A Problem With How We Address the Problem of Evil

Image by Travis S. via Flickr

Theodicy is the theological study/discussion about why, if we have a good and gracious God, do we have evil.  If God wants nothing but good for us, we need to have some way of explaining where there are bad things in this life.  Harold Kushner famously addressed this in his bestselling book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People.  Of course Job was dealing with this long before as he struggled with all that God did to him in the Bible.

I have a problem with how many persons, even pastors, even good pastors, deal with the problems that come up in persons lives.  Too often we say too much.  Too often, as we try to help parishioners come to grips with tragedy or pain, we'll assume things from God's perspective that I'm just not comfortable with.

"I'm sorry your little child died, Mrs. Smith.  I guess God just wanted to call him home."

"I'm sorry you lost your job again, Mr. Smith.  I guess God has something to teach you from this and this was how he needed to get your attention."



The underlying assumption from these comments seem to be that whatever happens in the world is just how God intended it to be...a theodicy based in predestination.  It leaves no room for "accidents" and no room for that bad stuff that happens in peoples lives to be contrary to what God wants.  I know we have an omnipotent, omniscient God.  But, I want to hold out out that God, for the sake of free will and the order of creation, allows persons to sin (free will) and allows disasters to strike (creation).

I remember a professor at Duke Divinity School who had been raised by a VERY Presbyterian family and had a VERY conservative Presbyterian grandfather.  He said that his grandfather was at his house as he was learning how to ride a bike.  And, he said, every time he fell off his bike, his grandfather made it out to be exactly how God had predetermined it should be.  God was always telling him something with each fall.  Perhaps it was because of some sin in in his life or to teach him a lesson.  I remember that professor lamenting that he was never allowed to just "fall off his bike." Why did every fall have to be part of God's grand plan for him?

This is not to say that we can't learn from situations and problems that arise.  Suffering, anywhere in the world, is a chance for us to respond with love and grace and service.  But, to make an assumption that this is what God intends...well I think that's putting something into the mind of God that we're just not in a position to put there. Moreover, I think intentionality is itself a loaded term and I want to say that God grieves that bad things happen to persons...whether they be good or bad.

All of this comes to mind because of the words of a pastor in Sutton, Alaska as he helps a neighbor deal with the loss of his home to the Matanuska River.  Rain has swollen the banks of the river and some persons report as much  as three feet a day being carved out of the riverbank.  The article appears in today's Anchorage Daily News.  The following is section that talks about what the good pastor says:

"I have pneumonia and shouldn't even be out here," said [the] Grace Bible Church pastor, as he and another neighbor salvaged what they could for Blubaugh. "Forrest asked me 'Why is God doing this to me?' and I just told him that God has his reasons for allowing these things to happen. God can either speak to you like a butterfly landing on a petal or he can hit you with a two-by-four if you're not paying attention. This is the two-by-four for Forrest."

I don't have much trouble with "God has his reasons for allowing these things to happen."  I think that's vague enough that it doesn't get into theological trouble.  However, to say that this is God's way to get Forrest's attention "with a two-by-four" seems to make God into more of a brute than I want my God to be.  Also it's something that just can't be known on this side of the resurrection. 

As we address the problem of theodicy, we need to do so with a good dose of "I don't know."  We really don't know why bad things happen.  It is however entirely appropriate to ask how it is that we should respond most faithfully to the bad things that have happened.  And, from the article, it appears the pastor and his congregation are acting in very loving, and life-giving ways.  They are providing a great service and a great witness.  I just wish he had left it at that.

Della Wagyihi

It's almost two weeks ago now, on July 4th, when Della Waghiyi passed away.  She was the Alaska United Methodist Conference's lone ordained native Alaskan pastor.  I had known Della for 20 years, from when I first went to Nome back in 1990.  And over the years I got to hear more and more of her stories.  I remember her sharing about her childhood among the Siberian Yupic.  I remember her stories of going with my friend Rev. Jim Campbell to meetings in New York and Nashville and other large cities.  One of the things she said that I've used in sermons at Advent time is the following:

White people wonder what we do all winter. They wonder if we're just waiting around for the sun to come out. No! In the winter we are fixing our boats and mending our nets and making our clothes so that we can be ready when the sun comes.

That's the waiting we have at Advent -- waiting, actively, so we're ready when the "son" comes.


Della was a spiritual giant for Alaskan Methodists.  She lived out her faith in so many remarkable ways and was a great interpreter for us between the United Methodist Conference and, indeed, Native Alaskans.  One of the things I remember is how everyone stopped and listened when Della spoke.  She spoke softly and somewhat haltingly after a stroke from a few years ago.   But when she spoke you could hear a pin drop.  She didn't command respect.  She had earned it through her faith and life.  And, what's so awesome is that I think even those who were meeting her for the first time understood it.

I have known some of these great saints throughout my life.  Each of them were people I've learned from.  And, as I type this I know that I learned a lot about strength from this small, unassuming, and humble servant.  She was a strong person.  She is, and will continue to be, missed.

The following is a poem written by Rev. Jim Campbell.  He's a friend who, as he worked with Della on native issues and looking out for the Siberian Yupiks in the Russian Far East, got to spend precious time with her.  Only once do I recall seeing Della create a doll from her cuspuk as she told her stories.  But I do remember it.  You can read on to see what it meant to Jim:  (I first saw this poem on the blog of our Superientendent Dave Beckett.)

"The Cuspuk Doll"

by Jim Campbell

Her hands cast wonder
folding, transforming her cuspuk.
A yard of string
twisting, binding the cloth
until from her garment,
this identity that wrapped her body,
there emerged the likeness of a doll
faces transfixed by the weave of her hands
now melting to a Christmas morning smile.

Over and over it happened.
All across the land it happened.
Each town,
each stop on the agenda of places to be by five o’clock,
each plead for her people that were starving in Chukotka,
each feast attended for those who had no bread,
there came the hope moment,
that transforming moment,
that gospel moment of all things made new,
that moment of the parable of the doll.

Della made other dolls,
hands of an artist given to beading, sewing, carving…..
dolls of the Anchorage museum,
life like dolls of her people,
dolls of worth and beauty and display.
Della bore the standard of craftsman.
She distilled the beautiful,
the colors and foods of the changing seasons,
the rhythm of the beat of the drum,
the telling of stories,
especially stories to the children,
who gathered with her on the floor,
as she made her cuspuk doll
and told of times when that was all she had.

Hands, stilled….. folded,
her blessings complete.
So many lives yet sway in the wake of her Sunday prayers,
heart prayers in this sanctuary,
to the Creator,
to whom, in this moment
We lift up our dear friend…….
daring to notice in the hand of God,
a yard of string,
waiting
waiting to make,

one more new creation.

The picture above is from mcavOy's photostream on Flickr.

Life in Bear Country

Image via Wikipedia

Interesting read in the Anchorage Daily News concerning a bear attack just South of here.  Not a terrible attack in the sense of "gruesome," but clearly could have turned out far worse than it did.  Everyone's OK and I thank God for that.  But I do like the "write-up."  Almost like you can see and feel it, giving a sense of the terror, the adrenaline, and...well, I like it because the folks came out of it in better condition than some other accounts that get the press.  This just made me realize all over again that, no matter how outdoorsey you are, we all need to be "bear aware" up here.

The account begins this way:

Tyler Nord doesn't remember the moment the grizzly pounced on him. He couldn't tell you what her breath smelled like or how soft her fur was. All he remembers is summoning the adrenaline that was coursing through his body to his legs to push her off.

The memories of the attack are like a strobe light of images playing through his mind, he said Thursday in talking of the encounter involving him, two mountain-biking companions and the bear on Resurrection Trail. 

The bear bit or clawed into Nord's thigh, but he wouldn't notice that until later, after the grizzly and her cubs had retreated to the woods, bear spray in her face.

Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/07/08/1359490/mountain-biker-recounts-tale-of.html#ixzz0tAXb1C7B