[Note: This is one post in a series on Greg Boyd’s book Letters from a Skeptic: A Son Wrestles with his Father’s Questions About Christianity. The aim of these posts is to help you start conversations with people in your community. Invite someone to read this book with you and discuss it together. You don’t need to agree with each other or the author to benefit from doing this type of activity.]
For this session, we’ll cover Correspondences 2-4.
SUMMARY
As we saw last week, this book hits the ground running with difficult questions. Greg’s dad does a wonderful job of getting right to the point. In correspondences 2-4, Greg and Edward wrestle with the problem of evil, suffering, freedom, and the nature of God’s knowledge.
Edward’s dad asks specific questions about the problem of evil. He does not waste time with abstract theoretical questions. Instead, he uses specific, horrific examples. As Greg notes, these types of issues require extreme sensitivity to discuss. Greg goes so far as to acknowledge that anyone who experiences such pain (or is close to someone who does) would have every right to question God’s goodness.
Part of Greg’s answer depends on his proposal that the creation of a free world can only coexist with an acceptance of risk. Free will poses a risk because people can choose to do either good or evil with their freedom. Further, Greg argues that our capacity for evil is matched by our capacity for goodness. If we can be good to a million people, then, we can be evil to a million people as well.
In the final correspondence for this week, Greg and his dad discuss the issue of God’s knowledge. Greg espouses an idea that is commonly known as open theism. He acknowledges it’s not the traditional view of God’s knowledge. Space does not permit an adequate summary of his view in this blog post. So, I’d recommend you read the correspondence or buy his book God of the Possible for a more in-depth look at his view.
INTRIGUING QUOTES
“I don’t feel that question can be swept away so easily” (Edward, March 23)
"This is a very tough question, to the point where it’s almost insensitive to even give an answer.” (Greg, March 29)
“I simply refuse to accept that existence can be the senseless nightmare it appears to be if, in fact, this short life is the only life there is.” (Greg, April 11)
CONVERSATION STARTERS
Why is the problem of evil such a difficult question for people who believe in God? Especially, the Christian God?
Greg acknowledges that some questions may seem insensitive to answer. How do we approach such questions?
What do you think about Greg’s proposal concerning God’s knowledge of the future?
If you’d like more questions, make sure you pick up a copy of the book. It has several questions for each correspondence.
Next week we’ll cover correspondences 5-7.