Faith Well Grounded

I’m thinking lately on the problem of pain-- that of evil, that of misery, that of the overarching “wrongness” of the human condition. I’m tending to agree with C.S. Lewis that the problem of pain is a problem strictly for the Christian (in the philosophical sense, anyway).

“Pain” is not a problem for the naturalist/atheist, since it could not be expected that a random, self-created, amoral Universe would be mindful of its product. It shouldn’t be expected to care for its creation, or provide comfort as such. It can’t be expected to be mindful of us at all.

“Pain” is not a problem for the Deist, who allows the possibility of a Creator in one form or another, but only enough to fill the bill as a “Cause”, and not so much a “God” with continuing interaction. To the Deist, “It” either created us specifically but with no care for our fate, or “It” created generally, and we are an accidental result unfolding within that creation. To either extent, there is most likely no need for the prickly brier-patch associated with a Moral Agent.

It isn’t a problem for the Eastern Mystic since pain, like everything else, is merely an illusion. It isn’t a problem for the Nihilist, since pain is just another effect in the long list of unalterable causes. Nor for the postmodernist, who is forced to admit that pain can be neither good nor bad in a relativistic reality. It simply “is”.

Ah, but for Christians, who espouse a caring and loving God, pain is the thorn on the rose, and “evil” is the brier-patch itself that supposedly chokes out any possibility of truth in the Christian claims. The existence of evil, pain, and the “wrongness” of our condition must be answered, and answered in full.

But can it?

I mean, really. Can we expect an answer to such a huge question? I’ll try in coming installments to answer to the greatest of my abilities—abilities admittedly inferior to those of the greater men who have tried. I’ll admit an expectation of failure, since the question itself requires an understanding of the infinite to answer. With such an admission, I’ll set aside as many coming posts as will be filled by the subject.

For now, let me offer some brief comments on the subject to stay true to the introduction via this particular post.

Pain, evil, etc, is absolutely the problem for Christianity alone to answer. Christianity is the “Truth”, and this is reflected in the fact that “truth” effects only Christianity. Pain, evil, suffering, etc are real. They exist. They must be explained. Thus Christianity, as the one and only truth, is the only world view that can explain them.

By merely admitting the existence of evil (which is admitted in the expectation of explanation), one is tipping their hat to the truth of Christianity’s foundations. For where else would the existence of evil be found than in a reality where a moral agent mandated “right” and “wrong”? How could a nature that defines only what “is” ever define what “ought to be”? Evil is when “is” doesn’t match “ought”.

We know inherently that evil is real. We know that “wrong” exists. We know that “is” doesn’t always align with “ought”. This is reality. I guess it is possible to deny it, but it is also impossible to live that denial consistently. To admit these existences is to admit the existence of the Transcendent. And once we reach that point, we move beyond naturalism, atheism, nihilism—even deism. We enter the domain of the Ultimate Transcendent. We enter the gates of the abode of the Personal Transcendent. We become aware of the Will. And in this Will that defined the “ought”, there must be an explanation for what “is”.

Let’s go there next. Where there is the Will, there is the Way. If you’ve ever demanded an explanation, you’ve admitted a belief in Him. Come along to meet Him, and let’s get to know Him a little better.

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