War, disease, natural disasters, abuse, pain, and death– why do we suffer? And if God is loving, all-powerful, and in control, why doesn’t he make it all stop? Surprisingly, the Bible does not have a single answer to these questions. In God’s Problem, Bart Ehrman discusses his personal anguish following his discovery that the Bible only provides incoherent and conflicting reasons for human suffering. According to the prophets, suffering is a punishment for sin. Apocalyptic texts promise that God will eventually make all things right. And the Book of Job provides two explanations for suffering: it is both a test, and something beyond comprehension. |