Evil & Suffering
Some suffering seems pointless. Doesn't that prove there's no God?
Short answer
It may seem pointless to us, but that doesn't mean it is. God doesn't cause every tragedy; much suffering comes from a fallen world, from people's choices, and from the devil. And if an infinitely wise God exists, we shouldn't expect to see everything he is doing to bring good out of a broken world. "I can't see the good" doesn't prove "there is no God." And Christianity says the story isn't finished: God will bring final justice and restoration.
In simple words: Sometimes we don't understand why things happen, but God sees the whole picture, and we can trust him.
Response
Philosopher William Rowe pictured a fawn trapped in a forest fire, suffering for days before dying, with no one to see it. What possible purpose could that serve? Since some suffering appears pointless, Rowe argued, it is probably real evidence against God.
The argument depends on a hidden step: if there were a good reason, we would be able to see it. But would we? If God exists, he sees all of history at once, while we see a tiny slice. The consequences of a single event can ripple out for centuries in ways no one could predict. We are simply not in a position to see everything God is doing to bring good out of a broken world (Isaiah 55:8-9; Romans 11:33).
The Bible gives a striking example. On the day Jesus was crucified, it looked like the most pointless evil imaginable: the only truly innocent man, betrayed, tortured, and killed. His disciples were devastated. Three days later, they understood that God had used that very evil to accomplish the salvation of the world (Acts 2:23-24).
Also remember that the question of God isn't decided by this one consideration. The universe's beginning, its fine-tuning, objective morality, and the evidence for Jesus' resurrection all point to God. If God exists, then the right conclusion is not that he is absent, but that the story isn't finished.
Finally, Christianity doesn't say that suffering doesn't matter. It says that God will one day wipe every tear away, and that "our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Key evidence
- The argument assumes that if God had a reason, we would see it.
- God's perspective covers all of history; ours is very limited (Isaiah 55:8-9).
- The crucifixion looked pointless but accomplished salvation (Acts 2:23-24).
- The overall evidence for God must be weighed together.
Bible passages
- Isaiah 55:8-9 God's thoughts are higher than ours.
- Romans 11:33-36 His paths are beyond tracing out.
- Job 38:1-7 God answers Job out of the storm.
- Acts 2:23-24 God's purpose in the cross.
- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Momentary troubles and eternal glory.
Discussion questions
- Why doesn't "I can't see a reason" prove "there is no reason"?
- How did the disciples' view of the cross change between Friday and Sunday?
- How do the other arguments for God affect how we weigh the problem of evil?
Sources & further reading
- William L. Rowe, "The Problem of Evil and Some Varieties of Atheism," American Philosophical Quarterly 16 (1979)