>The B&H Publishing Group of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention has published the Apologetics Study Bible. This Bible contains more than 100 articles and other features designed to help believers defend the Christian faith. One of the articles in the Apologetics Study Bible deals with God and evil. The article was written by Gregory E. Ganssle who is on the faculty of the Rivendell Institute for Christian Thought and Learning in New Haven, Ct., a special project of the Campus Crusade for Christ ministry at Yale University.
Here is an excerpt from the article:
Today, the most important form of the argument against the existence of God from evil is called the “evidential argument from evil.” The one who presses this argument admits that the existence of God and the reality of evil are not logically incompatible. The argument is that the amount and the kinds of evil we find in the world is strong evidence against the existence of God.
Even though it is possible that God has a reason to allow the evils we find in the world, it does not seem likely that there are good reasons for some of the evils we see. We cannot prove that there is no good reason, but if we have lots of cases in which it seems as though there is none, we will conclude that there probably is no good reason to allow these evils. If it is true that probably there is no good reason to allow these cases of evil, then it is probable that God does not exist. This argument is called the “evidential argument” because we cannot prove that there is no good reason to allow the particular evils we are thinking about. These evils do, then, look like good evidence that God does not exist.
In order to begin to answer this argument, we must think about the claim that it is probable that no good reason exists to allow the evil in question. Why should we believe this is true? The one who puts this argument forward will appeal to cases of evil in which it is difficult to find a reason that might fit. Does this mean we ought to conclude that it is probable that there is no reason? No.
The reasoning here goes as follows: It seems like there is no reason to allow this evil; therefore, probably there is no reason to allow it. Sometimes this kind of reasoning is strong and other times it is weak. Let me illustrate. The argument is of the form: It seems like there is no x, therefore, probably there is no x. The Bible has numerous cases where one could mount this argument. Let’s take the case of Lazarus’s death in John 11. Lazarus was likely in the prime of his life. He’s a good man and a close friend of Jesus. Lazarus becomes ill and dies. The citizens of his village, Bethany, could see such an evil and after three days of mourning come to the conclusion that there is no reason for this. Therefore, God doesn’t exist. Then Jesus comes to Bethany. Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, chastise Jesus for not getting there sooner. As we read John’s account, we see that unbeknownst to Mary and Martha, Jesus had reasons for delaying. Moreover, there were reasons Lazarus was permitted to die in the prime of his life. When Jesus arrived at Lazarus’s tomb, He prayed and then called Lazarus to come out of the tomb four days after his death. The reason for Lazarus’s sickness, death, Jesus’ delay and Lazarus’s resuscitation was that God’s glory might be seen.
Some of the citizens might have thought they had a strong case against the existence of God the three days after Lazarus died. But subsequent events place the evil of Lazarus’s death in a much different context. In light of this context, Lazarus’s death is seen to be part of a much greater good than anyone in Bethany could imagine.
After I read the article in its entirety, I came to the conclusion that Ganssle’s argument taken from Lazarus’ death is very helpful to believers but it will not convince atheists and other non-believers. Let me share a personal experience.
Many years ago when I was in seminary, a young seminary student was killed in the prime of his life. He was in his mid-twenties and fresh out of college. He came to seminary because he was called by God into the ministry. A few weeks after arriving on the seminary, he became pastor of a small rural church. One day, while helping repair one of the church’s buildings, he was killed in a tragic accident. How can one explain the death of a young man who came to seminary in answer to God’s call? In this case, since there was no resurrection (not yet, anyway), no one saw the glory of God and no one found the greater good in this death. The purpose of his death remains a mystery. People still continued to believe in God even when they were unable to explain the reasons for his death.
As a believer, I can affirm that sin has affected God’s creation and human depravity causes most evil and suffering in the world. I can also accept the fact that no human being can understand the reasons for every evil, calamity, and suffering in the world. Believers can accept the reality of God and the existence of evil. The presence of evil in the world is no reason to deny the existence of God. As Jesus said: “You do not understand what I am doing now, but later you will understand” (John 13:7).
Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament 