Tabletalk Magazine, June 2006: The Problem of Evil

by Ligonier Ministries

Publisher:

Ligonier Ministries

, 2006

Overview

The theme of the June 2006 issue of Tabletalk is the problem of evil. In the Christian worldview, evil will finally be conquered; it, like the sea in Revelation 21, will be no more. However, understanding why it is still here, and how God has dealt with it in the cross of Christ and how He will deal with it upon His return, will not only help us to stop the mouths of those who attack the goodness of God, it will help us see how we then shall live as we cling to the hope of evil done away. This issue of Tabletalk, while by no means intended to provide a complete philosophy and history of theodicies, will aim to present a succinct, Reformed understanding of the problem of evil.

Contributors include R.C. Sproul along with E. Calvin Beisner, Paul Helm, Robert Rayburn, R.C. Sproul Jr., Joni Eareckson Tada, and Gene Edward Veith. Tabletalk features articles about topics central to the Christian faith and daily, in-depth Bible studies.

The 2006 Bible studies take a careful look at the book of Genesis.

Contents

• "What's the Problem?" by Burk Parsons
• "The Problem of Pain" by R. C. Sproul
• "The Potter's Freedom" by E. Calvin Beisner
• "Why? The Nagging Question" by Paul Helm
• "Turning Evil on Its Head" by Joni Eareckson Tada
• "Father Abraham Had Many Sons" by Chris Donato
• "The People, Place, and Presence of God
• "The God of Abraham" by Warren A. Gage
• "The Creator God" by Nevin Mawhinney
• "A Refuge for the Weary Soul" by Robert Rayburn
• "What's Our Problem?" by R. C. Sproul Jr.
• "Bringing Christ Into the Problem" by Gene Edward Veith

Top Highlights

“The Reformed answer of Luther, Calvin, the Westminster Divines, and others, answers that while God could have created only moral creatures that would never sin, He instead created a moral world with creatures whose evil He foreordained for His own good purposes—to display His justice in punishing some (Prov. 16:4) and His grace in redeeming and pardoning others (Eph. 1:5–6; 2:7).” (Page 11)

“This insight implies the historic, Reformed answer to the problem of evil: that the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-good God planned for evil to occur, and He uses it for His own good purposes.” (Page 10)

“Historically, evil has been defined in terms of privation (privatio) and negation (negatio)” (Page 6)

“‘If God is a just God, why doesn’t more evil exist?’” (Page 2)

“Privatio began to be described as privatio actuosa (an actual, or real, privation). The point of this distinction was to call attention to the reality of evil. If we think of evil and pain simply in terms of negation and privation, and seek to avoid the actuality of it, we can easily slip into the absurd error of considering evil an illusion.” (Page 6)

Praise for the Print Edition

Tabletalk has been a key ingredient in the diet of Christians conscious of their spiritual vitality.

—Michael S. Horton

Month by month, Tabletalk represents an oasis in a desert of false spirituality, mindless Christianity, and vapid conviction. Tabletalk represents theological rigor, biblical Christianity, and authentic Christian devotion. It is an antidote to the world of superficial Christianity. Read it and grow.

—R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

Tabletalk has been a wonderful resource in my own daily walk with the Lord.

—Ravi Zacharias

Product Details

• Title: Tabletalk Magazine, June 2006: The Problem of Evil
• Executive Editor: R. C. Sproul
• Editor: Burk Parsons
• Series: Tabletalk
• Publisher: Ligonier Ministries
• Publication Date: June 2006
• Pages: 63

About Ligonier Ministries

R. C. Sproul is founder and president of Ligonier Ministries and president of Ligonier Academy. He also servers as the senior pastor of Saint Andrew’s in Sanford, Fla., and he has written more than seventy books including The Holiness of God, The Intimage Marriage, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith, Following the Cross, and the R. C. Sproul Exposition Collection.

Burk Parsons serves as editor of Tabletalk and associate pastor of Saint Andrew’s in Sanford, Fla., and he is editor of the books Assured by God: Living in the Fullness of God’s Grace and John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology.