The more I read Tom Oord’s work, the more I appreciate his perspective, specifically as it relates to his understanding of God, love and evil.

Death and evil are siblings who share more than the same heritage.  Often, we cannot talk about the one without considering the other; we can’t be touched by one without also being touched by the other.  Even if evil spares us of physical death, it takes of our life, lessening life’s quality.  Death, somehow or another, is evil’s product; and, yet, seems to be able to reproduce it’s progenitor, begging the question, “What comes first … evil or death?”

When you bring God into the conversation of evil and death, the whole thing get’s even more messy.

Here’s a small clip by Oord called, “Why Doesn’t God Prevent Genuine Evil in the World?”.

(from The Work Of The People)

Aside from Tom wearing some of the coolest nuclear holocaust proof glasses I’ve ever seen, he also drops some powerful thoughts.

For instance, he says,

I think it’s time for Christians to take seriously the idea that God’s love makes it the case that God can’t do some things.

And …

… we need to think more seriously about what kind of power God has.

Finally, what do you think about Oord’s conclusion that because of our freedom God can’t prevent evil?

*****

A House Keeping Note: About two months ago I promised a six part series on the problem of evil that only had enough gas to make it to part five (1. “Discarding God”; 2. “My Problem with ‘God'”; 3. “Is It All God’s Will?”; 4.“Open Theism and the Problem of Evil” and 5. “So You Think You Have Free Will?”.

I have the gas for part six.  Look for it on Monday.

Enter Your Mail Address