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This class is now finished. You may look at the comments for some observations recorded during the three months of the class.
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"Why is there evil?" is indeed one of the Bible’s principal preoccupations. Ehrman rejects three biblical answers to it and approves a fourth before settling on ethical pragmatism (“alleviate suffering wherever possible”), with or without Christianity. The three inadequate answers are; (1) that suffering is punishment for sin, (2) that individual suffering is necessary for the greater good, and (3) that suffering presages the imminent triumph of good over evil (as in the perhaps most prevalent understanding of Christ’s Second Coming). Ehrman rejects those positions essentially because they don’t fit the concept of God as loving and omnipotent. He countenances the answer of Ecclesiastes, that suffering is inexplicable, but maintains that it negates God’s omniscience and is perhaps more cogent for nonbelievers. Ehrman’s clarity, simplicity, and congeniality help make this a superb introduction to its subject.
For a good discussion of this topic, check this Wikipedia Article on Problem of Evil .
The following isn't directly related to the subject of this class. However, it's the sort of thing that some members of the class may find interesting:
Link to Evolutionary Christianity Dialogues
If you have time, and if you're interested, I suggest listening to the 63 minute interview with John Shelby Spong at the following link. (You'll need to scroll down to the 10th listing to the audio file titled, "December 13, 2010: John Shelby Spong - Celebrating Post-Theistic Christian Faith”.)
http://evolutionarychristianity.com/blog/audio-downloads/
This interview is not directly focused on the issue of suffering. I suggest it here as an exploration of a concept and view of God free from a supernatural being manipulating details of happenings on earth. We may discuss this approach in one of the two Sundays at the end of the quarter that don't have reading assigned.
The following is taken from Wikipedia:
John shelby Spong advocates a nuanced approach to scripture (as opposed to blunt Biblical literalism at the other end of the scale), informed by scholarship and compassion, which he argues can be consistent with both Christian tradition and a contemporary understanding of the universe. Secular theology holds that thesim has lost credibility as a valid conception of God's nature. It rejects the concept of a personal God and embraces the status of Jesus Christ, Christology and Christian eschatology as Christian mythology without basis in historical events.
An Interesting Item:
The following link shows a number of audio and video files of Bart Erhman lecturing and debating.
LINK TO EHRMAN LECTURES AND DEBATES
In particular you may note the debate of April 15, 2010 at Ohio State University Great Hall Meeting Room hosted Dr. Bart Ehrmann and Dr. Michael Brown to debate the topic: "Does the Bible Provide an Adequate Answer to the Problem of Suffering?" That appears to be on the subject of our book. Unfortunately it's over two hours long.
The following link is to a video (in 8 segments) of the debate between Christopher Hitchens and Tony Blair debating the question, “Is religion a force for good in the world?"
http://www.monicks.net/2010/11/27/christopher-hitchens-vs-tony-blair-video/
I'm currently following the following blog which you all may find of interest too.
http://mennoniteliterature.blogspot.com
It's a blog by Ann Hostetler and her current spring semester class at Goshen College on the subject of "Mennonite Literature." It includes links to comments posted by class participants. One of the reasons I'm interested in the class is that I thought it might give me ideas for an adult Sunday school class. So far the following subjects have been discussed.
"Essentials of the Mennonite Wardrobe" and "Other Poems" by Rhoda Janzen
Neil Genzlinger in The New York Times Book Review article about Memoirs.
Three Mennonite Poems:
"Mennonites" by Julia Spicher Kasdorf
"How to Write the New Mennonite Poem," by Jeff Gundy
"A New Mennonite Replies to Julia Kasdorf," by David Wright
"Mennonite In A Little Black Dress," by Rhoda Janzen
The movie, "Pearl Diver," by Sidney King
I don't know what other subjects will be covered as the semester progresses.
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