I have often heard it said that the problem of evil (why does God allow so many bad things) is the biggest problem of our generation.

Watching the news lately, I have been overwhelmed by the burdens of bad news that I had to take on within just a few moments. There was a shooting and someone died. There was a dad going mad and killing his young son with a knife. The details were gruesome; he was stabbed over and over again in the head. Not too long ago a twelve year old girl hung herself—twelve years old! Her parents are heavily involved my former church. We also had four other funerals within a two week period. Then, in my Sunday school class, there were more needs. A prayer request about a daughter with cancer, a father who lost his job, and a baby who was in danger of being born prematurely. Then there is the bad news that we get locally here in Norman. On top of that, there are so many family burdens, immediate and extended, that add to the pain. Burden after burden. Pain after pain. Evil after evil.

Most significantly: Haiti. My heart sinks in horror every time I think of all those who have died. More so, all those who are trapped, and are not going to be rescued. The cumulative pain of that nation right now could cause anyone to cry out in pain, despair, and, most significantly, doubt. God, where are you? What is up with THAT?!!

All the news is bad news. But you know what is difficult to handle? Most of this is bad news about people I did not know and would likely never meet. With this much evil, what is one to do?

Paul tells us to “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). The “law of Christ” in this context seems to be to love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:39). How am I to bear all of these burdens? Are all these people my neighbors? There is that question again—”who is my neighbor?” To be a neighbor, do I bear all of these burdens? How? It is too overwhelming. Once I attempt to bear them all, they in turn become less significant and I become apathetic. I place my hands in my head and simply say “Maranatha!–come Lord Jesus.”

News can be overwhelming. Evil reports are discouraging, depressing, and disillusioning. I believe that in our world today we are blessed with valuable technological advancements in communication that would have seemed nothing short of supernatural until one hundred years ago. In the day of Christ, to think of those in Jerusalem being able to have on demand and immediate access to the happenings of people on the other side of the Roman Empire would have been unheard of. In order for one in Jerusalem to find out what was happening in Rome they would have to wait weeks or months to get the information. And even then, the information may not have ever reached your ears had you not been in the “need to know” audience. Certainly, people would have heard if Rome would have been sacked, if there was a severe famine in a certain part of the world, or if the Emperor had died or been replaced, but you would not have heard any non-significant information that did not pertain to you. You would not have heard about kidnapping of the daughter of the everyday Roman citizen, a stolen chariot, or a robbery-murder that took place on the Ephesian Way. This kind of information, if it did reach your ears, would have been irrelevant and, at most, part of a minor rumor mill that died out very quickly. At this time, a person would limit the “headline” news to that which happened in their own neighborhood. Worries and anxieties would be limited to the here and now. For the most part, worries and anxieties would have come from the possibility of future happenings to you, your family, or your immediate community. Your daily news would have come from your community within a certain vicinity. Within this limited community (your family, neighbors, synagogue/church, your work place), you would have had a balance of good and bad news. For the most part, this news would not have been too overwhelming or disillusioning. If there was someone who had a daughter who died of suicide, it was probably the first time you had been exposed to such an occurrence and it would seem very tragic. If you were a good neighbor who was desirous to bear the burdens of the other, you would have been with the parents that day with your arms around them. The biggest problem you would then have is to worry about the future. What is going to happen tomorrow? What if one of my children does the same thing? What if my child dies of this disease or that ailment? What if I lose my job as so-and-so did? What does the future hold? Continue Reading »

Dear Angie,

We just passed the 6 year anniversary of your death. I guess it was the evening of January 4, 2004 (that is what the medical examiner said), but Kristie (your sister, not my wife) thinks it is January 5 because that morning her back door blew open. Remember, she had Drew that night. She says you came to see him one last time. I told her that was dumb, but she really holds on to that. Anyway, who cares, right?

We all really miss you. There is a certain amount of darkness that follows us everywhere we go. I suppose that this “cloud” (isn’t that what you always called it?) will be with us until Christ. I have a hard time as I often wonder if I am wallowing in self-pity because of what you did and because of mom. It was just such a short period of time to have lost you both. But I really can feel sorry for myself. It’s funny because the week after you died (or maybe it was the weekend before), Chuck preached on Joshua. It was when Joshua was taking over for Moses after Moses had died. God told Joshua (to paraphrase), “Moses my servant is dead, now you must lead my people.” You know how Chuck is. Very straight forward, matter of fact, with that deep low voice? He said, “Let me be frank. Some of you are wallowing in pity over someone who has died. MOVE ON! They are dead, you are not! I don’t mean to be insensitive, but some of you need to get on with God’s mission.” It was something like that. I really needed to hear it, but so often I cannot get over it. I have learned to live with it, but none of us can get over it.

Angie, I don’t really know where you are. I think you are with the Lord. I hope that you are with the Lord. But you remember all those times before you died that you asked me about whether or not there really was a God. Remember driving back from Oklahoma City and we went through the five options? 1) Nothing created everything. 2) Chance created everything. 3) Everything came from nothing. 4) Everything is eternal. 5) An eternal God created everything. (That actually made it into my Trinitarianism course!) Just the very fact that I had to try to persuade you that God existed scared me. You used to call me in the early nineties when you could not sleep and ask me the same thing. You were mad at him for not answering your prayers about your sleeplessness. That was the first time I felt like a pastor, since you called me to ask me about it. Anyway, you seemed so full of doubt and unbelief before you died. Remember when you were upstairs at our house crying and angry that God would not take away your depression? You used me as your “God punching bag” (remember, I would always say to you and mom, “Just because I am in ministry, does not mean that I am your punching bag for God”). You said that you did not even believe in him any more. For the last month, you went really cold toward everything. That is why I don’t like to ask where you are. I do, however, tell everyone that you died with Chuck’s Day by Day book in front of you. I think you are with him.

There is just so much to say…

(BTW: I was encouraged to write this “grief letter” to you and share it. So that is what I am doing.) Continue Reading »

The problem of evil is certainly one of the greatest apologetic issue that Christians face today. In a postmodern world, people’s questions, objections, and problems with the Christian worldview are usually connected to the reality of evil in the world and their attempts to harmonize this reality with the seemingly contradictory notion of an all-powerful, all-good God. So valid is this issue that Ronald Nash, the late evangelical philosopher, said a few years ago (and I quote him loosely), “It is absurd to reject Christianity for any reason other than the problem of evil.”

We must be careful not to relegate this problem exclusively to the intellectual realm. I think that J.P. Moreland and William Lane Craig have it right when they say we must distinguish between the intellectual problem of evil and the emotional problem of evil (Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview, 536). The intellectual problem of evil asks, “Is it possible for a good, all-powerful God to exist in a world where evil is present?” The emotional problem of evil asks “Why would God allow such a thing as _______?” See the difference? One question is concerned with the objective coherence of God and evil, the other is concerned with the subjective coherence of God and evil.

While I think the primary issue today is more with the emotional problem of evil, I do believe that the intellectual problem is one that must be faced before the subjective problem can be dealt with with integrity. Therefore, I believe that the two can be distinguished, but should not be separated.

The foundation for both, comes from this syllogism:

1. If God is all powerful (omnipotent) and
2. If God is all good (omnibenevolent)
3. Then His goodness would motivate Him to use His power to eradicate evil.

The intellectual problem of evil is easier to answer since evil’s existence does not, in reality, present a logical contradiction as the syllogism suggests. In other words, the conclusion is not a necessary conclusion, only a possible one. While God could use His power to eradicate evil, His goodness does not necessitate such an act. The following will attempt to explain.

There are three possible defenses to the problem of evil:

1. The free-will defense: Many would say that God cannot create a world where there is true freedom, yet determine all that happens. In other words, being all-powerful does not mean that God can do anything. There are many things that God cannot do. For example, God cannot make a square circle, He cannot make a rock so big that He cannot pick it up, He cannot sin, He cannot commit suicide, and He cannot lie (Titus 1:2). In short, God cannot do anything that is inconsistent with His character and He cannot harmonize logical contradictions (since they are by definition that which are beyond reconciliation). It would be a logical contradiction to say that God can create a world where true freedom exists, yet evil is guaranteed not to exist.

Positives: Continue Reading »

The new Theology Unplugged is up. Here is a link to the Christians in Context trading cards I talked about. Take a look.

As well, the book I mentioned: Did the Resurrection Happen?

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 Theology Unplugged - Medicating Pain [33:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I admit, I am not an overly emotional person.  In fact, I find being around overly emotional people uncomfortable and there are at times instances when I wish certain experiences could evoke more emotion within me.  However, as I also find that the discipleship and discipline process, in which God purposes some form of discomfort in the lives of His children, can produce a range of emotions.  And here is where my emotions will heighten. We may not express those overtly, but I think honesty would admit this is the case.   Sometimes, we just many only express these to God in the privacy of our prayer closet or hearts.  God knows even if others don’t.

The believer in Christ will encounter difficulties, of one kind or the other.  Some, I have discovered, seem to encounter more than their fair share.  Trials have a way of purging selfish excesses and redirecting foci on God and His purpose for our existence. This squeezes us and quite frankly, hurts.  Yet by design, trials should produce increased dependence upon God and form Christ in us who trust in Him, so that we look more like Him each day.

Faith in Christ, then is represented by assurance in His promises.  Even in the midst of uncertainties, of unanswered prayers, of unrealized dreams, our reliance upon Him should produce a rest.  After all, don’t these verses speak to the avoidance of angst:

Matthew 6:25 – Don’t worry

Philippians 4:7-8 – Don’t be anxious

1 Peter 5:7 – Cast your cares

James 1:2  – Consider it joy

It seems to me that these verses indicate that if we are truly placing trust in God, then our hearts will be settled and negative emotions would not be present.  I do find this to be a prevailing attitude, especially based on the passage in James, that there should be a delight in trusting God, a contentedness that puts emotions in their place and causes us to move on unfazed by present circumstances.  Moreover, James indicates that whatever we ask God for, we must ask in faith not doubting.  Perhaps, negative emotions are an indication that we are not quite trusting God.

However, I question if trust in God means we will not experience the raw side of human emotions.  When we consider it joy to go through trials, does it mean we will be joyful?  When Peter says should rejoice in suffering, does that mean we never get down?   Does the existence of negative emotions really equate to a lack of faith on our part?

When we look at the conflict that notable figures in the Bible encountered, that an argument of silence could be made about strong faith free of emotional disruptions. For instance, when Joseph was wrongly accused, thrown in prison and then forgotten, the focus usually seems to be on the outcome.   In God’s time, Joseph was elevated to such an exalted position that it made all those years of seeming defeat worth it.  When Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego faced the fiery furnance and cited undying loyalty to YHWH, they cited no fear on their part, even though they realized God might not deliver them.  When Esther made her famous speech at the behest of Mordechi’s urging her to possibly face death in order to save her people, that if she perishes, she perishes.   In all these cases the text is silent concerning emotions.

But does that mean that Joseph did not have fits of despondency, despair and even anger?  Did he at times feel forgotten by God after all he went through?  Did Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego not feel fear and sadness at the prospect of a their possible demise?  Or Esther for that matter?  Do we think these stoic declarations of faith were completely devoid of emotion because of the text’s silence?  The text does not say but after all it is people we are talking about.

People experience real emotions.  For I see in several instances of varying emotional displays by servants of God placed their faith in God to come through for them.  Consider when Jehosaphat was confronted with assault by the Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites in 2 Chronicles 20:1-13.  He was afraid and cried out to the Lord (vs. 3).  Consider when Sarah laughed a cynical laugh at affirmation that God would deliver her a son after years of waiting in Genesis 18:10-13. Consider David’s many reactions to times of distress.

• Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God (Psalm 5:2)

• Be gracious to me O Lord, for I am pining away; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are dismayed and my soul is greatly dismayed (Psalm 6:2-3)

• I am weary with my sighing; every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears.  My eye has wasted away with grief (Psalm 6:6-7)

• In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears (Psalm 18:6)

Yes, David did much rejoicing but he also did much crying.  I further think that the pain caused by trials produces a desperation for God and a yearning for deliverance that only He can bring.  Consider Hannah’s grief and torment of reminders of her barrenness in 1 Samuel 1:1-18 that caused her to weep and not eat (vs 7).  “She, greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly”.  And who can forget the anguish of Job who was so distraught that all his friends could do at first was to sit and watch him through dust on his head and weep.  He did not know what was going on but did believe that God had something to do with.  Yet in his distress he still believed saying “though He slay me, I will hope in Him.” (Job 13:15).  There is anguish of the soul that goes far in producing hope and trust.

While these are examples from the Old Testament, I don’t think believers in Christ are immune to these emotions.  In fact, I contend that one of the chief motivating factors the New Testament writers picked up their pens was to encourage the followers of Christ to keep hope alive in the midst of trials.  They knew that trials hurt. Consider what Paul tells the church at Thessalonica to “admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak and be patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14).  Even leaders could succumb to emotion and need encouragement.  Paul recalls Timothy’s tears (1 Timothy 1:4) and reminds him that God has not given him the spirit of fear (vs. 7).  Perhaps it was because Timothy feared.

So while believers in Christ are encouraged to rejoice in suffering  and consider it joy, I don’t think that necessarily means that cheeriness will necessarily or always be part of that package.  Nor do think that the presence of emotions in the midst of trials is indicative of an absence of faith.  But I do believe they are in response to our human condition that will most assuredly let us know that God is indeed working in our lives.

Question I received today:

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”

Good question. Many people have the same objection and it is very understandable. In fact, one of my favorite teachers, the late Ronald Nash, used to say that if anyone rejects God for anything other than the problem of evil, his rejection is without excuse. However, what the objection above fails to recognize is the other option, “God is able to stop evil but not willing because the evil brings about a greater good of some sort.”

This is very common and finds many parallels in real life, from discipline of children to weight training. If God is the ultimate author of life and in control of all things, you would suspect that evil is allowed for a greater good. In fact, biblical Christianity would affirm that trials, pains, and tragic situations are working together for good for those that love God (Rom. 8:28). Look only to the situation of Joseph and the evil in his life. Sold into slavery, jail from being wrongly accused, hated by his brothers, etc. His perspective is that which we are taught to live by as Christians: [Joseph to his brothers who hated him sold him into slavery] “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Gen 50:20)

One thing that we cannot expect is to know why particular evils happen. Sometimes we will, but most of the time we won’t. We, as Christians, trust the Lord, leaving all things in his hands, truly believing he knows what he is doing even in the most difficult and, often, seemingly meaningless tragedies. One of our greatest temptations is to look at situations and evils and interpret them as evidence of God’s absence. Once we do this, we have conceded to the very antinomy of our faith—disbelief.

As I deal with the death of my sister and the disturbing debilitation of my mother, I am tempted to see meaninglessness. I am tempted to say “God cannot be involved.” I am tempted to place God on the stand and say “Until you give an account for this, I will no longer believe in or trust you.” But our faith does not entertain such tribunals. We are not simply those who believe in what Christ did: because of what he did, we trust in him for all things, even when we do not understand them.

Finally, we ground this belief in reality, not blind hope. We understand that if God created the world, acted in history, became incarnate, died on a cross and rose from the grave, then he is true to his word. This is why theology and the solidification of our beliefs is of vital importance. He is in control and he has a reason—a good and righteous reason—for the allowance of evil. We, like Job (who never understood why all the evil befell him) stand with our hands to our mouths (i.e., not accusing God) and trust the One who is more tender, just, and loving than we could ever imagine. We are convinced that the present evils are nothing to be compared to the glory that follows (Rom. 8:18).

I remind myself of this each day when I have to deal with my mother and her pain, the hardest situation that I have ever had to deal with.

I hope this understanding helps you, too.

I heard the song on the radio today. “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan. I hate that song. Every time it comes on, I change it. I usually don’t run from such pain, but I can’t . . . not that song. We played it at the funeral. “In a cold dark hotel room . . .” How did Sarah know? But I listened to more than usual; more than I should have.

My children are 10, 8, 6, and 2.  I wish so much that they had a chance to know Angie better. Katelynn, my oldest, knew her pretty well. Kylee a little. Their memories, I’m sure,  are quickly fading. Will was just two months old when she died. Zach was not born.

I often talk to them about Angie. I recount how much she loved them. I tell about how much I loved her. If I keep her memorialized with my children, she seems to be still a part of my life.

“Daddy, how did Angie die?”

This is the dreaded question that I get ever so often. I don’t really know what to say. What a horrible thing for children to hear were I to tell them the truth. Therefore, for now, it is sufficient to say, “She died of sadness.” My kids are usually satisfied, but not lately. Will will not let me off the hook. He is five and very persistent. “How does someone die of sadness?” He asks. “I don’t know,” I respond, “they just get really, really sick.” “But how do they die?” “I don’t know, it just causes them to die.”

I don’t think I am lying to my kids. In fact, I think that it is the most accurate way to put it. She did die of sadness. She just got so, so sad that she did not feel as if she had another choice. The gun she shot was not pointed toward herself, it was pointed toward the sadness that was in her head. She just wanted it to stop and all the pills and positive thinking were not as powerful as the bullet. She killed the sadness and her body was a casualty of friendly fire. Continue Reading »

As Valentine’s Day was approaching, naturally the atmosphere was thick with merchandise marketing and sentimental expressions befitting the spirit of the day.  So it was no wonder that as I was driving into school the other day, the radio station that was tuned in to my car, hosted callers telling of their significant others, the meaningfulness of their relationship and the proclamation of their love for the other.  One person has been happily married for 22 years, another 30 years and another 14 years, all indicating how glad they were to have so many years together.  I thought it was nice, even though I am mindful that we never know what goes on behind the scenes.  Still, the fact that they would get on radio for these declarations is telling enough. Even better, the fact that is was a Christian station, I would like to believe that these were marriages centered in Christ. Continue Reading »

Here is an mp3 of the sermon I preached this Sunday at Crossroads Grace Community Church (what a great church!).

I will follow up with the lesson that I taught during the seminar “Orthodoxy and the Emerging Church.”

Hope you enjoy.

 

 The Problem of Evil, Suffering, and Pain [47:59m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I have been reading Sam Storms Sign’s of the Spirit in preparation for this Thursday’s Converse with Scholars. Signs of the Spirit is an interpretation of Jonathan Edwards’ Religious Affections. Considering my last post on the often devastating legacy that suicide leaves, I found it interesting to read about Edwards’ account of the first wave of the First Great Awakening, the eighteenth century revival, and its ensuing end.

While it is hard to explain exactly what, from a human standpoint, caused the revival to begin, it is just as difficult to give reasons for its demise. Edwards gives his own account. From Dr. Storms’ book:

Although the history of revival reveals that no two outpourings were precisely the same, they do share one thing in common: they all came to an end. Edwards noted that “in the latter part of May, it began to be very sensible that the Spirit of God was gradually withdrawing from us, and after this time Satan seemed to be more let loose, and raged in a dreadful manner. ” One event seemed to Edwards to hasten the demise of religion: a man, from a family prone to depression (what Edwards called “melancholy”), committed suicide by cutting his throat. “The devil took the advantage, and drove him into despairing thoughts. ” [The man was in fact Joseph Hawley, Edwards' uncle.] The impact of this on the community was devastating:

“After this,” Edwards tells, multitudes in this and other towns seemed to have it strongly suggested to them, and pressed upon them, to do as this person had done. And many who seemed to be under no melancholy, some pious persons who had no special darkness or doubts about the goodness of their state . . . had it urged upon them as if somebody had spoke to them, Cut you throat, now is a good opportunity. Now! Now!“

I found it interesting that Edwards tells that this man came from a family prone toward depression. This was Edwards’ family. Edwards himself, what most would call “the greatest theologian America has produced to date,” struggled with depression.

I also, obviously,was drawn to Edwards’ assessment of the effect of his uncle’s suicide upon the community. “The impact of this on the community was devastating” as Edwards puts it.

The devastating effects of suicide cannot be ignored. A person is 2 1/2 times more likely to commit suicide if they have a family member who has done so. If this is the case, I am sure that the likelihood of depression increases dramatically as well.

God’s grace can and has certainly overcome those effects in many individuals, families, and communities, but often they play themselves out as God permits.