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The Problem of Evil in the Biblical Text
Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? Humanity has grappled with the "problem of evil" since the beginning of recorded time. The Hebrew Bible does not offer one definitive resolution to the "trilemma": "How can suffering exist in a world governed by God, who is both all-Powerful and all-Good?" Instead, it records a variety of ways in which the ancient Israelites struggled with the question. In these seminar, we will explore some of the biblical texts that reflect this struggle: How is the origin of evil accounted for in the beginning of the book of Genesis? Why is the identical Hebrew verb used to describe both "trial" and "exaltation" in the account of Israel’s wandering in the desert? Does the goodness of God manifest through the punishment of sinners, or through forgiveness?
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Topics Covered
Class One
What are the origins and causes of evil? Looking especially at the early chapters of the book of Genesis, we will see how popular mythical images and stories from the Ancient Near East have been recast to present a more meaningful understanding of the introduction of sin and wrongdoing into the world. We will also examine the role attributed to angels and to humanity in accounting for evil.
Class Two
The Hebrew word for "trial" ("nasa"/נסה) runs like a thread through the Book of Numbers. What is the connection between God's "testing" of the Israelites in the wilderness and the nation's repeated "testing" of God? Why is the identical Hebrew verb used in this narrative to describe both “trial” and “exaltation”, and even "miracle"? In this session, we will examine how the concept of "testing" incorporates views about suffering that relate to instruction, punishment, and refinement.
Class Three
Is the goodness of God manifest through the punishment of sinners, or through forgiveness? In this session, our initial trilemma becomes a paradox. The quality of Justice is essential for maintaining a lawful and moral society, and many biblical texts praise God for his retribution against the wicked. On the other hand, the possibility of repentance is a cornerstone of biblical theology. Maybe it is no wonder that Job's ultimate summary of our topic is that these are "things too wonderful for me to know."
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