Why is there pain, evil and suffering? (for Sunday, June 10)

Add to that, 1) Why do bad things happen to good people? 2) is God punishing me for things I've done? 3) Why Sanjaya? (just kidding).

Everyone has asked at least one of the above questions to themselves. The human response runs the gamut of, "I don't know" to "God is punishing me" to "I hate God for letting that happen." None of the responses is an clear Biblical response. The goal of this Sunday's discussion is to help you get your head around the basics of the question and build an understanding of evil and suffering that results in a Biblical worldview.

The college courses that touch on evil and suffering (philosophy, humanities, sociology, psychology, ethics, etc.), will rarely be taught from a Biblical worldview. They will, more than likely, be taught from a completely humanistic view of the world. So, your choice is to 1) Go to class relying on an uneducated "pop" Christian understanding of the deeper questions of life, or 2) Have an educated and Biblical worldview and be able to discuss it with more confidence. With that being said, let's choose the latter.

Here's some stuff to research: (You can post questions!)

Google the following important dead guys and their basic thoughts on pain and suffering:

- Albert Camus
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

How do the following nonevangelical faith systems view evil and suffering?
- Hinduism
- Christian Scientists
- Buddhism
- Zoroastrianism
- Manicheism

How did Plato view evil and suffering?

Look up and find what you can on the following Biblical principles (views) of evil and suffering:
- The Punitive principle
- The Disciplinary principle
- The Revelational principle
- The Redemptive principle
- The Eschatological principle

Here are some Biblical passages to meditate on:
- Genesis chapters 1 and 3.
- Romans 5 (verse 15-18 then 1-5)
- Romans 8 (verses)

Later...
Ken