WHERE IS GOD IN ALL THE SUFFERING? PB

Suffering and evil affect us all, both at a general level, as we look at a world filled with injustice, natural disasters and poverty, and at a personal level, as we experience grief, pain and unfairness. And how we think about and process the reality of pain is at the heart of why many people reject God.

Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing is no stranger to pain and gives a heartfelt yet academically rigorous examination of how different belief systems deal with the problem of pain. She explains the unique answer that is found in Christ and how he can give us hope in the reality of suffering.

This empathetic, easy-to-read and powerful evangelistic book is good for both unbelievers and believers alike. It will help those hoping to answer one of life’s biggest questions as well as those who are either suffering personally or comforting others.

As reviewed by Dr. Stephen McQuoid in October 2020- 'Suffering has always been a challenge to the Christian faith and Ewing is the latest in a long line of apologists to try and deal with it. She covers some of the main causes of suffering such as sickness, mental illness, violence and natural disasters as well as looking at some of the natural reactions to suffering such as questioning, anger and grief. As she moves through these, she demonstrates that every worldview is challenged by the issue of suffering whether it is Atheism, Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism. However, she argues that Christianity presents the most compelling response to suffering and she backs this up with appropriate biblical passages that speak into the issues.

In one sense there is nothing in this book that has not been dealt with before. Moreover, there are more detailed and philosophically sophisticated treatments out there. I also felt that some chapters such as the one on natural disasters (ch.7) were argued is such a way as to beg questions as the case presented was not watertight. I was also slightly surprised to see Wikipedia used as a reference source. That said, this is a very good book with three particular strengths. Firstly, it is very engaging as all her books tend to be. Secondly there are good arguments which are well presented. Thirdly and best of all, Amy speaks from a personal point of view as someone who has not only dealt extensively with people who have suffered but she has experienced it personally in her family life and therefore suffering is not just an academic issue for her. Consequently, the book is very real and filled with compassion. Indeed, if you are counselling a Christian who is personally experiencing suffering and is asking questions as a result, this would be an excellent book to give them.'

Specification
ISBN: 9781784982768
Format: Paperback
Pages: 144
Publisher: The Good Book Company September 2020