Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a debate between Dr. William Dembski and Christopher Hitchens. The debate was held at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. It was over this question: “Does a Good God Exist?” The debate was interesting for a number of reasons, but one issue proved to be the most prevalent. It was the question of if God exists (God being all-loving, all-knowing, and all-powerful), then why is there so much evil in the world? This is a legitimate question, which needs to be answered. I can’t, within the space of one post, answer this question exhaustively, but it is also a question that is very pervasive in our culture, which is why I have devoted the next year to researching it and two other topics (Existence of God and the Resurrection).
This seemingly “sticky spot” that Christians are in when approached with this question by atheists is not an easy question to answer, but Dembski brought up a very interesting point to counter this in his debate with Hitchens. After Hitchens posed the question in his usual flippant and yet winsome manner, Dembski went the route of the moral law. The argument goes something like this: If one agrees that there is evil, then one agrees that there is good. If one agrees that there is good (and evil), then one presupposes a moral law. If there is a moral law, then there is a moral law giver. This moral law giver would be transcendent over all creation, and he is most commonly referred to as God.
Now, this may seem all well and good, but what do we do with that deduction? It is helpful to look at it within two categories: Theism and Atheism. For the theist (one who believes in God), this transcendent being exists, therefore those who believe in God can appeal to objective moral values. For the atheist, this transcendent being does not exist, therefore those who do not believe in God cannot appeal to objective moral values. So, for the atheist, the category of evil cannot exist objectively. Therefore, the atheist who denounces God due to the fact that there is evil in the world cannot do so because based on his worldview objective moral values do not exist, and consequently, the category of evil does not exist. In the same vein, the theist can rightly say that evil exists as a category. Now for this theist he can find meaning in the existence of evil. C. S. Lewis, the great Christian philosopher put it this way, “[Evil and] pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
For the Christian, evil and pain exists in order to sanctify and teach the believer. It is an instrument indirectly used by God in order that we might be refined into more of a likeness of Him. James puts it this way in chapter one of his letter:
Count it all joy my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds. For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
It also allows opportunity for the believer to have compassion on others and minister to them by way of the gospel message of hope and lovingly providing for those in distress. If hardship did not exist, people would not understand what it is to experience God’s grace. Much more could be said on this topic, and ,indeed, much more will be said at a later date. But the fact of the matter is this: Christians can appeal to an objective moral law, which has evil as a category, and atheists cannot. Sure atheists can appeal to a subjective moral law, but this gives them no ground on which to stand. In their view, “might makes right” and, therefore, no one can fault men such as Hitler or Stalin in their massacring of thousands of innocent lives. One must first believe in a transcendent creator and moral law giver if he is to argue over the problem of evil.
I pray that this would be of some help to you in your discussions with nonbelievers and with others (believers or nonbelievers) who struggle with this question. May we be the bearers of hope. May we be the bearers of grace and truth. And, may God be seen and revered because of it.
Christ is All,
M
*If you would like to see the entire debate between Dembski and Hitchens, it can be viewed here. Enjoy!