This document discusses the problem of evil from both atheistic and Christian perspectives. It explores how atheism cannot provide an objective basis for morality if the universe is impersonal. It also examines how the Christian worldview can account for both human desires for goodness and laments over evil. The biblical view is that God allows suffering for reasons like glorifying himself, making people rely on him, and preparing them for tasks in heaven. While some events cannot be explained, God's purposes will eventually be known and he can be trusted.

2. Atheists and the Problem of Evil
and
The Biblical view of Evil and Suffering
April 24, 2018
HCBC Apologetics
John Weber

3. The Problem of Good and Evil
If there is no God, no absolute truth and no morality:
1. How do you explain moral outrage when person
inflicts harm on another person?
2. If there is a God and He is good and perfect, why is
there evil and suffering in the world?

4. Atheism and the Problem of Evil1
Can an unguided world governed, by mere
chance, as the atheistic view suggests,
provide any sort of objective foundation
or absolute definition of “good”?
If all is chance and governed by nothing,
how can we point to some overarching
value of goodness?Dr. Dan DeWitt, PhD and
teacher of worldview,
philosophy and apologetics
at Southern Seminary
1 Adapted from Atheism and the Problem of Evil January 4, 2016 Crossway, Dr. Dan DeWitt

5. Atheism and the Problem of Evil
Adapted from Christ or Chaos by Dan DeWitt
Kai Nielson, “Why Should I be Moral?”
American Philosophical Quarterly 21
(1984):90
“We have not been able to show
that reason requires the moral
point of view…Pure practical
reason, even with a good
knowledge of the facts, will not
take you to morality”

6. Atheism and the Problem of Evil
Adapted from Christ or Chaos by Dan DeWitt
Kai Nielson, “Why Should I be Moral?”
American Philosophical Quarterly 21
(1984):90
“And if we cannot get to the moral
point of view from a purely
scientific perspective, then how
can an atheist use a moral point of
view to reject the existence of
God?”

7. Atheism and the Problem of Evil
DeWitt:
•The real test, however, is whether they can provide an
objective foundation for the morality they defend.
•How can there be personal good and evil in an
impersonal universe of mere energy and matter?

9. Adam Lanza
December 14, 2012 at 9:35-9:40 AM
Newtown, CT

12. Nikolas Cruz
February 14, 2018 2:21-2:28 PM
Parkland, FL

15. May 18, 1927
Bathe, Michigan
Andrew Kehoe

16. 45 dead
The Bathe,
Michigan
School House
Massacre
May 18, 1927

17. Killing Children at School - Evil
• Everyone rightly calls this evil
• These were categorically evil
• Every fiber of our humanity screams evil at these and other
atrocities…even the most secular among us.
• We are confronted with a real question that every thinking person
must consider.
• What worldview can account for the human desire to classify
certain actions as truly evil?

18. Atheism and the Problem of Evil
DeWitt:
• If we cannot get to the moral point of view from a purely scientific
perspective, then how can an atheist use a moral point of view to
reject the existence of God?
• Thus we can justifiably ask an atheist: If an impersonal universe
doesn’t care then why should you?

19. Atheism and the Problem of Evil
Richard Dawkins:
“The category of evil is lost in a flood of
natural negations*. We live in an unkind
universe that simply doesn’t care.”1
Cosmos means “a well-ordered system”
Chaos is a more fitting term for the pitiless
vastness Dawkins describes
*Negation: a logical proposition formed by asserting the falsity of a given proposition. Merriam-Webster.com
1 River out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life

20. Atheism and the Problem of Evil
So here are the questions:
• Can the Christian worldview make sense out of our moral longings?
• If there is an intelligent source beyond creation, does that in any way
explain both our longings for goodness and our laments of evil?
• Can we reconcile the existence of God with the presence of
suffering?

21. Why Do People Perpetrate Evil on the Innocent?1
We Know: (JW’s opinion – Scripture references are a small sample of many)
1. God has the power to intervene (Rom 8:28, Matt 8:16, Dan 3:25, Gal 2:20, Acts
9:1-43)
2. God’s great love allows humans to choose. (2 Chron 16:9, 1 Cor 10:13, 2 Peter
3:9, Gal 5:13)
3. There will always be people making bad choices (Gen 3:6, 4:8, Acts 5:1-15, Mk
3:19)
4. We cannot explain every atrocity (Gen 50:20, Luke 13:2-5, Rom 11:34)
5. But we know that God has purposes that we do not yet know (Pr 20:24, Gene
50:20, Rom 11:33)
6. God can be trusted (1 Chr 5:20, Psm 20:7, 31:14, 40:3, 1 Peter 1:21)
7. God’s people are on earth today to be living examples to those who will be
transformed. (Eph 6:20, 1 Cor 11:1, 2 Cor 5:20, 1 Thess 1:6)
1 Behind the scenes spiritual warfare is constantly raging around us, in addition to trying to understand God’s purposes
we must also pray and put on spiritual armor (Eph 6:11-13)

22. A Story of Transformation
C. S. Lewis C.E.M. Joad
v.s.

24. Quick Timeline
• January 1941: Joad writes an article entitled: “God and Evil” in The
Spectator
• Joad could not reconcile the existence of God with evil in the world
• April 1941: Lewis writes a response
• April 1942: Joad publishes a book entitled: God and Evil and references
Lewis 50 times.
• Spring of 1944: Lewis invites Joad to discuss the book at the Oxford
Socratic Club. They also spent private time together.
• 1951: Joad publishes The Recovery of Belief: A Restatement of Christian
Philosophy
• “I was, for years, baffled by the problem of pain and evil; in fact, it was due to this
problem that for years I denied belief in the Christian religion”
• “A naturalistic view couldn’t explain the sinfulness in myself or the world in
general. The Christian view makes sense with the world as it is.”

25. Why Does God Allow Suffering?
What Does the Bible Say?

26. Biblical View of Evil and Suffering – 7 Points
1. TO LEARN OF GOD’S GLORY.
• John 9:1-3 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his
disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that
he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man
sinned, or his parents, but that the glory of God might be displayed
in him.
• John 11:3-4 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you
love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead
to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be
glorified through it.”

27. Biblical View of Evil and Suffering – 7 Points
2. TO KNOW OF GOD’S GRACE.
• 2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all
the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may
rest upon me.

28. Biblical View of Evil and Suffering – 7 Points
3. TO IDENTIFY WITH CHRIST.
• Philippians 1:29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of
Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake

29. Biblical View of Evil and Suffering – 7 Points
4. TO MAKE US RELY ON GOD AND NOT OURSELVES.
• 2 Corinthians 1:7-9 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as
you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. 8 For
we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we
experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our
strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had
received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on
ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

30. Biblical View of Evil and Suffering – 7 Points
5. TO MAKE US BETTER.
• Psalm 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I keep your word.
6. TO MAKE MORE FRUIT.
• John 15:2b every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may
bear more fruit.

31. Biblical View of Evil and Suffering – 7 Points
7. TO PREPARE US FOR TASKS IN HEAVEN.
• We will use skills in heaven for God’s purposes
• James 1:2-4 My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall
into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith
produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you
will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything
• I Corinthians 6:3 Do you not know that you will judge angels

32. Biblical View of Evil and Suffering – 7 Points
TO PREPARE US FOR TASKS IN HEAVEN.
• These are momentary afflictions preparing for heaven.
• 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for
us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the
things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are
seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
• These sufferings do not compare with the glory to be revealed in us.
• Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not
worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

33. Summary
• Purely naturalistic views cannot provide a foundation for a view of evil
• Yet virtually all humans categorize atrocities as evil
• The Christian worldview states humans start with an inherent “bent”
toward evil but provides a remedy
• There are examples of leading atheist and agnostic transformations to
Christianity, once they apply reason with an open mind.
• C.E.M. Joad, Dr. Anthony Flew, Alister McGrath, C.S. Lewis, Peter Hitchens
(brother of late Christopher Hitchens), Hugh Ross, Fazale Rana, Richard
Smalley, Jim Tour, et al
• The bible identifies many clear reasons why God allows suffering.
• To Glorify God, identify with Christ, make us better, make us more productive,
help us rely on God, prepare us for heaven, for an unknown reason, etc
• Lesson of Job: learn to trust God fully no matter what

34. References
• https://www.crossway.org/articles/atheism-and-the-problem-of-evil/
by Dan DeWitt, January 4, 2016 Crossway
• Kia Nielson, Why Should Ibe Moral: Revisited, American Philosophical
Journal, 1984
https://www.jstor.org/stable/20014031?seq=1#page_scan_tab_conte
nts
• Dawn Hawks, A Time and Times: My Memoirs
https://www.amazon.com/Time-Times-My-Memoirs/dp/1532746806
• C.E.M. Joad The Recovery of Belief: A Restatement of Christian
Philosophy, 1951 https://www.amazon.com/recovery-belief-
restatement-philosophy-M/dp/B0007K413U

35. References
• The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins: A Theological Response by DTS
https://voice.dts.edu/article/the-god-delusion-a-theological-response-glenn-r-kreider/
• Apologetics for the 21st Century by Louis Markos; Crossway, 2010,
https://www.amazon.com/Apologetics-Twenty-first-Century-Louis-
Markos/dp/1433514486
• Chapter 15 The Existence of God III: Why Bad Things Happen to Good People;
• Chapter 23 Answering the New Atheists;
• Chapter 24 How the Worlds Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind
• 7 Truths That Changed the World; Dangerous Idea #7: The Good in Suffering.
http://cdn.bakerpublishinggroup.com/processed/book-
resources/files/Excerpt_9780801072116.pdf?1422560175
• Tim Keller: The Reason for God https://www.amazon.com/Reason-God-Belief-Age-
Skepticism-
ebook/dp/B000XPNUZE/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1524671777&sr
=1-2&dpID=41LcADZ%252BpfL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=detail