Some theists attempt to lessen the problem of evil by arguing that evil has no independent ontological existence: instead, it is merely the absence of good. Let’s consider that defense for a moment by trying out the logic in an analogous case. Imagine that Mr. and Mrs. Jones leave town for the weekend and they […]
theodicy
Is the problem of evil less of a problem if evil is not a thing?
Can You Preach it at the Gates of Auschwitz?
Many people think the adequacy of a theology of providence or a theodicy is dependent on whether it can be “preached at the gates of Auschwitz”. But is that a reasonable criterion? In this video, I suggest otherwise.
Actually, God Can: A Response to Thomas Jay Oord (Part 1)
Last week, I posted a review of Thomas Jay Oord’s book God Can’t. While the book was well written with admirable pastoral sensitivity and compassion for those who suffer, I wasn’t particularly taken with the main argument. Not surprisingly, Dr. Oord was not particularly taken with my review and he posted a response here. Since I […]
Should we hope that God has a reason for allowing evil?
Many people find the idea that God has a reason for allowing great evils to be implausible, even offensive. But does that make sense? Should we really prefer that evil occur for no reason at all? Or should we hope there is a reason, even if we can’t understand it? In this video, I take […]
What do you mean “God can’t”? A response to the Peckham-Oord Debate
Here are some quick evil thoughts pertaining to the most recent episode of Unbelievable featuring a conversation between John Peckham and Thomas Jay Oord. I’m not going to recap their positions here. Just listen to the show and then join the conversation. First, I didn’t hear enough about John Peckham’s (very Greg Boydian sounding) council […]
Turning the tables on the problem of evil
Today, I had an extended back and forth with atheist video blogger (and actor) Scott Clifton. I wanted to post one bit of the exchange here because I address a very common type of question about the problem of evil. Clifton: Can you name a good—any good—that can’t be brought about by an omnipotent being […]
The Problem of Evil and Biblical Violence: A Conversation with an Exvangelical
Clint Heacock is a former senior pastor with a PhD in theology who has since left Christianity and bills himself as an exvangelical. In this conversation, Dr. Heacock and I discuss his objections to theodicy and the problem of biblical violence in particular. To learn more about Dr. Heacock, you can visit him online at […]
Is atheism a more hopeful view of the future than Christianity?
Honestly, it's one of the best facts about life that major religions like Christianity and Islam are false. There is no hell, no billions of people suffering eternal conscious torture. Simple non-existence after death is literally infinitely better. — Counter Apologist (@CounterApologis) August 2, 2018 I have often heard atheists express sentiments like this, so […]
Natural Evil and Young Earth Creationism
In this short discussion (short being a relative term: it’s under ten minutes) I explain why young earth creationists have a problem of natural evil that they need to explain. Music Credit: Apero Hour Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
I feel love. It’s about love: Still Alice as Theodicy
Lisa Genova’s 2007 novel Still Alice tells the story of Harvard professor and scholar Alice Howland and her journey living with early onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Howland is a few months into her fiftieth birthday when she receives the terrible diagnosis. From there the book follows her on her slow and painful decline into dementia. At first […]
Calvinism and the Problem of Evil: A Review
David E. Alexander and Daniel M. Johnson, eds. Calvinism and the Problem of Evil. (Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2016). Calvinism represents one of the richest and most formidable intellectual traditions in Christianity, one that has enjoyed a popular renaissance in North America in the last several years. Given these facts, you might expect that Calvinism would attract significant […]
The Question that Never Goes Away: A Review
Philip Yancey. The Question that Never Goes Away (Zondervan, 2014). Philip Yancey launched his illustrious publishing career close to forty years ago with the publication of Where is God When it Hurts? In his aptly titled 2014 book The Question that Never Goes Away Yancey returns to the enduring question of evil and suffering: why? Three events in 2012 […]
Does God demand love under threat of damnation?
A reader emailed the following question to me. With permission, I’m reproducing and responding to the question here: One recurring thought I keep having that I’d be interested in reading your thoughts on relates to the nature of salvation vs punishment and the way in which Scripture seems to call us to respond to God. Now, […]
