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Randal Rauser

Home of progressively evangelical, generously orthodox, rigorously analytic, revolutionary Christian thinking (that's what I'm aiming for anyway)

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theodicy

Atheists, the problem of evil, and lame Duane

May 12, 2011 by Randal

Remember when you were a kid riding your BMX bike down at the old quarry? You were bold, if a bit foolhardy at times. But regardless, you were always willing to try jumping your Kuwahara over just about anything. And then there was that kid Duane. Remember how he taunted you? “Try to jump the old […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: atheism, Christianity, problem of evil, The atheist missionary, theism, theodicy

How much evil could God allow for a greater good?

April 29, 2011 by Randal

In “Does God ever visit Ronald McDonald House?” I asked a question that crushes me. But as a Christian theist how can I not ask it? A few responses from the skeptics in our midst were, as I expected, incredulous. For example, Ray replied with the following: “The good of consolation is only a runner-up prize […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: God, greater goods, problem of evil, providence, theodicy

Michael Douglas on the upside of cancer

January 24, 2011 by Randal

It came as a shock to many last August when Michael Douglas, in an appearance on David Letterman, announced that he had been diagnosed with stage four throat cancer. And the Letterman public appearance would be the last one before disappearing down the black hole of seven weeks of intense radiation therapy. Douglas has since […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: cancer, God, Michael Douglas, problem of evil, theodicy

The problem of meticulously cruel evil

December 8, 2010 by Randal

The movie “The Mist” tells the story of a mysterious mist that descends on a small town. Since it is based on a story written by Stephen King you know two things: (1) the town must be in Maine and (2) the mist must contain some real nasty thing-a-ma-jigs. As far as horror/suspense films go, […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: problem of evil, theodicy

Possible, Plausible, or Probable Points or Special-Pleading?

December 3, 2010 by Randal

I argued that John Loftus is inconsistent when he dismisses the Christian defense response to the problem of evil and instead demands a good ole’ fashioned theodicy. Robert Gressis, it appears, disagrees with me. At least he says he does: “”I agree with John that defense is too low of a standard….” Initially this was […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: defense, John Loftus, natural evil, problem of evil, Robert Gressis, theodicy

The intrinsic value in learning to be good

November 30, 2010 by Randal

JD is sympathetic to my view of evil as being redeemed in God’s good universe, but he has a reservation: “The Book of Revelation foretells a future existence in which there will be all these marvelously rich things like life and sentience and mind but with no death, sorrow or crying. If God is able […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: free will defense, greater goods, moral evil, natural evil, problem of evil, theodicy

Would you rather be a bacterium? A rejoinder to the problem of evil

November 29, 2010 by Randal

Silver Bullet has ably expressed the common atheistic retort that this creation simply cannot be the product of a loving and powerful God because there is just too much evil afoot. It is a serious argument. Indeed, it strikes me as the most significant argument against theism, bar none. And yet I also believe it is […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: moral evil, natural evil, problem of evil, providence, theodicy

Could God command evil for a greater good?

November 28, 2010 by Randal

Silverbullet presents two scenarios: Scenario 1: God allows Fred to kill Suzie because of some greater good but the killing of Suzie is nonetheless evil. Scenario 2: God commands Fred to kill Suzie as a devotional act of commitment to God which leads to some greater good, but the killing of Suzie is nonetheless evil. […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: child sacrifice, greater goods, problem of evil, providence, theodicy

T-Rex dung as a problem for Christians

November 17, 2010 by Randal

Pearson International Airport in Toronto has decent FREE wi-fi so here y’are. A mid-day post free of charge. This is prefatory to John Loftus’ essay in The Christian Delusion on natural evil. (I will present an actual review when I get back to Edmonton next week and have the book in front of me.) I […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: John Loftus, natural evil, The Christian Delusion, theodicy, Tyrannosaurus Rex

How to avoid the question: Lessons from Loftus

October 23, 2010 by Randal

Every so often people provide challenges to our positions that we cannot seem to answer. So what are we to do? Concede the difficulty and work to revise or reject our position? Well we could do that, but nobody likes to eat crow. And we have our reputations to protect, don’t we? So I am […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: Bible, John Loftus, problem of evil, revelation, skepticism, theodicy

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