"Cans't Thou Drink?'' - The Problem Of Evil

8/13/2019 "Cans't Thou Drink?'' - The Problem Of Evil

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Studdert Kennedy & The Problem of Evil

The Rev. Canon Mark E. Rudolph

Abstract

Illustrating and augmenting the Scriptures, the poetry of the Rev.

Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy (18831929), an Anglican chaplain

during World War I, is used to address the problem of evil and suffering.Originally written around 2005, this document began as rough notes

intended for use at a retreat held with Army chaplains who had served

with combat units.1 The retreat was led under the auspices of Rev. Dr.

Brett Travis (Lt. Colonel, retired), to whom I am grateful for entrusting

me with such a challenging task.

As is my custom, I use easily accessible internet resources as much

as possible, so that the readers may pursue the references on their own.

Blessed are the souls that solve

The paradox of Pain,

And find the path that, piercing it,Leads through to Peace again.

Studdert Kennedy, My Peace

Behold, I am making all things new.

Revelation 21:5

1 The retreat took place at Fort Lewis, WA, later renamed Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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Contents

1 Problem of Evil Described 1

1.1 Failed Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.1.1 Gnostic dualism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.1.2 Pelagianism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

1.1.3 Other Philosophical Failed Approaches . . . . . . . . . . 4

1.2 Human Epistemological Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2 The Problem Of Evil In Human Experience 5

2.1 Woodbine Willie Introduced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.1.1 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.1.2 Convictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62.1.3 Poetic Expression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2.2 Biblical Examples Of The Problem Of Evil . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

2.2.1 Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2.2.2 The Psalms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

2.2.3 Paul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

2.2.4 Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

2.3 Biblical Responses To the Problem Of Evil . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

2.3.1 Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

2.3.2 The Psalms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

2.3.3 Paul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

2.3.4 Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

3 Summarizing 20

3.1 Pulling It All Together. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

3.2 Woodbine Willies final word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

4 Appendix: James Boices Final Farewell 23

4.1 Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

4.2 Transcript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

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1 What Is The Problem of Evil?

The Problem of Evil is a perennial philosophical question, which Epicurus

is generally credited with stating first.

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not

omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is

he both able and willing? Then whence comes evil? Is he neither

able nor willing? Then why call him God?2

Suggested solutions within the Christian sphere include the following.

1.1 Failed Attempts At Solving The Problem Of Evil1.1.1 Gnostic dualism

Gnosticism is an ancient philosophy, predating Jesus ministry, and ap-

pearing in many forms.3 Two distinctive aspects of Gnosticism that seem to

be common in all its contexts are:

1. the disconnection and incompatibility of the material and immaterial

realms, and,

2. the need for a special form of knowledge (gnosis4 that reveals the

immaterial realm and lifts animals (the unenlightened inhabiting thematerial realm) to true humanity (those in the know/gnosis.)

In Gnosticism, god exists but is utterly alienated from the human world.

He transcends the universe, which he neither created, nor governs. God may

be likened to the cue stick in a game of billiards; he is the primary mover or

2 The Epicurian Paradox, Hospers, John. An Introduction to Philosophical Analysis.

3rd Ed. Routledge, 1990, p. 310. Quoted from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil, last

accessed 2013-12-12. This Wikipedia article is a good place to start in order to acquire a

basic grasp of ideas and terms.3 And still appears. Consider Christian Scientism, or Amish culture, or even the avoid-

ance of symbols in many mainstream Christian traditions. The bullet points in the Mainfeatures section of the Wikipedia article on Gnosticism (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosti-

cism#The_main_features) are quite helpful.4gnosisis extra-Biblically used to refer to esoteric knowledge, knowledge of deeper things

(much as in 1 Corinthians 12:8), apprehension of ancient arts or special information, and

judicial judgment. See Thayers Greek Lexicon, entry 1160.

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first cause, but he is not the ball which the stick strikes, nor is he involved in

the subsequent motion of the balls on the table.Rather than being created by god (the first cause), the world was created

by a demiurge or series of demiurges (meaning craftsman or producer). In

some systems, the demiurge is malevolent or beneficent; in all systems, the

demiurge is distant from the prime mover.

Dualism suggests that there is the ideal world that exists only in the

uninvolved godideal referring to the perfect untainted standard from

which real objects/ideas take their imperfect form.

For example, there is an idea(l) of the perfect circle existing in an immate-

rial world, of which all existing circles are material and therefore imperfectcopies. This concept applies for both tangible realities (such as circles and

water) and immaterial realities (such as the concepts of good, evil, and of the

ideal itself).

The immaterial ideal is perfect and good. The material copy is imperfect

and bad. In this way, evil is removed from the prime movers responsibility,

since it is through the creative act of the demiurge(s) that imperfection comes.

Gnostic dualism was one of the two main challenges to early Christianity

and was the subject of some of Johns and Pauls writings.5 For example,

the opening to Johns first epistle manifests his open disagreement with

and defense against Gnostic dualism. In 1 John 1:13, John refers both to

the materiality of Jesus (what we have seen, heard, touched) and connects

His physical existence with His spiritual and divine (what was from the

beginning, the Word of Life, 6 and having fellowship with the Father and

the Son). These connections would be considered a completely incompatible

relationship in Gnostic dualism.

Combining Gnostic dualism with Christian terminology would sound

something like this.

Encased in ones body (the material) is thepneuma(the spirit or soul),

a spark of the divine perfection.

5 The second main challenge was the effort of Jewish converts to rewrite Jesus teaching

into something fully conforming to the cultural Judaism of the day. See, for example,

Galatians 6:10, Titus 1:12.6wordbeing a favorite Gnostic word

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This spark, being encased in materiality, is unconscious, numb, poi-

soned by the world, and ignorant.

That which transforms a person is not deeds, but a special revelation

and knowledge (gnosis) of god.

Such knowledge awakens the pneuma to the true nature of things, thus

equating gnosis with salvation.

This supposedly relieves the problem of evil by removing the immaterial

and ideal/perfect Prime Mover from the imperfect results of material reality.

However, the end result is that god either is so distant from the process of

creation that his existence is irrelevant, or he cannot be removed entirely

from the chain of events leading to reality, so that he still cannot be absolved

of involvement in the existence of evil.

1.1.2 Pelagianism

Pelagians assert:

a moral neutrality at birth, denying the corruption of human nature in

the fall, and,

moral freedom in life, asserting the human capacity for perfectionvia

the exercise of ones will.

An infant is born as a moral blank slate upon which ones own will may

write good or bad.

This approach attempted to shift the problem of evil from Gods shoulders

to that of humanity.

But the denial of the corruption of human nature in the fall by the first

Adam is a critical theological error. In fact, it nullifies Christs atonement,

since he is called the second Adam who completes or corrects the work of the

first (see, for example, 1 Corinthians 15:22). If the first Adams sin had no

application or value for his offspring, then the second Adams righteousnesswould have not application or value for His offspring.

Pelagianisms attempt to distance God from the problem of evil does

nothing to remove god completely from the chain of events that leads to evil

andas with Gnosticism creates far more problems than it solves.

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1.1.3 Other Philosophical Failed Approaches

Gnosticism and Pelagianism are the two most common and persistent non-

Biblical ways Christians have tried to solve the problem of evil. There are

other possible approaches beside those two. All of them seem to end up

concluding (purposely or inadvertently) that one or more of the following are

true.

God does not exist,

God is not omnipotent,

God is not benevolent,

God is imperfect, or,

God does not create.

1.2 A Suggested Biblical Approach: Human Epistemo-

logical Limitations

In my judgment, the most sound Biblical approach is the argument from

human epistemological7 limitation. The argument goes something like this:

God does exist. He is omnipotent, benevolent, perfect, and the creator,

who not only is not himself evil, but is also the one without whom there

is no solution for the problem of evil.

Humans are neither able to fully see Gods hand in their affairs, nor

to fully understand what they do see. They are limited in their scope

and ability to understand; and thus understand things as a child un-

derstands the things of an adult.8

7 Epistemology is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and scope of

knowledge and is also referred to as theory of knowledge. It questions what knowledgeis and how it can be acquired, and the extent to which knowledge pertinent to any given

subject or entity can be acquired. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemology.8 An analogy I have used is that of a child, who receiving a nice bouncy ball for Christmas,

cannot fathom why his parents will not allow him to play with it on the street, a seemingly

ideal surface.

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2 The Problem Of Evil In Human Experience

The previous section gives an abstract definition of the problem of evil, to-

gether with a description of several ways in which solutions within the

Christian realm have been attempted. I have also described what I think is

the soundest theological/philosophical/Biblical approach.

But how can one grapple with such an apparently abstract idea, while in

the midst of deep pain and hardship? The fact is that grappling with this

problem has been done on a very practical level. This next section uses the life

of Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy and applicable portions of Scripture to

investigate the problem of evil from the perspective of real human experience.

2.1 Woodbine Willie Introduced

2.1.1 Experiences

Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy (18831929) served as a British chaplain

during WW I. Kennedy was considered to have been a brave chaplain and

was popular with the troops. In order to understand his experiences as a

chaplain, note the following statistics.9

He was decorated for his actions at the battle of Messines Ridge. This

battle was the opening gambit in the Battle of Passchendle, also

known as the Third Battle of Ypres, in which 3/4s of a million men were

killed in a 3 month period.

In order to understand the magnitude of that series of battles, consider

the following.

Charges across no-mans land were often over 200 meters and as

far as 1000 meters (almost 1100 yards) and through as many as

10 curtains of wire with barbs as thick as a mans thumb.

By October of 1914, there was essentially a constant string of

trenches 466 miles long.

The number of soldiers at that time were such that there wasabout 1 soldier for every 4 inches of trench.

9 Unless otherwise noted, the following statistics come from The Last Lion: Winston

Spencer Churchill, Visions of Glory: 1874-1932. William Manchester. 1983. This writers edi-

tion was printed in Japan and the frontispiece has the publication information in Japanese.

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In one battle, an advance of about 700 yards cost 26,000 men in

one day. Poison gas, rats and lice, urine, feces, decaying flesh all occupied

the trenches together with the soldiers.

On an average day for both sides; 2,533 dead, 9,121 wounded,

1,164 missing = 12,818 every single day.

A machine gunners life expectancy was 30 minutes.

Death became so casual that there were cases where several belts

of ammo would be fired at the enemy lines from water-cooled

machine guns in order to have hot water for soup.

WW I claimed a total of roughly 15,594,179 dead, 22,379,053

wounded.

2.1.2 Convictions

We know that Studdert Kennedy was committed to social action in his min-

istry after the war. Hints of his concern about the welfare of others are

reflected in this anecdote as told by Private Arthur Savage, who met the Rev.

Studdert Kennedy while both were stationed on the Western Front.10

A man I recall with great affection was Woodbine Willie. His

proper name was Reverend Studdert Kennedy, an army chaplain

he was and hed come down into the trenches and say prayers

with the men, have a cuppa out of a dirty tin mug and tell a joke

as good as any of us. He was a chain smoker and always carried a

packet of Woodbine cigarettes that he would give out in handfuls

to us lads. Thats how he got his nickname. At Messines Ridge

he ran out into no mans land under murderous machine-gun fire

to tend the wounded and dying. Every man was carrying a gun

except him. He carried a wooden cross. He gave comfort to dying

Germans as well. He was awarded the Military Cross and he

deserved it.

10 This and other interesting information can be gleaned from these sites:

www.methoblog.com/3_0/2013/08/the-unutterable-beauty-of-woodbine-willie, www.spartacus.

schoolnet.co.uk/FWWstuddert.htm, kingofpeace.blogspot.com/2006/02/woodbine-willie.html,

and www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/woodbine-willies-gift-from-his-faith.

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2.1.3 Poetic Expression

Did Studdert Kennedy understand the problem of evil? Surely, there is littlequestion that his career as a chaplain and his later career as a pastor both

demonstrated that he was fully aware of the deficiencies of human nature

and the results of those deficiencies.

His poetry openly addressed the horrors of war and asked the eternal

questions. For example, the following poem succinctly condemns war.11

Waste

WAS TE of Muscle, waste of Brain,

Waste of Patience, waste of Pain,

Waste of Manhood, waste of Health,Waste of Beauty, waste of Wealth,

Waste of Blood, and waste of Tears,

Waste of Youths most precious years,

Waste of ways the Saints have trod,

Waste of Glory, waste of God,

War!

He dealt with the psychological costs of fear and despair for those at war

and at home.

Paradise

WHE Nmachine-guns start to play

At the ending of the day,

And the suns last burning ray

Bleeds and dies.

When the sable warp of night

Is first cleft by silver light,

With its sudden curving flight

Of surprise.

It is then that England callsFrom its cottages and halls,

11 This and all poems in this paper come from Studdert Kennedys The Unutterable Beauty,

The Collected Poetry of G. A. Studdert Kennedy, Hodder and Stoughton, Limited, London,

1927.

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And we think of four dear walls

And her eyes.When the childrens prayer is said,

And they lie tucked up in bed,

And the fire is burning red,

Paradise.

Studdert Kennedy linked human experience to Gods activities, finding

analogies between them, as in this poem about the Lords Supper, A Mother

Understands.

A Mother UnderstandsDEA RLord, I hold my hand to take

Thy Body, broken here for me,

Accept the Sacrifice I make,

My body, broken, there, for Thee.

His was my body, born of me,

Born of my bitter travail pain,

And it lies broken on the field,

Swept by the wind and the rain.

Surely a Mother understands

Thy thorn-crowned head,

The mystery of Thy pierced hands

the Broken Bread.

The remainder of this paper is an attempt to look at the problem of evil from

a Biblical perspective, illuminated by and often exemplified in Woodbine

Willies poetry.

2.2 Biblical Examples Of The Problem Of Evil

Studdert Kennedy is neither the only person who dealt with the problem ofevil, nor was war the only occasion. There are several particularly direct

portions of Scripture that address the problem of evil, either through the

recording of human experiences, or meditations written after the event which

expressed the problem of evil.

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2.2.1 Job

In one day: 500 yoke of oxen, over 500 donkeys, 7,000 sheep, 3,000

camels, very many servants, seven sons and three daughters, and

moreprestige, wealth, power, security, healthgone. Its no surprise

that his wife advised him to curse God and die. (2:9)

In working through his despair, he first responds with humility: Naked

I came from my mothers womb, and naked I shall return there. The

LORDgave and the LOR Dhas taken away. Blessed be the name of the

LORD. Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God (Job

1:2122). Many of us are able to do the samefor a time.

Nevertheless, hardship always wears away at our reserves and ourveneer of personal control. By chapter 3, Job opens his mouth and

cursed the day of his birth. And Job said, Let the day perish on which I

was to be born . . . (Job 3:13).

Job does what many of us would do, he asks why. Of the 19 uses of the

word why in Job, Job uses it 16 times. See these examples 3:11, 1213,

2026; 7:2021; 9:2831; 10:13, 1820, 13:24; 19:2122; 21.7; 24.12.

His friends try to speculate about the problem of evil in a variety of

ways. For example,

Eliphaz the Temanite (4:15:27) argues from moral imperfection.Eliphaz argues that one gets what one deserves (4:7, 1719) and

that one ought to rejoice in the discipline of the Lord (5:17).

Bildad the Shuhite (8:122) argues that Job should be patient,

because if Job is truly righteous, then God will surely restore him

(8:57).

So the various arguments continue. It appears to me that all of

the arguments make sense to the extent that they may actually

apply. The error was not in the use of a particular argument, but

in insisting that a given argument particularly applied to Job.

Job counters each argument. For example:

Against Eliphazs first argument (6:17:21), he protests his in-

nocence and faithfulness (6:10, 6:2425) and accuses Eliphaz of

faithlessness (6:1415).

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Against Bildads first argument (9:110:22), he responds that if

perfection were required for God to restore him, then there is nohope (9:1415, 3035). He also argues with God himself, saying

that if Gods intent has been to destroy him, why then have You

brought me out of the womb (10:18)?

As with his friends, Jobs counter-arguments make sense to the

extent that theymay actually apply.

Was the solution to Jobs hardship that he received twice his livestock

in return and that an additional 7 sons and 3 daughters were given to

him (Job 42:1013)? That would be the same as saying, even though I

have lost a child, we can have another. Thats likely not satisfactory.

Also, even though both Jobs and his friends arguments make sense,

attempting to apply a particular principle to a particular situation is

presumption. Its an attempt to have Gods mind and know His will as

thoroughly as He does.

2.2.2 The Psalms

In distress & fear: 2:1, 3:12, 4:1, 5:13, 12:1.

Gods will is questioned: 6:13, 10:12, 13:14, 22:12, 31:913.

2.2.3 Paul

Paul was deeply aware of his inadequacy for explaining his hardships, his

dependency on God in the midst of them, and the temptation to despair while

going through them.

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the

willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good

that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want

(Romans 7:1819).

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

(Romans 7:2324)

Romans 8 & 9 both address the problem of evil: 8:28; 9:1819, 2024.

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For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle,

because I persecuted the church of God. (1 Corinthians 15:9)

For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which

came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our

strength, so that we despaired even of life. (2 Cor 1.89)

Sometimes the matter of pain and evil has to do with our own discipline:

Hebrews 12:413.

2.2.4 Jesus

See Luke 13:15. Now on the same occasion there were some present

who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixedwith their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, Do you suppose that these

Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they

suffered this fate? And again, do you suppose that those eighteen

on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits

than all the men who live in Jerusalem?

Consider Jesus sense of abandonment by the Father: My God, my God,

why have you forsaken me? (Mat 27:46, from Psalm 22:1)

2.3 Biblical Responses To the Problem Of EvilWhere is God when we need him?" This is perhaps the most human, personal,

and all-inclusive form of all the possible questions one could ask about the

problem of evil.

Studdert Kennedy tried to find logic in the apparent randomness of evil,

searching for the answer to questions like Why did I survive and my friend

did not?just as we often make the same attempts.

Thy Will Be DoneA Sermon In A Hospital

I WEREpuzzled about this prayin stunt,

And all as the parsons say,For they kep on sayin, and sayin,

And yet it werent plain no way.

For they told us never to worry,

But simply to trust in the Lord,

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Ask and ye shall receive, they said,

And it sounds orlright, but, Gawd!Its a mighty puzzling business,

For it dont allus work that way,

Ye may ask like mad, and ye dont receive.

As I found out tother day.

I were sittin me down on my unkers,12

And avin a pull at my pipe,

And larfin like fun at a blind old Un,

What were avin a try to snipe.

For e couldnt shoot for monkey nuts,13

The blinkin blear-eyed ass,

So I sits, and I spits, and I ums a tune;And I never thought o the gas.

Then all of a suddint I jumps to my feet,

For I eard the strombos14 sound,

And I pops up my ead a bit over the bags

To ave a good look all round.

And there I seed it, comin across,

Like a girt big yaller cloud,15

Then I olds my breath, i the fear o death,

Till I bust, then I prayed aloud.

I prayed to the Lord Almighty above,For to shift that blinkin wind,

But it kep on blowin the same old way,

And the chap next me, e grinned.

Its no use prayin, e said, lets run,

And we fairly took to our eels,

But the gas ran faster nor we could run,

And, Gawd, you know ow it feels

Like a thousand rats and a million chats,16

All tearin away at your chest,

12

unkers: hunkers, haunches, implying that he was squatting or sitting in a trench.13monkey nuts: slang for peanuts.14strombos: a kind of air horn, originally for nautical use.15yaller cloud: a yellow cloud likely indicated mustard gas.16chats: small songbird of the thrush family with a harsh call. Perhaps also a reference to

the French Chauchat machine gun?

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And your legs wont run, and youre fairly done,

And youve got to give up and rest.Then the darkness comes, and ye knows no more

Till ye wakes in an orspital bed.

And some never knows nothin more at all,

Like my pal Billes dead.

Now, ow was it E didnt shift that wind,

When I axed in the name o the Lord?

With the orror of death in every breath,

Still I prayed every breath I drawed.

That beat me clean, and I thought and I thought

Till I came near bustin my ead.

It werent for me I were grieved, ye see,It were my pal Billes dead.

For me, Im a single man, but Bill

As kiddies at ome and a wife.

And why ever the Lord didnt shift that wind

I just couldnt see for my life.

But Ive just bin readin a story ere,

Of the night afore Jesus died,

And of ow E prayed in Gethsemane,

Ow E fell on Is face and cried.

Cried to the Lord Almighty above

Till E broke in a bloody sweat,

And E were the Son of the Lord, E were,

And E prayed to Im ard; and yet,

And yet E ad to go through wiv it, boys,

Just same as poor Bill what died.

E prayed to the Lord, and E sweated blood,

And yet E were crucified.

But Is prayer were answered, I sees it now,

For though E were sorely tried,

Still E went wiv Is trust in the Lord unbroke,And Is soul it were satisfied.

For E felt E were doin Gods Will, ye see,

What E came on the earth to do,

And the answer what came to the prayers E prayed

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Were Is power to see it through;

To see it through to the bitter end,And to die like a Gawd at the last,

In a glory of light that were dawning bright

Wi the sorrow of death all past.

And the Christ who was ung on the Cross is Gawd,

True Gawd for me and you,

For the only Gawd that a true man trusts

Is the Gawd what sees it through.

And Bill, e were doin is duty, boys,

What e came on the earth to do,

And the answer what came to the prayers I prayed

Were is power to see it through;To see it through to the very end,

And to die as my old pal died,

Wi a thought for is pal and a prayer for is gal,

And is brave eart satisfied.

This is as good an attempt at finding logic in the midst of evil as we will

likely hear among unbelieversvery winsomely put, too, in my opinion!

But is it trulya satisfactory answer for Woodbine Willie, or for anyone,

that when his old pal died it was with a thought for his pal and a prayer

for his gal? And with such an explanation, is it possible that we detect hints

of universalism?

2.3.1 Job

As recorded in section2.2.1on page9, Job and his friends were searching for

a reason for Jobs suffering, seeking a logic behind the evil in Jobs life. So

they spun out theories about why Job was suffering. And Jobs friends were

partially correct! In each case, it appears that they gave reasons that could

apply to Job.

Its true that the wicked will reap what they sow.

Its true that the good Father vindicates His servants, invariably in

eternity and often in time.

But attempting to apply a particular principle of Scripture to a particular

situation such as Jobs can be the height of presumption. . . . the LOR Dsaid

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to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against you and against your

two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servantJob has (42:7).

Instead, we have two kinds of answers in Job.

1. God is trustworthy: Though He slay me, I will hope in Him (Job 13:14

16). Whatever may happen (we are encouraged to say), God is worthy

of our hope. Perhaps this is an echo of the same hope that Joseph had.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in

order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive

(Gen 50:20).

2. God remains God and we remainnot God. This principle is especiallydemonstrated in 2 cycles of challenge, response, and confession in the

latter chapters of Job, challenges which God puts to Job and responses

which the Lord also gives, together with Jobs confession of inadequacy.

(a) First cycle of challenge (38:13), response (38:440:1), and confes-

sion (40:35).

(b) Second cycle of challenge (40:7), response (40:841:34), and confes-

sion (42:16).

2.3.2 The Psalms

Referring back to the Psalms mentioned in section2.2.2on page10,a further

examination yields these answers.

Psalm 2:1s question (Why are the nations in an uproar?) gets the

answer of verses 2:4 (He who sits in the heavens laughs . . . ) and

1012 (kings, show discernment; take warning, O judges . . . worship

the LORDwith reverence . . . ).

3:12 (Many are saying of my soul, There is no deliverance for him in

God. ) gets the answer of 3:36 (But You, O LOR D, are a shield aboutme .. . ).

I refer the reader to likewise compare 4:1 and 68, 5:13 and 47, 12:1

and 68, as well as chapters 6, 10, 13, 22, and 31.

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2.3.3 Paul

Referring back to section 2.2.3 on page 2.2.3, Paul offers answers to the

questions that he himself put before God and his readers.

His cry wretched man that I am (Romans 7:24) is answered in the

next verse, Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Romans 8 & 9 both address the problem of evil: 8:28; 9:1819, 2024.

His apparent hopelessnessFor I am the least of the apostles . . . is

answered with By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace

toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them,

yet not I, but the grace of God with me (1 Corinthians 15:10).

His sense of abandonmentindeed, we had the sentence of death

within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves . . . is an-

swered with we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the

dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver

us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us . . .

(2 Cor 1:810).

Paul also encompasses aspects of Jobs friends answers, i.e., that what

appears to be random pain and evil are our discipline: Hebrews 12:413.

To live is Christ, to die is gain, Philippians 1:21.

Count all things loss, Philippians 3:8.

1Co 15:55 on the resurrection: death where is your sting? Paul goes

beyond theoretical answers and boldly thumbs his nose at death!

Romans 8:1539 is probably the shortest of all thorough treatments.

1. The first section, verses 1525, lays out the theological groundwork

of the fall and redemption.17

17 I have inserted paragraph breaks below, in order to highlight the use of for (Greek:

gar). Each for clause explains the clause preceding it. Gar (1) expresses cause or reason,

for, because (John 2:25); (2) gives grounds for a conclusion, exhortation, or warning, for

(Hebrews 2:2); (3) gives an explanation, for, you see (Mark 5:42). . . (Friberg, #5193).

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(a) The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are chil-

dren of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellowheirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we

may also be glorified with Him.

(b) For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not

worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to

us.

(c) For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the

revealing of the sons of God.

(d) For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but

because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation

itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption intothe freedom of the glory of the children of God.

(e) For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the

pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but

also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even

we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our

adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

(f) For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not

hope;

(g) for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for

what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it(Rom 8.1525).

2. Romans 8:2839 carries this argument forward, declaring:

(a) that for those who love God . . . those who are called according

to His purpose (condition),

(b) He causes all things to work together for good (effect).

3. These are bold assertions, but comforting, for those who have

relinquished their supposed personal sovereign independence and

embraced their unavoidable dependence on their sovereign creator.

2.3.4 Jesus

Again, referring back to section2.2.4on page11, Jesus answers sound almost

cruel as he points toward eternity. Twice he says, unless you repent, you will

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all likewise perish (Luke 13:5). This text, in turn, points to the answer that

eclipses time and supplants the fall.

. . . they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among

them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and

there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any

mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away

(Revelation 21:34).

Studdert Kennedy understands these principles. For example, he sum-

mons his readers to understand the sufferings of Christ through our suffer-

ings, to find a divine application for our suffering. In Its The Pluck, Studdert

Kennedy wonders at the counter-intuitive actions of Jesus on the cross.

Its The Pluck18

Jesus kept on saying: Father, forgive them, they know not what they

do.

I DO NTunerstand religion, but I unerstands a Man,

And Im pretty well aware what men can do,

Ive tramped the whole world over,

Through Frisco back to Dover,

And I knows my uman nature through and through.

Yes, Ive done a bit uv scrappin, and Ive seen men cuss anddie,

And I wouldnt like to write what I ave seen,

For a shell goes anywheres,

And it dont mind what it tears,

Leaving lumps of bloody flesh where men ave been.

But this tale fair takes the cake; its a corker,19 no mistake.

I can unerstand them oles in ands and feet,

Its a nasty, tender spot

Where ye gets it good and ot,

For the nerves goes winding round the place, and meet

Where the nails went in, and, Crikey! but it urts, you bet it

does!

18pluck: spirited and determined courage.19corker: an excellent or astonishing person or thing.

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And it must ave urt Im ard as any ell;

For to give ye proper jip,20

Ell on earth, and no damn lip,

Why, Id back them rusty nails agin a shell.

I can unerstand Is stickin it, and grittin on Is teeth

For to keep Isself from cussin wiv Is lips,

Cos the best of blokes is still

When theyve got about their fill,

And the white man doesnt splutter when e grips.21

But to pray for them as did it! Thats the bit as as me beat,

Its away beyond the reach uv mortal men.22

To stick it is the limit,No matter ow ye trim it,

This ere prayin is a piece beyond our ken.

Mind ye, Im not sure I likes it; Im for giving what ye gets

Im for strikin back as ard as youve been struck.

But I just couldnt do it,

Id bust, and blind, and blue it;

Taint the prayin as Im gone onits the pluck.

It seems to me that this is closer to a useful and Biblical understanding of

evil and suffering. Demonstrating the supernatural work of Gods Son on the

cross, even for those who are crucifying him, begins to illustrate the grace of

God expressed by Paul:

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died

for the ungodly . . . God demonstrates His own love toward us, in

that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:6, 8).

Studdert Kennedy goes even deeper when he writes about the blessing of

pain.

My Peace I Give Unto You

BLESSED are the eyes that see20proper jip: proper attention, proper respect. E.g., on a British message site: Her

wisdom tooth is giving her proper jip . . . is there a decent dentist in town?21grips: perhaps a slang form of gripe.22emphasis mine.

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The things that you have seen,

Blessed are the feet that walkThe ways where you have been.

Blessed are the eyes that see

The Agony of God,

Blessed are the feet that tread

The paths His feet have trod.

Blessed are the souls that solve

The paradox of Pain,

And find the path that, piercing it,

Leads through to Peace again.

3 Summarizing

3.1 Pulling It All Together

The implication of all these texts of Scripture, as well as Studdert Kennedys

poetry, leads one to the answer which I described in section 1.2 on page4,

namely, epistemological inadequacy.

Multi-syllabic words aside, we simply are not competent to discern the

mind of God in a particular event, whether it appears for our good or for our

ill. All we can know with certainty is that

The secret things belong to the L ORD our God, but the things

revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe

all the words of this law (Deuteronomy 29.29)

Any attempt to remove God from the problems of evil, hardship, pain, and

death is to deny what He Himself has said.

There is no one besides Me. I am the L ORD, and there is no other,

the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being

and creating calamity; I am the LOR Dwho does all these (Isaiah

45.67).

And, as has been suggested several times, trying to remove God from

the problem of evil never works anyway if anything, it only helps to

bolster Epicuruss objections. The only solution to the problem of evil from

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a Christian perspective is to grasp the nettle and invite God back into the

problem of evil and let Him speak for Himself.

Hecauses all things to work together for good to those who love

God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans

8.28).

In the final analysis, our most substantial hope and comfort is

. . . that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be

compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Romans

8.18).

3.2 Woodbine Willies final word

This final poem from Woodbine Willie carries as glorious an expectation of

eternity as the words of Him who was seated on the throne, saying Behold,

I am making all things new (Revelation 21:5). Here in Woodbine Willies

verse, one sees reflected that transcendent answer of the Scriptures.

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The Challenge

CAN ST Thou drink the cup I drank of?Canst thou bear to be baptized

With the baptism of bitterness and Truth?

Canst thou see thy dreams all dying,

And thy hopes around thee lying

In a ruin, and retain the eyes of youth?

Canst thou hear the Sirens calling

And stand firm, with strong men falling?

Canst defy the sons of Belial running wild?

Canst thou see Loves honour slighted,

And its fairest blossom blighted,And live on, still looking forward like a child?

Then arise, my knight defender,

Be thou terrible and tender,

In the strength that down the ages has sufficed,

And, in scorn of all their scorning,

Seek the splendour of the morning,

When the darkness shall be shattered by the Christ.

Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdomof God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell youa mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment,in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound,and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. Forthis perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put onimmortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable,and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about thesaying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where

is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin,and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us thevictory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, besteadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowingthat your toil is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:50--58).

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4 Appendix: James Boices Final Farewell

4.1 Background

Eight weeks after learning he had a fatal form of liver cancer, the Reverend

Dr. James Montgomery Boice, 61, Senior Minister of Tenth Presbyterian

Church in Philadelphia, died in his sleep on Thursday, June 15, 2000. A

world-famous Bible teacher and statesman for Reformation theology, Boice

had received his doctors diagnosis on Good Friday, two hours before stepping

into the pulpit to deliver a sermon on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. On May

7 he informed his congregation of his condition, asking them at one point, If

God does something in your life, would you change it? If youd change it, youd

make it worse. It wouldnt be as good.Dr. Boice was pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church since 1968; during his

32 years it became a model for ministry in Americas cities and the regular

attendance grew from 350 to 1,200. Since 1969 he was the teacher on The

Bible Study Hour radio broadcast over 238 stations, and was President of the

programs parent organization, the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals.

Dr. Boice served as Chairman of the International Council on Biblical

Inerrancy from its founding in 1977 until the completion of its work in 1988.

At the time of his death he served on the Board of Directors of Bible Study

Fellowship International, the Huguenot Fellowship, and was Chairman of the

Board of City Center Academy, a college preparatory high school for inner-city

youth founded seventeen years ago by Dr. Boice and his wife.

A prolific author, Dr. Boice wrote or contributed to over sixty books on the

Bible and theology. Dr. Boice held degrees from Harvard University (A.B.),

Princeton Theological Seminary (B.D.), the University of Basel, Switzerland

(D.Theol.), and the Theological Seminary of the Reformed Episcopal Church

(D.D., honoris causa).

Dr. Boice was born on July 7, 1938, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is

survived by his wife of 38 years, Linda Ann Boice (nee McNamara); three

daughters, Elizabeth Boice Dawson, Heather Louise Boice, and Jennifer Boice

Rainer; his mother, Mrs. Jean S. Boice; three sisters, Judith Boice Casanova,

Nancy Boice Zimmerman, and Elizabeth Boice McKinley; and three grand-children.

A memorial service will be held at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadel-

phia at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, June 23, the Reverend Eric Alexander of St. An-

drews, Scotland, preaching. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent

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to the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, 1716 Spruce Street, Philadel-

phia, Pennsylvania, 19103, or to City Center Academy, 1701 Delancey Street,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103.

Dr. Boice addressed Tenth Presbyterian Church during the Sunday morn-

ing worship service May 7, reminding everyone to rest in the sovereignty and

goodness of God (full transcript below).

4.2 Transcript

23I do want to bring the call to worship this morning. But before I do that, I

thought you might be interested and it might be helpful to all of us if I

took a moment to fill you in on some of these medical problems. There are

several reasons for that. You need to know it, and I covet your prayers. But

also all kinds of rumors have been circulating around and, in fact, around

the world. Were getting e-mail from practically everywhere, and some of the

reports are quite bizarre.

Let me just give you a summation of what has happened. I had been

feeling quite good until recently. But about the time of the PCRTs,24 I was

not feeling well. And when I came back from Chicago, I went to the doctor

and had a number of tests. And the bottom line of that is that they diagnosed

liver cancer.

Then it takes a little while to figure out exactly what kind of treatment

you need. I have consulted a number of eminent physicians, C. Everett Koop,of course, who has been a family friend for at least 30 years, another man

at Mayo Clinic, who providentially had come through here to meet me just

a few weeks before. Hes the man that screens everything out there and

gets patients into the hands of the specialists. So I feel that I have very

good guidance, and the bottom line of the treatment is that Im at Fox Chase

Cancer Center. Im in the care of a man named Dr. Paul Engstrom. And

what I am receiving at the moment, beginning last Thursday, is standard

chemotherapy for cancer. Its hard to tell where that comes out. Liver cancer

is a very serious thing. They do get response from treatment in a percentage

of cases, but its relatively small. And as far as I can tell, were doing the best

thing we can.

A number of you have asked what you can do, and it strikes me that what

23 http://old.tenth.org/index.php?id=364. Last accessed 2014-02-08.24 Philadelphia Conferences on Reformed Theology.

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you can do, you are doing. This is a good congregation, and you do the right

things. You are praying certainly, and Ive been assured of that by manypeople. And I know of many meetings that have been going on.

A relevant question, I guess, when you pray is, pray for what? Should

you pray for a miracle? Well, youre free to do that, of course. My general

impression is that the God who is able to do miracles and he certainly

can is also able to keep you from getting the problem in the first place. So

although miracles do happen, theyre rare by definition. A miracle has to be

an unusual thing.

I think its far more profitable to pray for wisdom for the doctors. Doctors

have a great deal of experience, of course, in their expertise, but theyre not

omniscient they do make mistakes and then also for the effectiveness of

the treatment. Sometimes it does very well and sometimes not so well, andthats certainly a legitimate thing to pray for.

Above all, I would say pray for the glory of God. If you think of God

glorifying himself in history and you say, where in all of history has God

most glorified himself? He did it at the cross of Jesus Christ, and it wasnt by

delivering Jesus from the cross, though he could have. Jesus said, Dont you

think I could call down from my Father ten legions of angels for my defense?

But he didnt do that. And yet thats where God is most glorified.

One other thing many of you have done has been sending cards, and I

want to say how much I appreciate that. My wife and I have been reading

them all. There are far more than I would ever have believed could come.

One person in the church said that he has taken out a special prayer concern

for the postman that delivers the cards that he wont develop a hernia, and I

think thats thoughtful. Many prayers should be made along that line.

I think, although I want to assure you that Im reading the cards, I dont

envision ever being able to answer them all. And then some of you who are in

a position to do so have said, We would like to be of help in any way we can.

And many have been already. Again, were overwhelmed with offers. Well

never be able to take advantage of them all, but we appreciate all of those

offers.

If I were to reflect on what goes on theologically here, there are two things

I would stress. One is the sovereignty of God. Thats not novel. We havetalked about the sovereignty of God here forever. God is in charge. When

things like this come into our lives, they are not accidental. Its not as if God

somehow forgot what was going on, and something bad slipped by. Its not

the answer that Harold Kushner gave in his book,Why Bad Things Happen

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to Good People. God does everything according to his will. Weve always said

that.But what Ive been impressed with mostly is something in addition to that.

Its possible, isnt it, to conceive of God as sovereign and yet indifferent? Gods

in charge, but he doesnt care? But its not that. God is not only the one who

is in charge; God is also good. Everything he does is good. And what Romans

12, verses 1 and 2, says is that we have the opportunity by the renewal of our

minds that is, how we think about these things actually to prove what

Gods will is.

And then it says, His good, pleasing, and perfect will. Is that good,

pleasing, and perfect to God? Yes, of course, but the point of it is that its

good, pleasing, and perfect to us. If God does something in your life, would

you change it? If youd change it, youd make it worse. It wouldnt be as good.So thats the way we want to accept it and move forward, and who knows

what God will do?

I do want to say one thing about my symptoms. My chief symptom is

fatigue. Im very, very tired. And what Im trying to do is retain as much

strength as I can. And the reason I mention that right now is that Im going

to slip away during the middle hymn and go home. So if I do that, dont think,

Hes passing out. Its something that has been planned beforehand.

Now our call to worship: Im going to read from 1 Chronicles chapter 16:

Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after

day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds

among the peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of

praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the

nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and

majesty are before him; strength and joy is his dwelling place.

Ascribe to the Lord, O family of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory

and strength, ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name. Bring

an offering and come before him and worship the Lord in the

splendor of his holiness. Tremble before him, all the earth!25

25 Selections from 1 Chronicles 16:836.

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"Cans't Thou Drink?'' - The Problem Of Evil

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