The Problem of Evil
The claim: an all-powerful, loving God would not allow suffering. The root cause is a limited understanding of God's sovereignty and redemptive purpose.
Dr. Michael Reeves• Mar 15, 2025The Skeptical Claim
“an all-powerful, loving God would not allow suffering”
Root Cause Analysis
5-Step Presuppositional Causal Progression
Why does evil cause intellectual struggle?
Answer:It is painful to reconcile tragic evil with an omnipotent and benevolent God.
Can evil exist in an atheistic universe?
Answer:Without God, objective moral evil cannot exist; it would only be matter in motion.
Why does God allow suffering to continue?
Answer:To allow space for repentance, cultivate virtue, and bring about a greater eternal redemption.
How did God enter human suffering?
Answer:Through Jesus Christ, who suffered the ultimate evil on the cross on our behalf.
What is the ultimate root cause?
Answer:Human rebellion introduced sin into creation; God in His sovereignty will ultimately destroy all evil forever.
Evidence & Primary Sources
- →Walking with God through Pain and Suffering(Timothy Keller)
- →The Problem of Pain(C.S. Lewis)
Biblical & Philosophical Response
Far from proving God’s absence, evil points to an objective moral standard. Christianity is the only worldview where God personally enters human suffering to conquer it.
