One of the oldest and most repeated religious questions goes like this: “Why does God allow evil to happen?” Or it may sound like this: “Why is there evil in the world?” These types of questions fall under the subject of theodicy. Theodicy is tackling the question of evil from theological and philosophical perspectives. Theodicists seek to answer the question, “Why is there evil in the world?”

It may seem like theodicy is necessarily a good thing. Who does not want to know why God allows evil to happen? Upon close investigation, however, theodicy can often be more harmful than helpful. So argues John Swinton in Raging with Compassion. In this book, Swinton offers a perspective on evil that is much different from modern theodicies. He writes that theodicy should not be understood in an abstract, impersonal manner that focuses on arguments and logic. Instead, the most helpful theodicy is one that is “embodied within the life and practices of the Christian community” (4). This type of theodicy does not try to explain evil or give theoretical answers. Instead, it presents biblical ways for Christians to resist and transform evil so that they might live faithfully until God makes all things new on the last day. We may not have all the answers to the “why” questions, but Scripture does give Christians an answer to “how” we can be faithful followers of Christ in the midst of evil.

In the first two chapters, Swinton investigates the characteristics of modern theodicy. Swinton notes that modern theodicy is fixated on the “why” question: “Why, Lord, did this bad thing happen?” The “why” questions, however, are often answered in esoteric or even deficient ways. Many times, modern theodicy answers the “why” question in a way that does not “bring healing and a deeper love for God” (13). Modern theodicy’s response to evil is often rationalistic, overly analytical, and lacks pastoral sensitivity. Swinton argues that rather than try to solve the problem of evil, we should explore what evil does and how to respond to it in a Christian way. This is what Swinton calls “reframing theodicy.” This is pastoral theodicy. We might not be able to solve the problem of evil, but we can learn how to face it in a biblical manner and through the lens of Christ’s resurrection. Approaching the problem of evil in light of the resurrection and with an aim to trust God through it is substantially more helpful than the abstract methods of modern theodicy.

Chapter three is Swinton’s discussion about the nature of evil and suffering. Swinton notes the difference between moral evil and natural evil. Moral evil is when someone does something terrible to someone else. Natural evil includes diseases, tornadoes, earthquakes, and so forth. Both kinds of evil bring suffering, but it is important to remember that suffering itself is not evil. If we conflate the two terms, Swinton argues, it “blinds us to the crucial pastoral, eschatological, and relational dimension of what we might describe as real evil” (52). This chapter is filled with insights about the biblical descriptions of evil and the types of suffering and tragedies it leaves in its wake. Once again, Swinton brings the discussion to the cross. Through the cross of Christ, we begin to understand how God deals with evil in this world and how Christians should respond to it.

In the fourth chapter, Swinton explains what he means by “pastoral theodicy.” Pastoral theodicy focuses on “specific pastoral practices that the church must learn and embody as it seeks to resist evil and remain faithful in the midst of suffering” (5). Swinton contends that instead of forever trying to explain evil, the church should offer ways for believers to resist evil and deal with it in a biblical and countercultural way. This chapter is the basis for the following chapters, which provide specific practices for Christians to participate in while facing evil: lament, forgiveness, thoughtfulness, and friendship. These are biblical practices that help God’s people go through the darkness of evil together in a way that is in line with biblical teaching.

Concerning lament (chapter five), Swinton does an excellent job explaining how the biblical laments are incredibly relevant for those who face evil and suffering today. The Psalms, of course, are full of laments that help modern Christians voice their frustrations and fears to God in the presence of evil. “The psalms of lament provide a language and a structure within which pain, suffering, grief, and despair can be ritualized and worshippers moved from one way of seeing their situation to a radically different way of seeing” (109). Lament, Swinton says, is a prayerful act of faith in the face of evil. He also argues well that the Psalms of lament should be included in Christian worship today because of their usefulness in pastoral theodicy. I appreciated this chapter on lament and fully agree that our worship services should include times of lament based on the Psalms. All of us face suffering and evil today, and being able to biblically voice our frustrations with evil as we worship God together is one excellent way to resist and deal with the evil around us.

Another practice for Christians dealing with evil in the world is forgiveness. Swinton emphasizes the Bible’s repeated calls for God’s people to forgive others. People today resort to anger, violence, grudges, and retribution when faced with evil. Christians, however, are called to a better way: forgiveness. Helpfully, Swinton says that forgiveness is not to excuse evil or wink at it. Forgiveness also refuses to objectivize or dehumanize people. That is, when someone does something extremely evil, we often consider them monsters and distance them from ourselves. But forgiveness treats people as people, not monsters. Forgiving those who have done evil to us is difficult, but biblically speaking, Christians “are a forgiven people who are called to practice forgiveness in light of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus” (167). This emphasis on forgiveness was a refreshing reminder of the gospel and how we are called to live in light of it by forgiving even our enemies.

The next Christian practice of pastoral theodicy is thoughtfulness (chapter seven). Swinton notes how it is easy to do evil; you do not really have to work at doing bad things. But to do good—true good—takes thoughtfulness and effort. As he deals with the thoughtfulness it takes to do good and not evil to others, Swinton tackles the topic of personhood. Is it OK to end a life if a person is disabled, unneeded, or unwanted? What about abortion and unwanted children? Swinton, from Scripture, calls for biblical thoughtfulness when facing these questions about personhood. Children are people, not commodities. They, and all humans, are made in God’s image. Biblically, “having children is a vocation and as such is a high calling within the Christian community. . . . To have children is to welcome them as gifts” (197). Furthermore, a thoughtful response to personhood is the prevalent biblical theme of love. We can resist the evil around us and the wickedness aimed at people with a biblical response of love. Love is the way to resist and push back against evil in the world. Adoption, Swinton notes, is also a hospitable and loving response to the evil committed against children. Our love for others, of course, is based on God’s love for us.

In chapter eight, the Christian practice of friendship is discussed as one other way to resist the evil around us. “Friendship is a basic and vital human relationship that forms the social fabric of our lives” (216). Friendship resists evil because friends recognize each other in healthy and edifying ways. This is grounded on the fact that Christ called his disciples “friends” (John 15:15–17). Biblical friendship includes faithfulness. We stick with our friends through thick and thin rather than treating them as products to be used. Friends are there when the going gets tough. Friends lament evil together. Friends forgive, practice hospitality, and show loyal love. In this chapter, Swinton also talks about befriending strangers—those who are alone in the world and in need of love. This includes people from other cultures and backgrounds. These types of friendships are forms of pastoral theodicy.

The conclusion of the book is where Swinton helpfully brings these themes together. Again, by way of reminder, pastoral theodicy includes resisting evil and answering it with Christian practices of lament, forgiveness, thoughtfulness, and friendship. All these practices are based on the love of God and the gospel of Christ. “The church is an embodied theodicy of practice that does not seek to explain how a good, all-loving, all-powerful God could allow evil and suffering, but, through its practices and gestures of redemption, reveals in concrete, tangible forms the various ways in which God responds to evil” (246). Practical theodicy, Swinton says, is the church striving to be faithful to God’s calling by being “a community that can absorb suffering and evil and facilitate perseverance and faithfulness among the followers of Christ until he returns and the former things pass away” (246).

Raging with Compassion is a wonderful resource for Christians who are wrestling with the painful reality of evil in the world. Rather than give esoteric and philosophical reasons why there is evil in the world, Raging with Compassion focuses on the practical aspects of theodicy. We do not have all the answers about evil, and trying so hard to answer them can be a futile and sometimes detrimental endeavor. But we do have Scripture’s instructions and guidance for how to live in light of the evil around us. That is practical and pastoral theodicy. Swinton’s contribution to practical theodicy is Christ-centered and founded on Christian theology. Raging with Compassion focuses on the love of God. And it helps disciples to put the teachings of Christ into practice as we walk through this veil of tears together. We cannot solve the problem of evil. But we can face it with our eyes on the risen Christ, resting in his care, and putting his teaching into practice every day. This is the way that glorifies God and shows love to people around us. It is how to overcome evil with good (Rom 12:21).

©Shane Lems. All Rights Reserved.

John Swinton, Raging with Compassion (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007)

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Post authored by:

• Shane Lems

  

  Shane Lems is a graduate of Westminster Seminary California and has a DMin from RTS Orlando. He has been a church planter and pastor in the URCNA. Since 2013 he’s been serving as pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Hammond, WI. He is married and has four children. Shane has written numerous articles for Modern Reformation, New Horizons, and other publications. He is also the author of Doctrines of Grace: Student Edition and manages a book blog, The Reformed Reader.

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