the problem of evil

the ramblings of a queer pastor

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I’ve been thinking a bit about some of the conversations had after Sunday’s sermon. I thought perhaps I might clarify or expound a bit on my point. First, I am no expert on why bad things happen in this world. The problem of evil is not just a book by CS Lewis; it is also an age-old concern that has never been, and likely will never be, answered. Second, I really do think we’re asking the wrong question.

As an Anabaptist, I am a firm believer in humanity’s free will, and while I will not go so far as to state that humanity’s free will is the basis for so many bad things that happen, it

certainly does contribute to the issue.

I don’t believe that God controls everything. I also will not claim to understand who or what God is or how all of creation came into being. I am also not convinced that we have even the faintest understanding of how God works on a cosmic level. All we have is what God has revealed to us through creation, through the life and teachings of Jesus, and through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

We know God and how God expects humanity to be through age-old wisdom, through scripture, through the tradition of Jesus, and again through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. But here’s the thing: God gave humans the gift of autonomy; God allows humans to think for themselves. And lots of humans do think for themselves—and just for themselves.

God gave us instructions (in a way), but God does not force the issue. And there are lots and lots of people out there who have different ways of thinking about God’s instructions. Some of these differences are wonderful and are a part of the diversity of humanity. Some of these differences are stark and seemingly at odds with what  some of us think we understand about how humans are supposed to live with each other.

And so it’s complicated. I said on Sunday that God walks with us; among us. I truly believe this as well. Scripture and the nature of creation has been telling us this for millennia. In the person of Jesus we are able to see some of who God is, and the Holy Spirit lives in and around us in order to help us navigate what it means to be human on this earth.

And still there are those who miss the mark. Many humans are corrupted by greed or power and are unable to see past their own foreheads. Many even claim to have God on their side. But, you see, God is not on anyone’s side. God is on everyone’s side.

God is not controlling outcomes, rather, God is walking with us in the hope that one day humans will work together and figure this whole thing out. God will not make us do anything, but God will show us the way if we are open to the Spirit’s leading. And let’s not forget that the Spirit’s leading happens in community, not alone in our closets.

As we endure and struggle with the current situations in our country and in our state, God is with us. I don’t mean that God is on our side, helping us win the football game. No, I mean God is on humanity’s side, as a whole. God wants every human to understand that love is the most important and powerful tool available to us. And once every human understands this, God’s kingdom will have arrived.

In the meantime, it’s hard to see what God is doing amongst the hatred, violence, and power-mongering. We want God to just fix things, but if we remember, that’s what the disciples expected of Jesus as well.

It’s up to us to be the hands and feet of Jesus. It’s a cliché, but it’s a cliché worthy of repeating. Evil happens in this world. Maybe some of this is supernatural. Maybe some of it’s human-made. The question isn’t why it’s happening and what is God going to to about it. It is happening and God has already told us what to do about it.

Love. We love and we work and we do our best to make a difference as best we can. Will we see the effects of our efforts? Maybe, maybe not. But that doesn’t mean there’s not hope.

Our hope is in love, the love that is made known to us through God. Not everyone is loving. We love them as best we can. And maybe, just maybe, one day this thing will catch on, and the world will be as one. I channeled John Lennon right there; I hope that’s okay.