Stephen was asked by the youth pastor to co-lead this week’s youth group with another guy. It involves planning the game, setting up the music and preparing a talk.
This week’s subject?
Why Bad Things Happen to Good People.
Because that’s not a tough theme to tackle.
Is it cheating to have your pastor dad help draft up some notes? Because I have a feeling that’s what he’s going to do…
eesh! i wish him luck with that…
That is a tough one. There’s an entire branch of Calvinist theology devoted to trying to answer it. ‘Course, with predestination it’s an awfully difficult one to answer. If my laptop hadn’t died I had a whole bunch of links and resources on that very question.
Never did find an answer, though. If he does, let me know.
“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?”
Epicurus – Greek philosopher, BC 341-270
There have been a lot of debates throughout history around that very issue. The above quote, while a reasonable starting point is logically flawed. There are other possibilities not addressed by the question, despite it’s seeming yes/no form. However, most of the other options work only if we accept that ‘evil’, is somehow either necessary or ‘for the best’.
Aha, found it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil
Discusses both the problem and the fallacies in the above quote.
Also, Mark Twain’s ‘Letters From Earth’ addresses the problem pretty thoroughly. I get the impression that Clemens couldn’t find an answer either, though.
Of course, this is all just about why bad things happen. Gets even harder when you have to answer why they happen to mommies and puppies.
His church believes people are inherently good?
Well…how to put this? I don’t think this is something the church has any set theology on, so the answer would depend on the whims of the person you’re asking.
Hannah’s response: Bad things happen to all people.
Maybe she should give the talk ;-)
Oh and, this is our *former* church. Stephen has remained involved in the youth group, but doctrinally things don’t always line up.
Thanks for the input!
I think the first theologically-appropriate response* (summed up by my little sister) would be that bad things happen to everyone. We’re all on this fallen little planet together.
However, as great as it would be to get into a really deep discussion, from my understanding the youth group just isn’t at that level. Stephen has to essentially present a bullet-point style talk in about ten minutes. Which seems a little…ridiculous, considering that this is an issue people have literally spent their lives pondering, and there just isn’t an easy answer to neatly package and deliver.
*unless maybe you’re a Calvinist, which we’re not
I knew that he didn’t go to your church, but I had assumed that it was a basic principle of all churches that “all had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” as that’s, you know, Scripture – and since we’d fallen short, then obviously we’re not good, persay.
Hannah’s pretty smart.