If God, Why Evil? is the new publication by Bethany House (2011, 173 pages) authored by Norm Geisler.

Dr. Norman Geisler has taught at the university level and seminary levels for more than fifty years and has spoken and debated all over the world. He holds an M.A. from Wheaton, and Ph.D. in philosophy from Loyola University, and is presently Provost and Distinguished Professor of Apologetics at Veritas Evangelical Seminary in Murrieta, California. He is the author or coauthor of more than seventy books. Geisler is considered to be one the premier apologists and scholars in the world.

I. INTRODUCTION

Geisler points out how the question of, "If God exists, then why is there so much evil in the world?" is the most asked question in all his years of studying difficult questions of the Christian faith.

This is a question not only frequently asked by non-believers, a cornerstone argument for atheists but also a question that believers have as well. Why does a good, loving and sovereign God allow so much evil to go on when He could easily prevent it? And why does God allow harm and evil to fall on godly believers? There are a lot of people hungering for comforting answers to these types of questions.

Geisler states his purpose for writing, "First this work attempts to be clear about the various dilemmas and the proposed solutions. The problem is clearly stated first and then an answer is offered in basic terms (p.10)." Geisler then points out how this book is concise, comprehensive, correct and finally comforting as it addresses the problem of evil in the world.

II. SOME POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Throughout the book, Geisler interacts with all the popular responses that opponents of the Christian faith have given over the years to address the dilemma. Geisler interacts with the notion, presupposition and conclusions postulated by many atheists that "God is neither good or loving and does not exist." Geisler's skill as an apologist and theologian were seen throughout the book, especially as he interacted with all the various philosophical arguments against Christianity.

Geisler philosophically and biblically points out that God is still a.) sovereign and b.) all loving despite evil. Geisler systematically refuted every major philosophical argument made against God's existence.

Conclusion

If God, Why Evil? was an excellent and helpful book on theodicy. It is not as lengthy or as extensive as some of the other works on the topic but that was not the purpose. This is a book that both believers and non-believers can easily read and understand with clariy. Geisler does an excellent job in pointing out how God did not design or create evil but that it is a necessary result of free will in a fallen world. Not one single person is immune from the effects of sin. And as believers, we will never fully understand why we encounter certain tragedies and sicknesses in this life. Geisler offers some great insights into these matters while at the same time recognizing that God in His sovereignty may supernaturally heal those suffering with physical infirmities while with others He may not. Sometimes He may divinely intervene in a crisis, tragedy or prevent a car accident from happening, others times He may not. We do not have all the answers but God is still on the throne and is still sovereign throughout eternity.

Disclaimer: special thanks to Bethany House for this free review copy.

The book is everything I thought it would be. It is good to get these thoughts so I can share with others who might have a problem with God.

Theodicy is like the elephant in the room for those involved in Christian ministry. We often try to ignore it, but are rarely ever able to avoid it. A helpful resource for those who struggle with the issue is Norm Geisler's new (2011) book If God, Why Evil? While my bread and butter discipline is more related to the biblical text, I found Geisler's work to be interesting at a philosophical level.

In general, Geisler's book is helpful in at least two ways. First, it identifies the major issues and/or problems. This can be of immense value because of the breadth of the questions involved. Second, If God, Why Evil? provides a clear and specific explanation of the issues. In many cases, the issue or problem is laid out in logical form (with premises and a conclusion). The writing is succinct and contains a number of scriptural references (it is too bad that there is no scriptural index).

Many Christians and non-Christians alike have often pondered the question, "If God exists, how can He be an all-loving God and still allow so much pain, suffering, death, etc. in the world?" Author Norman L. Geisler looks to answer this question, among many similar and related ones, in his book titled "If God, Why Evil? — A New Way to Think About the Question".

I found this book to be a lot easier to read in comparison to other books that focus on tough questions and theistic topics. For me, it read less like a text book and more like a one-on-one conversation with the author himself. I think Geisler did a nice job keeping to the point as he gave his reasons and arguments for or against a topic related to the "If God, Why Evil?" question. Not only did he use Biblical references to support the fact that God exists, he also gave scientific, philosophical and historical examples as to why evil exists.

In each chapter of the book, Geisler begins by giving three views on each topic related to the questions of evil: Pantheism's affirmation of God and denying of evil; Atheism's affirmation of evil and denying God; and Theism's affirmation of both God and evil (found in Chapter 1). Geisler then goes on in the remaining chapters to tackle the reasoning for and behind such questions as the origin, the persistence and the purpose of evil, physical evil, eternal evil (Hell), as well as the question of what happens to those individuals who do not have a means of learning about God or Jesus Christ (through churches, priests, missionaries, etc.). Even though I think he was a bit philosophical at times in his explanations, I think Geisler did a good job in finding the Biblical and scholarly references to support his reasonings and answers to the questions and topics about evil.

I don't normally read books like this one for pleasure or on a regular basis, but I did find it interesting at times. If I had to recommend this book to anyone, I would suggest it to a minister or someone in such a profession or position who is faced with having to answer such difficult questions for friends, family members, and congregation members. I think it would make a good reference book for him or her with its easy-to-read topic layout, Bible verse references, and to-the-point topic discussions.

Thank you to Bethany House for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

As a pastor's wife I have often encountered people who have asked the question "If there is such a loving God, why are so many bad things allowed to happen?" It has been difficult to answer without seeming to give pat answers or weak arguments. If God, Why Evil?: A New Way to Think About the Question by Norman L. Geisler is an excellent resource for both the layperson and ministry leader to use in identifying the many questions and finding answers to address this common concern.

Geisler tackles topics such as the nature, origin, persistence and purpose of evil; why evil is unavoidable; the problems of physical and eternal evil; miracles and evil; and what about those who have never heard the gospel. Each chapter is considered from the three views in regard to evil:

Pantheism affirms God and denies evil.

Atheism affirms evil and denies God.

Theism affirms both God and evil.

Each chapter then tackles the topic from all three viewpoints, giving the Christian a solid basis in which to answer and shows how God is ultimately in control.

"...God is the 'author' of everything that happens in the indirect and ultimate sense; He is not the immediate cause of evil actions. He neither promotes them nor produces them; He permits them and controls the course of history so that it accomplishes His ultimate purposes." page 24.

The book includes three appendices: animal death before Adam, evidence for the existence for God, and a critique of The Shack. I was interested to see how the author would tackle the arguments for the existence for God and was pleased to see the wide range of theories and objections presented and the logical, systematic answers to them.

While the book seemed a bit too philosophical at times, it is an excellent apologetic resource for every believer and one that will be referred to many times.

I give this book 4 stars out of 5.