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.
Everyone has a set of beliefs and values that form a framework and set of “lenses” through which the data of life and the world around us is assessed. Our task is to determine what is true and to live in step with that truth.
The Christian Worldview is the one worldview that rings the truest with the known facts of science and life. This class will focus on the latest in this area and review summary “take-aways” that will help Christians defend the faith.
Lecture presented by John Weber
Everyone has a set of beliefs and values that form a framework and set of “lenses” through which the data of life and the world around us is assessed. Our task is to determine what is true and to live in step with that truth.
The Christian Worldview is the one worldview that rings the truest with the known facts of science and life. This class will focus on the latest in this area and review summary “take-aways” that will help Christians defend the faith.
Lecture presented by John Weber
The Essentials of Apologetics - Why Christianity (Part 1)?Robin Schumacher
This presentation examines the problem of evil in the world and looks at how to reconcile the concept of an all-powerful and loving God with the reality of evil.
This presentation is an introduction to the issue of ethics and morality and examines the possible sources of a standard and an authority for morality.
Based on "Biblical Worldview: Creation, Fall, Redemption" by Dr. Mark L. Ward, et. al., this lesson defines what a worldview is, what it entails, and how it affects you. A worldview is a set of basic beliefs, assumptions and values which arises from a big story about the world and produces individual and group action (or human culture).
The Essentials of Apologetics - Why Christianity (Part 1)?Robin Schumacher
This presentation examines the problem of evil in the world and looks at how to reconcile the concept of an all-powerful and loving God with the reality of evil.
This presentation is an introduction to the issue of ethics and morality and examines the possible sources of a standard and an authority for morality.
Based on "Biblical Worldview: Creation, Fall, Redemption" by Dr. Mark L. Ward, et. al., this lesson defines what a worldview is, what it entails, and how it affects you. A worldview is a set of basic beliefs, assumptions and values which arises from a big story about the world and produces individual and group action (or human culture).
The Christian approach to these subjects
-Zac Poonen
INDEX
*. Preface
1. Dynamite - Handle With Care!
2. Opposite Poles Attract
3. Love Is A Many-Splendoured Thing
4. Two Shall Become One
5. Finding Your Better Half
6. For Girls Only
7. Countdown To The Wedding
8. The Highway of Happiness
*. A Wedding Hymn
CFC, Christian Fellowship Church, Christian Fellowship Center, Christian Fellowship Centre
This is my humble attempt to teach the biblical doctrine of election and predestination. This is a message just for Christians who trust that the Bible really does reveal the exact truth of what God thinks and does--at least of those things that He wants us to know.
God, of course, is much more than we could ever know! He is God Almighty!
If you are a Christian, I hope this message helps you know how incredibly special you are and what a sacred life you have been given to live for God and for others!
This is the 19th study in the “Growing Deep in the Gospel” series and is the third one dealing with defending the gospel. In this study we answered the question “why Believe in God?” by looking at five arguments that show why belief in God is the most reasonable conclusion. Those arguments included the cosmological, teleological, moral law, prophecy, and heart-wired.
Is it true that most scientists are atheist, that Christianity inimical to science, and that science turns believers into unbelievers? In this lecture, we discuss what scientists really believe, based on several surveys of U.S. scientists.
In general, my presentation will be about the relationship between Genesis 1 and 2. These two chapters form the heart of the JEPD theory of the assembly of the Torah and have been used for more than a century, at least since Julius Wellhausen, to undermine the inspiration and authority of the Bible. We will show that if you let the words mean what they normally would, the relationship between Genesis 1 & 2 becomes completely plausible. Unlike conventional thinking, Genesis 2 is not a rehash of the creation story that ends up making the Bible contradict itself.
I will begin by asking the question, “who was Cain worried about when he says in Genesis 4:14 (NASB) “Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” In the end, by analyzing the text, we can provide a plausible answer to this question.
Lecture presented by Dr. Martin Poenie
Biblical archaeology is the “show me” of Christian apologetics. After a brief introduction of the discipline of archaeology, we examine key archaeological finds of the Old and New Testaments. For each find, we present the significance of it, key attributes including discovery, location and type, and how scripture is confirmed by the find.
In this session, we introduce the topic of archaeology and more specifically, biblical archaeology. Following the introduction, we discuss three significant finds: the House of David Inscription, the Moabite Stone, and the City of Jericho. As with all of the finds, we discuss how these specific archaeology finds confirm information found in the Bible.
Lecture presented by Dan Britton.
What is Science?
For much of the last century, Science has held a pre-eminent place of authority to many people around the globe, a place once held by religious leaders. This is no accident. Many scientists claim that Science has replaced religion as the source of ultimate truth about our world.
Thus, it is worthwhile to examine this claim. What is science? How did it get here? What assumptions does it make? Is it worldview neutral as many claim? What is the nature of scientific proof? What kinds of proof exist and how do we determine which is the correct kind?
As a professional scientist and science educator, I have seen first hand that we do NOT teach this to our students, except in optional electives that are not advertised well. Therefore, we have generations of scientists growing up with unclear understandings of the philosophy and history of their own field, and it is affecting the quality of the scientific endeavor.
Lecture presented by Dr. Robb Wilson
Atheists often promote the idea that the universe, the Earth, and human beings are not unique or special in any way, but are ordinary, meaningless natural byproducts of indifferent forces of nature. This is sometimes referred to as the principle of mediocrity.
The best refutation of this is the extraordinary amount of fine-tuning of the laws and parameters of the universe that gave rise to human life. In other words, the universe is exactly the way it needs to be for you to be here, but the odds against that happening are staggering. The three explanations for this degree of fine-tuning are: chance, necessity, or design.
In this lecture, I describe the laws and parameters of the universe that are finely tuned for human life and show that design is the best explanation for them.
For two thousand years, secular science held that the universe was eternal — no beginning, no end. This was clearly at odds with opening words of the Bible: “In the beginning… ”
However, that all began to change in the 20th century, with new evidence showing that the universe was not eternal, but had a beginning. By the late 1960s, with the strongest evidence yet, science had come to agree with the Bible that the universe was in fact created.
In this lecture, Dr. Salviander will present the logical argument and the scientific evidence for a created universe, and will show that the best explanation for it is the God of the Bible.
For accompanying notes, see:
https://hcbcapologetics.com/2018/01/21/god-and-the-big-bang/
The Rare Earth hypothesis argues that the emergence of complex life on Earth required an improbable combination of astrophysical and geophysical events and circumstances.
Presented by Dr. Dennis Wilson
In this lecture, we explore whether and where science and religion intersect, and if there’s harmony or hostility between God’s word (the Bible) and God’s world (science).
Presentation by Dr. Dennis Wilson
How we can use science to: show the beauty and majesty of God’s creation; emphasize that the same God who created everything from subatomic particles to galaxies also created us; that there is harmony between scripture and science i.e. dual revelation.
Presentation by Ed LaBelle
Historical evidence for the authenticity of the BibleSarah Salviander
Evidence is presented to support the New Testament as a reliable record of the ministry of Jesus and of the early Christian church. The means by which the New Testament has been preserved are also examined. Presentation by John Darms.
The Intersection of philosophy, science, and theologySarah Salviander
We compare the religions of Christianity and modern secularism -- their philosophies, science, and theologies -- in light of internal consistency, consistency with the world, and the fruit they bear.
The evidence over the last century indicates that the religion of modern secularism has been a disaster for humankind, and that Christianity is the best option if humans are to survive and thrive.
The Intersection of Philosophy, Science, and TheologySarah Salviander
A comparison of the religions of Christianity and modern secularism — their philosophies, science, and theologies — in light of internal consistency, consistency with the world, and the fruit they bear.
The evidence over the last century indicates that the religion of modern secularism has been a disaster for humankind, and that Christianity is the best option if humans are to survive and thrive.
Lesson 9 - Resisting Temptation Along the Way.pptxCelso Napoleon
Lesson 9 - Resisting Temptation Along the Way
SBs – Sunday Bible School
Adult Bible Lessons 2nd quarter 2024 CPAD
MAGAZINE: THE CAREER THAT IS PROPOSED TO US: The Path of Salvation, Holiness and Perseverance to Reach Heaven
Commentator: Pastor Osiel Gomes
Presentation: Missionary Celso Napoleon
Renewed in Grace
What Should be the Christian View of Anime?Joe Muraguri
We will learn what Anime is and see what a Christian should consider before watching anime movies? We will also learn a little bit of Shintoism religion and hentai (the craze of internet pornography today).
Homily: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Sunday 2024.docxJames Knipper
Countless volumes have been written trying to explain the mystery of three persons in one true God, leaving us to resort to metaphors such as the three-leaf clover to try to comprehend the Divinity. Many of us grew up with the quintessential pyramidal Trinity structure of God at the top and Son and Spirit in opposite corners. But what if we looked at this ‘mystery’ from a different perspective? What if we shifted our language of God as a being towards the concept of God as love? What if we focused more on the relationship within the Trinity versus the persons of the Trinity? What if stopped looking at God as a noun…and instead considered God as a verb? Check it out…
The Chakra System in our body - A Portal to Interdimensional Consciousness.pptxBharat Technology
each chakra is studied in greater detail, several steps have been included to
strengthen your personal intention to open each chakra more fully. These are designed
to draw forth the highest benefit for your spiritual growth.
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament, and is the first book of the Deuteronomistic history, the story of Israel from the conquest of Canaan to the Babylonian exile.
The Good News, newsletter for June 2024 is hereNoHo FUMC
Our monthly newsletter is available to read online. We hope you will join us each Sunday in person for our worship service. Make sure to subscribe and follow us on YouTube and social media.
In Jude 17-23 Jude shifts from piling up examples of false teachers from the Old Testament to a series of practical exhortations that flow from apostolic instruction. He preserves for us what may well have been part of the apostolic catechism for the first generation of Christ-followers. In these instructions Jude exhorts the believer to deal with 3 different groups of people: scoffers who are "devoid of the Spirit", believers who have come under the influence of scoffers and believers who are so entrenched in false teaching that they need rescue and pose some real spiritual risk for the rescuer. In all of this Jude emphasizes Jesus' call to rescue straying sheep, leaving the 99 safely behind and pursuing the 1.
The PBHP DYC ~ Reflections on The Dhamma (English).pptxOH TEIK BIN
A PowerPoint Presentation based on the Dhamma Reflections for the PBHP DYC for the years 1993 – 2012. To motivate and inspire DYC members to keep on practicing the Dhamma and to do the meritorious deed of Dhammaduta work.
The texts are in English.
For the Video with audio narration, comments and texts in English, please check out the Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF2g_43NEa0
The PBHP DYC ~ Reflections on The Dhamma (English).pptx
The problem of evil and suffering
1.
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?
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.
23.
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