Evil and suffering (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A): Revision Notes
Evil and suffering
Understanding the challenge
Christians sometimes struggle with a difficult question: if God is loving and righteous, why does He permit people to commit evil acts and allow suffering to occur in the world? This challenge has been debated by theologians and philosophers for centuries and remains a central issue in Christian theology.
This question represents one of the most significant intellectual challenges to Christian faith and has shaped theological discourse for over two millennia. Understanding different perspectives on this issue is essential for engaging with both believers and critics of Christianity.
Types of evil and suffering
Understanding evil and suffering requires recognising that there are different categories, each presenting unique theological challenges.
Moral evil and suffering refers to harmful actions deliberately carried out by human beings that cause pain and distress to others. Examples include murder, sexual assault, warfare, and theft. This type of suffering stems directly from human choices and behaviour.
Natural evil and suffering encompasses events that cause pain and hardship but occur independently of human actions. These include famines, diseases, earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters. Such events raise questions about why an all-powerful God would permit His creation to experience suffering through natural processes.
Distinguishing Types of Evil:
Moral Evil Examples:
- A terrorist attack causing mass casualties
- Corporate fraud leading to financial ruin for families
- Domestic violence within relationships
Natural Evil Examples:
- The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami killing over 200,000 people
- Childhood diseases like leukaemia
- Drought causing widespread famine
The philosophical problem of evil
The existence of evil and suffering creates what philosophers call the problem of evil - a logical challenge to belief in God. This problem arises from an apparent contradiction between God's nature and the reality of suffering.
If God possesses all knowledge (omniscient), He would be aware of all evil and suffering occurring in the world. If God has unlimited power (omnipotent), He would be capable of preventing or eliminating all evil and suffering. If God is perfectly good and loving (omnibenevolent), He would desire to remove evil and suffering because He cares for His creation.
The Central Logical Dilemma:
If God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving, then logically no evil or suffering should exist. Yet evil and suffering clearly do exist in our world. This creates what appears to be a fundamental contradiction that challenges traditional concepts of God's nature.
The logical difficulty emerges: if God has the knowledge, power, and desire to eliminate evil and suffering, why do these continue to exist?
Biblical teachings about evil and suffering
Scripture provides several perspectives on how Christians should understand evil and suffering in relation to God's character and purposes.
The Bible consistently presents God as benevolent and caring towards His creation. Christians believe that God genuinely desires to help His creation when it experiences suffering. This loving nature is expressed in passages such as:
"God is our refuge and our strength." (Psalm 46:1)
"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbour his anger forever." (Psalm 103:8-9)
The Role of Jesus Christ:
Central to Christian belief is the conviction that God sent Jesus Christ to Earth specifically to address the problem of evil. Through His death on the cross, Jesus overcame evil and paid the price for humanity's sins, offering redemption and hope in the face of suffering. This demonstrates that God is not distant from human suffering but actively involved in addressing it.
Some Christians also understand that evil entered the world through spiritual forces, particularly through the devil's influence. The biblical account of Adam and Eve's temptation in the Garden of Eden illustrates how evil corrupted God's originally perfect creation.
The Psalms reveal how believers can maintain trust in God even during difficult circumstances:
"Teach me knowledge and good judgement, for I trust your commands. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word." (Psalm 119:66-67)
Christian responses to evil and suffering
Rather than simply providing theoretical answers, Christianity offers practical and spiritual approaches to dealing with evil and suffering in the world.
Faith in God's plan represents a fundamental Christian response. Even when believers cannot understand why suffering occurs, they are encouraged to trust that God has a purpose for everyone. The Book of Psalms teaches that experiencing evil and suffering can provide opportunities for people to follow Jesus's example and live according to God's intentions.
The biblical figure of Job exemplifies this approach - despite losing his family and enduring tremendous physical suffering, Job maintained his faith in God's plan for his life. Philosopher John Hicks suggested that suffering can strengthen individuals and help them appreciate the positive aspects of life, potentially serving God's greater purpose.
The Free Will Defence:
Free will offers another explanation for the existence of evil and suffering. God granted human beings the freedom to make their own choices, and Christians recognise that people sometimes use this freedom to turn away from God. This freedom explains why acts of moral evil occur - they result from humans exercising their free will in harmful ways.
Prayer serves as both a response to suffering and a means of coping with it. Christians may pray to God requesting strength to endure their difficulties. They also pray for assistance and forgiveness for those who have committed evil acts, following Jesus's example of praying for others even in His suffering.
Charitable action transforms suffering into an opportunity for positive response. When Christians witness suffering in their own lives or observe it in the world around them, many are inspired to help others through charitable giving and volunteer work. This practical response demonstrates how suffering can motivate compassionate action.
The Power of Forgiveness:
Forgiveness represents perhaps the most distinctly Christian response to evil and suffering. Many Christians follow Jesus's example of forgiving those who caused His suffering. As Jesus prayed from the cross:
"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)
This approach transforms the experience of evil by refusing to allow it to create cycles of revenge and hatred.
Key Points to Remember:
- Evil and suffering can be categorised as either moral (human-caused) or natural (independent of human action)
- The problem of evil challenges belief in an all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving God
- The Bible presents God as compassionate and teaches that Jesus came to overcome evil through His sacrifice
- Christians respond to evil and suffering through:
- Faith in God's plan
- Recognising free will
- Prayer
- Charity
- Forgiveness
- Rather than just explaining suffering, Christianity provides practical ways to respond positively to it