God and The Twelve Problems of Evil

Into Great Mystery

Thomas Ronald Vaughan

• Publisher: Resource Publications
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN:
  9781725266711
  9781725266728
• eBook ISBN:
  9781725266735
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Ethics & Moral Philosophy

This book of essays asks the enduring, age-old question, "If God is loving and good, why is there so much evil?" It answers boldly, "Because God creates, sustains, and 'allows' evil in the world." This fact is the greatest and most impenetrable mystery of the Christian faith. Twelve categories of evil are thereafter described and analyzed. The case is made that God is actively involved in the manifestations of evil, mysteriously and paradoxically suffers with her beloved children, but is "in control" of it all. Whatever harms, causes suffering, or destroys persons, animals, or the precious earth will be eliminated forever, but only in God's good time. Until then, believers must overcome evil with good, maintaining faith in the God whose thoughts and ways are not ours.

God
and
The Twelve Problems of Evil

Into Great Mystery

by
Thomas Ronald Vaughan

God and The Twelve Problems of Evil

Into Great Mystery

Copyright © 2020 Thomas Ronald Vaughan. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.

Resource Publications

An Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers

199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3

Eugene, OR 97401

www.wipfandstock.com

paperback isbn: 978-1-7252-6671-1

hardcover isbn: 978-1-7252-6672-8

ebook isbn: 978-1-7252-6673-5

Manufactured in the U.S.A. 06/12/20

I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil.

—Isaiah 45:7 (KJV)

The creation was subjected to futility by God.

—Romans 8:20

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?”

—Job 1:8

We enter the kingdom through many tribulations.

—Acts 14:22

We see through a glass darkly.

—1 Corinthians 13:12

Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God.

—Robert Pierce

And God shall wipe away every tear.

—Revelation 21:4

quod iustus Deus—“God shall be vindicated.”

—Latin phrase

Table of Contents

• Title Page
• Camus and Eternal Sisyphus
• Einstein’s Question
• The Best Possible World?
• The Book Demands Reasons
• The Vital Intersection
• God, Evil, And Christian Ambivalence
• The Problems in Simple Terms
• A Most Disturbing Question
• The Propositions
• Naming The “...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Camus and Eternal Sisyphus
• Einstein’s Question
• The Best Possible World?
• The Book Demands Reasons
• The Vital Intersection
• God, Evil, And Christian Ambivalence
• The Problems in Simple Terms
• A Most Disturbing Question
• The Propositions
• Naming The “Enemies”
• The Twelve Problems Of Evil
• What About The Devil?
• The God Above The God Too Small
• Genesis: It Was “Good”
• Genesis: Evil Before The Creation
• Genesis: The Garden
• Genesis: The Proleptic Tree
• Genesis: The Smallest Things
• Noah And The Lost World
• Theological Interlude
• Jesus And The Problems Of Evil
• Jesus And Impending Evil
• Jesus And The Great Mystery
• Stephen, Paul, And Impending Evil
• The Hate Approved By God
• Temptation For Perfection
• Can The Church Create Evil?
• Animal Pain
• Evil And The Sweet Illogic Of C. S. Lewis
• Human Incompletion
• Does God Take Human Life?
• Our God Who Suffers
• We Are “Children”
• Bibliography