“This confluence of eroding trust, a sense of powerlessness, exposure to intense suffering of others, and desensitization to political violence leaves Gen Z looking for judgment—and justice. My students know all too well that bad things happen to good people. They want to know when bad people will get what they deserve.” - CToday
“…our objector has just revealed that he expects or wishes the world to be a morally good place: a place of fairness, kindness, and equity. But wait: why should the world be that way, if God does not exist?” - David de Bruyn
“Too many times, people think one response will answer the problem of evil. But what we actually need is a thick, multifaceted approach. A single answer doesn’t satisfy, because the problem of evil is too complex.” - TGC
By Jonathan Moreno. From DBSJ 22 (2017): 75-90. Republished with permission. Read the series.
In an effort to present the greatest-glory defense with sharper clarity, this section will seek to address three objections that may be levied against it. Although this defense may encounter countless additional objections, the three selected seem to be the most pertinent to the discussion.
By Jonathan Moreno. From DBSJ 22 (2017): 75-90. Republished with permission. Read the series.
The purpose of this section is to present a viable theodicy.36 However, before embarking upon this endeavor, it will be helpful to temper expectations by briefly considering the parameters and limitations of any conclusions that are drawn.
By Jonathan Moreno. From DBSJ 22 (2017): 75-90. Republished with permission. Read the series.
Grappling with the problem of evil is a notoriously dubious endeavor due in part to the complexity of the problem. Therefore, if any viable solutions are to be reached, the specific kind of evil must be recognized and defined, and the theological system in which that evil resides must be identified.
From DBSJ 22 (2017): 75-90. Republished with permission.
by Jonathan Moreno1
Elie Wiesel trusted in God. As a boy, he believed that Yahweh cared deeply for him and his people. All that changed in the grueling death camps of Nazi Germany. Elie was a Jew. Subjected to the horrific atrocities of Auschwitz, his faith was shattered as his God seemed to sit idly by while countless victims suffered through the darkest evils imaginable at the hands of wicked men. In the preface to his memoir Wiesel writes:
“The quotation marks in the title are not a typo. It’s an attempt to isolate and investigate a very specific question: not only ‘the question of the origin of evil,’ …but the very definition of evil itself.” - Theology in 3D
Jacob Elwart interviews Ben Edwards on the problem of evil. - DBTS Podcast
“Augustine summarized the argument in two great questions: ‘If there is no God, why is there so much good? If there is a God, why is there so much evil?’ To many, only the second question occurs. But the first is just as important.” - Randy Alcorn
