 resources]
2. MP3s [8 resources]

The handout includes a more detailed outline, and the recommended resources section asterisks the most highly recommended resources, hyperlinks to every author and resource, and ranks the level of difficulty of each resource.

Updates:

1. The address is condensed as a simple four-page essay for CrossWay Community Church’s Exploring Christianity outreach.
2. Reformation 21 reprinted this article in June 2009.
3. Related: “Do We Have a Free Will?” (which Reformation 21 reprinted in August 2009)
4. Two addresses at a conference on April 9, 2010: “The Logical Problem of Evil” | “The Emotional Problem of Evil”
5. Interview with John Frame on the Problem of Evil