Can God Be Trusted

Description
In a world riddled with disappointment, malice, and tragedy, what rationale do we have for believing in a benevolent God? If God is all-powerful and all-loving, why is there so much evil in the world? John Stackhouse goes beyond Rabbi Kushner, M. Scott Peck, and others to take a more historically informed approach to this dilemma, examining what philosophers and theologians have said on the subject and offering reassuring answers for thoughtful readers.

John Stackhouse explores how great thinkers have grappled with the problem of evil–from the Buddha, Confucius, Augustine, and David Hume to Martin Luther, C. S. Lewis, Alvin Plantinga, and others–and grounds his analysis in everyday examples. Without brushing aside the serious contradictions posed by all-powerful God who allows incurable diseases, natural disasters, birth defects, and senseless crimes to bring misery into our lives, Stackhouse asks if a world completely without evil is what we truly want. Would a life without suffering be a meaningful life? Could free will exist if we were able to choose only good? Stackhouse examines, clearly and concisely, what the best minds have had to say on these questions and boldly affirms that the benefits of evil, in fact, outweigh the costs. Finally, he points to Christian revelation–which promises the transformation of suffering into joy–as the best guide to God’s dealings with the world.

A lucidly written and sweeping consideration of one of the central dilemmas of human existence, Can God Be Trusted? challenges us to take responsibility for our actions, to reexamine the “celestial blueprint” with less despair, and to say yes to a well-informed faith.