The Problem of Evil

Note from Ben: Throughout Lent I am teaching a course on evil. I will provide weekly posts connected to the class in addition to the regular blogging. Enjoy!

The first two chapters of the book of Job have always been difficult for me. The pain, suffering, and loss that the righteous character Job endures are troubling. Job is said to have been “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.” (Job 1:1) Yet Job endures a great deal of suffering and pain as he sees his family die, his livestock killed, his house burned down, and extensive physical ailments inflicted upon him. Perhaps most disturbing is the role God plays in the story of Job’s suffering. The theological implications of Job suffering at the hand of Satan are quite problematic. The title “Satan” in Job is not the Satan we hear about in the New Testament, or in popular culture.

The title Satan (ha-satan in Hebrew) literally means “the adversary” or the “accuser” and can perhaps be best understood as the prosecuting attorney of God. The Satan is not the adversary of God, but of humanity. The Satan is one of the “heavenly beings” (literally “sons of God”) and a member of the royal court of God. He has the unique responsibility to bring forth God’s justice in the world, often in creative ways. The Satan must however first receive permission for “testing” Job. The interaction that takes place between God and Satan is not the cosmic duel for the souls of humanity and control of the world. Rather, Satan is the agent of God and the adversary of humanity. God allows Satan to act in his own best judgment, only placing certain restrictions on how Job could be tested. The question the story of Job poses is this: who is God in this story? Is this the same God that we know? Who is Satan? How does this story affect our understanding of a loving and merciful God?

The story of Job brings forth the classical theological issue of evil, or more precisely The Problem of Evil. The problem of evil leads us to struggle with questions that challenge our fundamental beliefs about who God is and how God acts in the world. Most, if not all, definitions of God include the following: God is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, and wholly benevolent. If this is the case, how do we explain the evil and suffering in our world? If God is the source of all things and evil exists, doesn’t it follow that God is the source of evil and therefore no longer good? If God somehow isn’t “the author” of evil does this mean God is not all-powerful? If God and the Devil are engaged in a war for our souls, does this mean God could lose?

There are many creative ways that theologians and scholars have attempted to diminish or solve the problem of evil, although none have done so with any success. The problem of evil is real and one each of us must confront and be honest about, for if we deny evil and sin in our world we deny reality. On the other hand, if we conclude that God is responsible for suffering and evil, we are left with a God who cannot be described as loving and merciful. Instead the image of God as sadistic “tester” we see in Job who feels the need to punish those who are faithful as well as the unfaithful. If God were truly benevolent why didn’t God give us the ability to live righteously? If God is all-powerful and all-knowing, then God knew we would turn out this way and allowed it to happen anyway. What kind of God is this?

I ask you to consider this issue in light of your experience with suffering, death, and evil.

-Have you seen God at work in these situations?
-Have you ever felt abandoned by God?
-How do deal with the “problem of evil”?