The Case for Faith
A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity
Chapter One
Objection #1: Since Evil and Suffering Exist, a Loving God Cannot
Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does
not want to; or he cannot and does not want to. If he wants to, but
cannot, he is impotent. If he can, and does not want to, he is
wicked. But, if God both can and wants to abolish evil, then how
comes evil in the world?
Epicurus, philosopher
The fact of suffering undoubtedly constitutes the single greatest
challenge to the Christian faith, and has been in every generation.
Its distribution and degree appear to be entirely random and
therefore unfair. Sensitive spirits ask if it can possibly be
reconciled with God's justice and love.
John Stott, theologian
As an idealistic young reporter fresh out of journalism school, one
of my first assignments at the Chicago Tribune was to write a
thirty-part series in which I would profile destitute families
living in the city. Having been raised in the homogenized suburbs,
where being "needy" meant having only one Cadillac, I quickly found
myself immersed in Chicago's underbelly of deprivation and
desperation. In a way, my experience was akin to Charles Templet ... read full excerpt from Case for Faith, The ebook
