God's Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question-Why We Suffer

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God's Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question-Why We Suffer

by Bart D. Ehrman

3.85 · rating details · 729 ratings · 153 reviews

One Bible, Many Answers </p>

In God's Problem, the New York Times bestselling author of Misquoting Jesus challenges the contradictory biblical explanations for why an all-powerful God allows us to suffer.

Paperback, 294 pages

Published February 24th 2009 by HarperOne

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Aug 30, 2008

Trevor rated it

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Shelves: history, philosophy, religion, social-theory

Read this book.

I don’t care if you are a fundamentalist Christian or a wishy-washy Christian or a lapsed Christian or a never was Christian – the discussion here in this book is so important and so well put together that I would find it hard to believe that any thinking human being would not get something worthwhile out of it.

I’ve only recently finished reading another of his books – Misquoting Jesus. I came away from that book not really knowing if the author was a Chr...more

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Sep 04, 2008

Paul rated it

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Recommended to Paul by: pmanat@gmail.com

Shelves: atheology, problem-of-evil

This book is well written, no doubt there. Ehrman has a knack for writing to the “man on the street.” As such this book reads fast and smooth, much like his Misquoting Jesus. Thus, my low ranking is due to the content of the book, the cogency of the argumentation. This book is so chalk full of errors that the measly 10,000 characters goodreads gives isn’t enough. I could use 100,000 characters.

God's problem is that suffering exists and the Bible can't explain it. Ehrman tries to show...more

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Apr 27, 2008

Cathie rated it

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I heard Bart Ehrman speak on the radio. He teaches in Chapel Hill. He was speaking about how there is nothing redemptive in the suffering of parents who lost a child in an auto accident. He said this on the radio just as I was driving by the house where a friend of my son lived--he was an only child killed in a car accident a few years ago. I had to buy the book. I was also struck by his openness and understanding about faith--he is not writing from a position of antagonism.

As I...more

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Apr 26, 2008

John rated it

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I really enjoyed this book. The author looks at a question none of us enjoys thinking about - why is there such overwhelming suffering in the world? Suffering comes in all forms, crimes, thuggery, personal oppression, wars, mudslides, tsunamis, mob mentality and genocide.

The 21st Century American mind probably finds it hard to fully comprehend the scope of suffering in the world and in history. Outside of personal tragedies involving disease and acidents, much of our exposure to...moreI really enjoyed this book. The author looks at a question none of us enjoys thinking about - why is there such overwhelming suffering in the world? Suffering comes in all forms, crimes, thuggery, personal oppression, wars, mudslides, tsunamis, mob mentality and genocide.

The 21st Century American mind probably finds it hard to fully comprehend the scope of suffering in the world and in history. Outside of personal tragedies involving disease and acidents, much of our exposure to suffering comes from television, newspapers and history books. An example of how difficult it is for Americans to get their heads around the scope of present-day suffering, a recent interview on Charlie Rose with the former United Nations Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs revealed the following - one thousand million (1 billion) people daily go to bed hungry, without clean water to drink, earning less than 1 dollar a day, living daily in fear for their continued existence.

So back to the question. The author seems as though he would be ok with the answer - "bad things just plain happen". In fact, breathtakingly staggering bad things happen and they happen on a daily basis (for example - 40,000 humans die every day from complications arising from unclean drinking water). The real question presented by the book is "what does the Bible tell us about suffering?"

Bart Ehrman, the author, is a professor of biblical studies at the University of North Carolina and he takes this question very seriously. We learn how the Bible wrestles with the question of suffering throughout the Old Testament and into the New Testament. In short, what we find is not very satisfying - which is probably why most people don't bring up the Bible when the question of suffering comes up - they bring up modern notions of "free will" - itself a very unsatisfying explanation when examined closely (for longer than the 15 seconds its proponants typically give it).

Ehrman's writing is engaging and very readable. The author shows clarity of thought and intellectual rigor. Out of the 5 books I'm presently juggling, I found this one to be compelling reading. In short, his answer to the question of suffering is not just "bad things just plain happen" - it's also that "we must try to be aware of human suffering and to alleviate it where we can" (e.g. the Gates' Foundation's work on malaria). Bravo.(less)

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Apr 25, 2008

Jodi rated it

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Recommended to Jodi by: my bff David :)

Why we suffer? This is a question that I continue to ask of my Christian faith. I was excited when this book was recommended to me because I hoped to get some insight into this question although once I checked it out from the library I kept putting it to the side and reading other things. Perhaps I didn't want to find out the answer to the question. I was forced to finally start the book this week as it is coming due, and I am so glad that I took the time to read it. The author examines the ...more

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Oct 04, 2011

Ilya rated it

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If there is an all-powerful all-loving God, then why do people suffer? One would think that if God could and wanted to prevent suffering, then He would - but He doesn't. One answer is that God is less than all-powerful; the extreme of this position is that God has no power at all, which is to say He might as well not exist. Another is that God is less than all-loving, or, equivalently, there is an evil god; Satan of folk Christianity and Islam is such a figure. Another was proposed by Gottfried ...moreIf there is an all-powerful all-loving God, then why do people suffer? One would think that if God could and wanted to prevent suffering, then He would - but He doesn't. One answer is that God is less than all-powerful; the extreme of this position is that God has no power at all, which is to say He might as well not exist. Another is that God is less than all-loving, or, equivalently, there is an evil god; Satan of folk Christianity and Islam is such a figure. Another was proposed by Gottfried Leibniz: despite all the suffering we see, this is still the best of the possible worlds: any change in its laws would bring about even more suffering. It was satirized by Voltaire in Candide: when the character who is a caricature of Leibniz contracts syphilis, he says that if Columbus had not brought this disease from the Americas, Europe would also not have enjoyed chocolate and cochineal dye. What does the Bible have to say on this question?

Most writers of the Hebrew Bible are unanimous: suffering is a punishment for being evil. The antediluvian humanity except Noah and his family, the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah except Lot and his family, the Israelites who worshiped a golden calf were all slain for their sins. The prophet Amos prophesies the destruction of both Israel and neighboring countries for sins both social (the rich oppressing the poor) and religious (father and son having sex with the same woman). The prophet Hosea prophesies the destruction of Israel for worshiping false gods, drawing a parallel between God's relationship with Israel and his own relationship with his adulterous wife. The Book of Job has two different explanations. The book begins and ends with fragments of a prosaic folktale. In the beginning, God asks his deputy Satan to test the faith of a prosperous sinless man named Job; Job's property vanishes, his ten children die, and he is covered with sore boils, but continues to believe in God. At the end, Job's health and wealth are restored, and ten more children are born to him to replace the dead ones; Job's suffering was a test that he passed; the middle of the folktale is lost. The middle of the book comes from a different source: it consists of poetic dialogues between Job and his friends about whether suffering is ever meaningful; at the end God himself speaks out of the whirlwind, and says that one who cannot bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion is not qualified to talk about the problem of suffering. The Book of Ecclesiastes says that all life, both pleasures and suffering, is vanity of vanities; I have always wondered, what this essentially atheistic book is doing in the Hebrew Bible.

Yet another point of view is apocalyptic: suffering is a punishment for being good by the forces of evil, which are now loose in the world. At any time now, they will do a final battle with the forces of good; the latter shall prevail, the former succumb, and the end times shall begin. The Book of Daniel, which the author says the scholars believe was written during the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid king who declared himself a god, outlawed Judaism on the pain of death, and desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem, is an example. The Book of Revelation, which was written during Nero's or Domitian's persecution of the Christians, is another. Since Albert Schweitzer published The Quest of the Historical Jesus in 1906, scholars have viewed Jesus as an apocalyptic prophet; in Matthew 24 and many other places in the three synoptic gospels, Jesus tells his disciples about the coming of the end times, great upheavals, and the eventual triumph of the Son of Man. Saint Paul concurs: in the First letter to the Corinthians he says that Jesus is just the first person to be resurrected, like the first fruit harvested by a farmer; when the trumpet sounds, everyone else shall be too, and this shall be the end of death.

The author grew up an evangelical Christian, but as an adult he found the existence of suffering incompatible with the existence of God as He is portrayed in Christianity, left his faith, and became an agnostic. (less)

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Jul 26, 2011

Jimm Wetherbee rated it

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Ehrman has written a string of highly readable and engaging books in the popular mode which present the state of current biblical scholarship, or rather critical biblical scholarship as it exists outside evangelical or traditional circles. He as done so again but with the twist that it is through the lens of what philosophers call “the problem of evil,” namely how can it be that a morally perfect and almighty being should allow evil and suffering. Ehrman has precious little patience for the nuan...moreEhrman has written a string of highly readable and engaging books in the popular mode which present the state of current biblical scholarship, or rather critical biblical scholarship as it exists outside evangelical or traditional circles. He as done so again but with the twist that it is through the lens of what philosophers call “the problem of evil,” namely how can it be that a morally perfect and almighty being should allow evil and suffering. Ehrman has precious little patience for the nuances of philosophical responses and rejoinders. To an extent, this is all well and good. As Ehrman points out, holy writ does not include anything that vaguely resembles Plantinga's God, Freedom and Evil or Leibniz's Theodicy. On the other hand, he takes the nuances of such arguments to be inherently evil and so comes off a bit less than cogent when explaining why he no longer believes in God.

Ehrman breaks God's Problem down by the various traditions found in the Bible (Yes there is something called Tradition Criticism, though Ehrman never explicitly states that this is what he in engaging in). These would include the Deuteronomic (“the sins of the fathers are visited upon their children and their children's children”), Prophetic (“you have not heeded the word of the Lord”), Wisdom (“in a perfectly good world, one gets what one deserves,” or “its a mystery,” or “God knows,”) and Apocalyptic(“God is testing the righteous to make them worthy”) Traditions, along with some of their variants. There is actually very little here that a college or seminary student would not have learned twenty-five or thirty years ago. That is to say, there are no bombshells or revelations. What is valuable is how each of these traditions dealt with the issue of suffering.

On this level Ehrman is brilliant. Where Ehrman fails is to establish his assumption that the question of why we suffer actually drives both the biblical writers or the direction that the various traditions within scripture weave in and out. Is the question of suffering really our most important question and was it really the most important question for the biblical writers? Even if the former is true for us, I see no reason for the latter. If not, then there may well be a good reason why scripture does not give a definitive answer, any more than one would find an argument for the existence of God.

What gives God's Problem pathos, however is Ehrman personal introduction to each chapter, which is interspersed with horrors he has either encountered or has some direct knowledge or acquaintance. These serve to show his transformation from an conservative Evangelical Christian to a reflective and liberal agnostic. Each chapter ends with a personal reflection. At times it seemed these were working on two levels, one as an apology for his current relationship toward Christianity and the other as a personal expression of the biblical material. If so, the former is more effective than the latter.

Grave suffering has often been enough to make one loose one's faith, and Ehrman is in good company. However, given his background and predilections in biblical scholarship, that the Bible doesn't give a direct answer to his question is not sufficient. His own method presents at least two alternatives (should he have been so inclined). On the one hand he as presented the biblical writers as as shifting their positions as to the relationship that exists between God and the world and so came up with different answers to the question of suffering. Unless Ehrman believes that the writers have exhausted the possibilities (and given the state of theology, I would say not), it would seem that he has sufficient warrant to do some shifting himself, or he could attempt to do what theologians have done for centuries, synthesize the various strains of the biblical witness into a larger whole. Perhaps, though, Ehrman is not so much arguing as confessing.(less)

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Jul 01, 2011

John rated it

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There's much to say about this book, but let me try to be brief.

First, what's refreshing about dealing with Ehrman as opposed to some of the related writings of the new atheists, is that Ehrman knows the Bible and Christianity well. And while he is given to overstatement and conflation, he does get a number of things right. In this book, for example, the basic categories he lays out in terms of the biblical response to theodicy (the problem of evil) are pretty spot on. The Bible doe...moreThere's much to say about this book, but let me try to be brief.

First, what's refreshing about dealing with Ehrman as opposed to some of the related writings of the new atheists, is that Ehrman knows the Bible and Christianity well. And while he is given to overstatement and conflation, he does get a number of things right. In this book, for example, the basic categories he lays out in terms of the biblical response to theodicy (the problem of evil) are pretty spot on. The Bible does have a number of ways of dealing with the problem of evil and it often appears difficult to reconcile them. Because of this understanding Ehrman can rightly dismiss someone like Kushner (272) and his perspective of theodicy as not fitting with the biblical witness.

Second, Ehrman seems to lack an interpreter's imagination at many points. It's hard to tell whether this is intentional (Ehrman being the devil's advocate and exaggerating the differences in the text) or really a lack of ability to do constructive biblical theology that requires the ability to prioritize and integrate. Despite everything else, this is probably my biggest issue with the book. Ehrman often acts as though there is no way the various perspectives on theodicy can be possibly reconciled or integrated when even a someone educated Christian could come up with a reasonable explanation for how this could take place.

In the final chapter Ehrman comes pretty clean, though. Despite his tendency to emphasize the lack of "fit" on the biblical witness in regards to suffering, he seems to show his cards (264, 273) in a) recognizing there can be a framework that makes sense of this, and b) he is uncomfortable with the kind of God he believes this would mean exists (a God whose ways seem capricious and whose ends (in Ehrman's mind) can't justify the means).

The pull of Ehrman and those like him is strong. I think there are impulses of honesty in Ehrman -- if he was able strengthen these impulses I think the debate would be greatly strengthened. (less)

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Jun 24, 2011

Jorge rated it

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Shelves: atheism-religion

God's Problem by Bart D. Ehrman

God's Problem is a fantastic book of how the Bible fails to answer the question of why we suffer. Accomplished author and biblical critic, Bart D. Erhman takes us through a realistic biblical ride on the four main justifications of suffering: suffering caused by sin, suffering caused by sins committed by others, redemptive suffering, and finally suffering as a test of faith. This excellent 304 page-book is composed of the following nine chapters: 1. Su...more

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May 31, 2011

Tim Titolo rated it

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Shelves: 2011

Not since I discovered Karen Armstrong have I regarded a critique of biblical doctrine so highly. Mr. Ehrman was not scathing (think Bugliosi) or uneducated in theology (he holds post graduate degrees theology) or inexperienced (he teaches New Testament Studies at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hills, and has been a practicing Pastor).

I enjoyed his personal observations that while once a devoted Christian, it took him several years to become de-converted. And, as he says,...more

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May 19, 2011

Mike rated it

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I did not enjoy this book as much as Misquoting Jesus or Jesus Interrupted. Ehrman lays out the problem of evil and how that lead him away from the faith. Naturally when dealing with this topic you have to talk about the injustices that are prevalent on this planet and Ehrman does, but he lists them all to often. He says he does this so that the problem of evil isn't dealt with in a sterile way. I appreciate that, but a few instances of this is heart breaking and then it just becomes desensitizi...more

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Mar 12, 2011

Tucker rated it

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Shelves: finished

Suffering is a practical problem, not an abstract one, in Ehrman's view. Every two or three seconds, someone dies from diseases due to filthy drinking water. Every five seconds, a child starves to death. Every twenty seconds, someone dies of malaria. Unfortunately, we don't often discuss these things productively, since in polite society, talking about suffering is "kind of like talking about toilet habits." (p. 14)

"Ancient Jews and Christians never questioned whethe...moreSuffering is a practical problem, not an abstract one, in Ehrman's view. Every two or three seconds, someone dies from diseases due to filthy drinking water. Every five seconds, a child starves to death. Every twenty seconds, someone dies of malaria. Unfortunately, we don't often discuss these things productively, since in polite society, talking about suffering is "kind of like talking about toilet habits." (p. 14)

"Ancient Jews and Christians never questioned whether God existed," he recognizes. "The question of whether suffering impedes belief in the existence of God is completely modern, a product of the Enlightenment." (p. 121) As a former Christian believer, he now thinks theodicy -- the question of how an all-good, all-powerful God can allow suffering -- is "insoluble." (p. 122)

The Bible presents different theories of why people suffer. In the prophetic view, suffering is punishment for disobedience. This view is found in Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings. (p. 69) By Jesus's time, the prophetic view extends to include the afterlife. (p. 55). "The problem with this view," Ehrman writes, "is not only that it is scandalous and outrageous, but also that it creates both false security and false guilt. If punishment comes because of sin, and I'm not suffering one bit, thank you very much, does that make me righteous?" (p. 55) The apocalyptic view is the prophetic view in reverse; it holds that the righteous suffer. According to the Book of Job, God sometimes permits suffering as a test of people's faith. But as Ehrman says: "If God tortures, maims, and murders people just to see how they will react--then this does not seem to me to be a God worthy of worship. Worthy of fear, yes. Of praise, no." (p. 172)

Sometimes the Bible portrays suffering as redemptive, but this is obviously untrue in cases where one's own suffering is extreme or final, and rather hideous in cases where the suffering is someone else's, as Ehrman eloquently expresses:

"It is one thing to say that I enjoy the success I now have because for so many years I had bad luck or misfortune; that I enjoy the fine food I can eat now because for years I lived on peanut butter sandwiches; that I enjoy my vacations now because for years I could barely afford gas to drive to the store. It is a completely different thing to say that I better enjoy the good things in life because I see other people without them.
To think that other people suffer horrible diseases so that I can appreciate my good health is atrocious; to say that other people starve so that I can appreciate my good food is completely egocentric and cold-hearted; to say that I enjoy life so much more now that I see people all around me dying is the self-centered raving of an adult who hasn't matured beyond childhood. On some occasions, my own misfortune may have something good come of it. But I'm not going to thank God for my food because I realize other people don't have any." (p. 156)

He personally prefers the approach taken in Ecclesiastes, which is that no one has all the answers or explanations, and, just as Harold Kushner maintained in When Bad Things Happen to Good People, Ehrman thinks "there's something wrong with wrestling with problems of suffering as a purely intellectual exercise. Suffering calls for a living response..." (p. 122)(less)

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Feb 07, 2011

Jon rated it

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Bart Ehrman is Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the U of North Carolina. He is a highly regarded scholar of Biblical tradition, the early church, and the development of Christianity. He freely admits that he does not believe in God. He writes clearly and engagingly, and here he examines a number of theodicies (explanations of how a benevolent and omnipotent God could allow pain, suffering, and evil in the world). He finds all of these explanations wanting, including the mutually c...more

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Jan 14, 2011

Joe Henry rated it

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Here Ehrman examines and illumines in considerable detail the numerous, various Biblical “answers” to the problem of evil—why there is so much suffering, particularly so much apparently unwarranted suffering. His analysis goes from the prophets (suffering is punishment for sin) to Job (suffering is a test, or suffering is just beyond comprehension) to Ecclesiastes (stuff just happens—accept it) to apocalyptic thinking (it’ll all work out in the end).

For me personally, the most helpf...more

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Aug 06, 2010

Malcolm rated it

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Dr. Ehrman is a former Baptist pastor and is a doctorate level theologian teaching at Chapel Hill in the U.S.. He became an agnostic and left the church, and his belief in God, many years ago. Part of his reason for doing so was his detailed study and exploration of the question of why there is suffering, what suffering means, and why God allows innocents to suffer. Indeed, I have struggled with the same question and come to a similar conclusion - God, at least the all powerful personal God of ...more

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Jul 20, 2010

Charley rated it

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Bart Ehrman is a clear and accessible writer. Here his erudition about the Bible gives a useful background for those wanting a complete survey of the many way the Old and New Testaments try to rationalize human suffering. They are many -- not just the one or the few responses so easily brought to mind by those of us living under the influence of religion Lite. For that matter, religion non-Lite does nothing to palliate pain or confusion; quite the opposite. Readers come to understand how Ehrman,...more

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Mar 31, 2010

Daniel Solera rated it

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Shelves: religion

I read Bart Ehrman’s newest book, Jesus, Interrupted around a year ago and enjoyed it. So I picked up God’s Problem after I saw it on a bargain rack at Barnes & Noble, not just because it was a cheap buy, but because it seemed to explain Ehrman’s shift from diehard Evangelism to agnosticism. In this book, he does exactly what the subtitle declares and shows how the Bible does not provide a sound, consistent or convincing argument for the existence of suffering in the world.

It’s a q...moreI read Bart Ehrman’s newest book, Jesus, Interrupted around a year ago and enjoyed it. So I picked up God’s Problem after I saw it on a bargain rack at Barnes & Noble, not just because it was a cheap buy, but because it seemed to explain Ehrman’s shift from diehard Evangelism to agnosticism. In this book, he does exactly what the subtitle declares and shows how the Bible does not provide a sound, consistent or convincing argument for the existence of suffering in the world.

It’s a question that many people ask themselves from a very young age: if God exists, and is not only all-powerful but all-loving, then how is it possible that he lets genocide happen? Why are millions of innocent lives victims to natural disasters every year? Why are infants born with life-threatening conditions? When I “thank God” for having food to eat, does that imply that God denied food to the millions who starve daily? Surely this divine being is either sadistic or simply doesn’t care. So how does the Bible attempt to reconcile these conflicting ideas? Ehrman goes into this question with a studied cynicism and arsenal of religious history.

I took away four major philosophical theories on the existence of suffering from this book, many serving as a reaction to a previous theory. The first comes from the god of the Old Testament, who would punish his followers for straying from belief. However, this was put into question when his own chosen people were repeatedly slaughtered and their cities and temples razed to the ground. Many of the Jews who were living in said cities were devout believers, so why were they too killed? If God mobilizes armies to kill others for not believing, who is responsible, God or the armies he chose to do the job?

This theory was edited and revised nominally by several prophetic figures, ultimately keeping the message the same: disobey God and you, often your entire nation, will suffer. The second revision to this idea came with the Apocalypticists, who decided that God is sovereign, watching over the world as evil consumes it, waiting for the messiah to wage war against evil. For those who live well, they will enjoy a redemptive eternity with God, while the wicked lay in the lake of fire with the devil. However, the familiar doomsday prophecies that we know from the Book of the Revelation of John were aimed squarely at the Roman Empire. So when the putative end of the world didn’t come shortly after Christ’s death, philosophers were left scratching their heads.

It was of this failure of clairvoyance that came the third theory, the contemporary dualist idea of heaven and hell, that judgment doesn’t occur at one given point for all humanity, but rather at all times and at the moment of death. Finally, the fourth theory, the one to which Ehrman subscribes, is the Ecclesiastical theory that many things can’t be explained and that life should simply be lived to the fullest.

I liked this book for its historical approach to the philosophical question of suffering, but also because Ehrman never hesitates to repeat the tricky questions we’ve heard since time immemorial. He constantly brings up the throwaway answer that his students and colleagues seem to give regarding the existence of suffering: free will. The theory that free will is alone responsible for all the pain and pestilence in the world is ridiculous because it does nothing to explain natural disasters or disease or freak occurrences. In fact, he never reaches a conclusion on this, aside from perhaps the obvious answer that God does not exist.

Here is my take on it, which Ehrman didn’t broach: people are animals. Though we have evolved past our fellow creatures that inhabit the Earth, becoming the most technologically and spiritually advanced species, we are still territorial mammals. As such, we compete for mates and territory, often hurting, maiming and even killing our own kind to fulfill our biological imperative: to pass on our genes. During the course of our evolution, we have learned to live in larger groups and have, for the most part, abandoned that do-or-die mentality that allowed our hunter-gatherer ancestors to survive. But for the rest of the living creatures on the planet, pain, suffering and death is an almost daily occurrence. Perched at the top of the food chain without a constant fear of predation has led us to magnify pain and suffering when it happens.

It’s a complicated matter, no doubt, but one that is worth a detailed examination. God’s Problem may not provide all the answers, but it shows with great confidence that the Bible doesn’t do the job.(less)

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Oct 31, 2009

jcg rated it

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I found this a good, and enlightening, presentation of the many different views of suffering presented in the bible. I wish Ehrman had stuck to bible exegesis and left his opinions out of the text. The book ends up being mostly about Ehrman and what he believes. He rejects explanations of suffering, not because of rigorous logic or applied scholarship, but because he personally doesn't find them satifying. He doesn't show or prove that the bible fails to answer the question of why we suffer, he ...more

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Sep 15, 2011

Moonbutterfly rated it

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Shelves: religion

I'm a Bart Ehrman fan but this is not my favorite book. This IS a good book on the subject, but its just wasn't my thing. Ehrman doesn't try to solve the problem of suffering. That is not the point of the book. Instead he shows how the Bible fails to answer the question of suffering. This topic was very personal for Ehrman, and the one topic which helped pave his path toward agnosticism.

Most of the book quotes or summarizes stories from the Bible which deal with suffering; interesti...more

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Dec 01, 2010

Paul Hamilton rated it

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Shelves: non-fiction, spiritual

From the front cover, Ehrman's position on the question of human suffering as relates to the nature and/or reality of a living, all-powerful God is pretty clear. What surprised me about the book God's Problem is that he uses the Bible almost exclusively as his reference point for constructing his argument that the question of why humans suffer ultimately undermines the tenets of Christian (and by extension, Jewish) belief.

In an obvious-in-hindsight sort of way, it makes sense as any ...moreFrom the front cover, Ehrman's position on the question of human suffering as relates to the nature and/or reality of a living, all-powerful God is pretty clear. What surprised me about the book God's Problem is that he uses the Bible almost exclusively as his reference point for constructing his argument that the question of why humans suffer ultimately undermines the tenets of Christian (and by extension, Jewish) belief.

In an obvious-in-hindsight sort of way, it makes sense as any set of arguments based on other texts would quickly be dissected by biblical theologians who lean heavily on the Bible as the divinely inspired work of God and therefore the only resource of any consequence when dealing with such weighty concerns. Curiously, while this approach is likely the wisest in terms of most likely to be effective, in practice it comes across as more or less a reverse sermon with a structure that feels almost comically familiar to anyone who has attended a variety of evangelical churches. Ehrman presents a passage of scripture to support his thesis, describes the context and meaning of the scripture and ties it in to his argument. The only real difference is in the conclusions drawn. For example, wherever a pastor might interpret the verses as suggesting a forward looking prophecy of events to come (Daniel, Revelation, as examples), Ehrman argues that they are meant to be viewed as if the writers were intending the audience to be contemporary. It matters because either argument hinges on the truth of the original intent, but I found it difficult throughout God's Problem to fully accept at face value that Ehrman's conclusions were any more credible than any other scholar/preacher's.

As for the core arguments about what the Bible says about suffering and how they are ultimately lacking, Ehrman's thoughtful examination is pretty thorough. I came away convinced that from a biblical perspective the issue of human suffering (especially the suffering of innocents) is unfortunately poorly defined and even more poorly explained. However, to me, this was hardly a novel recognition. What Ehrman didn't do an effective job at, and it's arguable whether or not this was even an intent, was convincing me that this gap was sufficient to undermine the entirety of the Christian religion. There are two key places where Ehrman's arguments are weak, one being that he casually sidesteps the necessity inherent in religion of faith to overcome when logic and limited human understanding inevitably fail. I suppose since faith is sort of an argumentative trump card he recognizes that those who employ it will discount his hypothesis anyway but it would have been enlightening to hear a discussion about how he personally was able to subvert the call for faithfulness in scripture in order to arrive at his agnostic conclusions, especially in the section where he discusses how parts of Job suggest that it is arrogant folly for humans to question God on the topic of suffering to begin with.

The other failing in God's Problem is that the detail applied to discussions of apocalyptic thought, divine punishment, and even a less-than-omnipotent deity is not given to the intriguing concept of evil (either as a force opposing God or as a side effect of humanity's fundamental flaws) and why it does or perhaps does not exist. It's likely that there simply aren't enough scriptural bases for these kinds of discussions in a book that relies on the Bible as principal reference but for a topic I think many popular notions of suffering center around it could have been enlightening to branch out into other sources at least for this notion.

It's difficult to gauge the success of a book like God's Problem. I suspect there are but two audiences: One that prejudices to agree with the author and are looking for scholarly affirmation of their foregone conclusions. The other that is convinced he is mistaken at base and will find only the flaws in his logic (or faith) to be of any significance. For the small minority who aren't looking for validation but prefer a simple thought exercise, it's an excellent read. For everyone else, you already know what you think about it.(less)

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Sep 03, 2009

David rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: bible, theology

Ehrman is a very talented writer. In this book he tackles difficult topics in a way that should be easily understood by the average reader. Each chapter begins with real-life illustrations of sufferings. Some of these are from Ehrman's life, he gets very personal discussing his father's experiences in World War II, while some are from the news, such as hurricanes, tsunamis and mudslides. These illustrations then lead into a discussion of the biblical data, with each chapter looking at a diff...moreEhrman is a very talented writer. In this book he tackles difficult topics in a way that should be easily understood by the average reader. Each chapter begins with real-life illustrations of sufferings. Some of these are from Ehrman's life, he gets very personal discussing his father's experiences in World War II, while some are from the news, such as hurricanes, tsunamis and mudslides. These illustrations then lead into a discussion of the biblical data, with each chapter looking at a different way the Bible explains suffering. Ehrman shows that sometimes the Bible speaks of suffering as punishment from God, sometimes as a result of human sin (i.e., humans cause suffering), sometimes suffering is redemptive (for the greater good), sometimes suffering has no explanation, sometimes suffering is caused by evil spiritual forces who will be dealt with by God (apocalypticism).

A major premise of the book is that the various answers the Bible does give for suffering are contradictory. What is missing is an explanation of how those who put this Bible together, as well as those who have read it over the centuries, accept the various answers the Bible gives as contributing to the complex issue of suffering. Maybe if individual prophets such as Isaiah or Amos give two different explanations of suffering at two different times they are not contradicting themselves, but rather each part of a complete answer. If these answers were all accepted in the same Bible (or simply, in the same book of Isaiah or Amos), maybe they do work together somehow?

Furthermore, should we expect the problem of suffering to have an easy answer? If the Bible only had one simplistic answer we would accuse it of not taking suffering seriously. The Bible seems to fit our experiences: sometimes suffering may be punishment, sometimes it may be to teach us, sometimes it is because of free will, etc.

Basically, Ehrman is giving us an autobiography. He found the problem of suffering unsolvable and left his childhood faith. But if he interacted with theologians and philosophers, why not show us more of his own journey? It is not like he is the first person to notice suffering. And many people still have faith through the suffering. Why doesn't Ehrman at least offer a bibliography (or more extensive footnotes) that shows the depth and breadth of his journey? He definitely has interacted with many other authors, why not show us who? Why not go deeper into why he finds those answers and interpretations wanting? Or put them in the bibliography so those interested can find them? He gives a little bit of this, but more is needed.

Finally, Ehrman's last couple pages end up illustrating the problem he is now in, and may not even realize. He states that this life is all there is. Later, in the same paragraph, he asserts that because this life is all there is we should try to make the world a better place for ourselves and for others in it. But why does that conclusion (we should try to make the world better) follow from the premise (this world is all there is)? Where does this "should" come from?

He talks about how the wealth could be redistributed so the poor have enough. But if this life is all there is, why should the wealthy give up their wealth? For no apparent reason they ended up wealthy. If they choose to enjoy life and not help anyone is there any reason, in Ehrman's view that this life is all there is, that we can say they are wrong? In these final pages he uses the word "should" a lot. He speaks of how we should visit soup kitchens, give to charities, work to help others. I agree we should do these things. But in Ehrman's view that this life is all there is, why should we do them? Can he really go up to someone who is enjoying their own life and tell them they should spend the only life they have at a soup kitchen? He has no reason for such a request. If we believe that there is a God who created us in His image and humans have worth and that we are called to make this world a better place in preparation for the better future that God is bringing, then we have a reason to help. Ehrman quotes Dostoyevsky's The Brother's Karamazov a lot, but fails to quote the statement made in it, "If there is no God, all things are permissible." The fact is, if there is no God, if this world is all there is, there is no way to get from what IS to what OUGHT TO BE. So Ehrman has no basis to say to others what they ought to do.

So it is not as simple as rejecting the Bible's answers to suffering and then getting on with life by working to alleviate suffering. If God is removed, everything changes. If God is removed, where does human worth come from? Why should I care about those who happen to live on the other side of the world and are suffering? The problem of suffering is HUGE for Christians, but it is equally problematic for agnostics/atheists. This is something Ehrman must take into consideration.

Overall, Ehrman offers a good summary of the answers to suffering given in the Bible. He pulls no punches, taking suffering very seriously. He finds the Biblical answers wanting and contradictory. I think finding them contradictory is off the mark, instead they are complementary answers to horrible questions. I think the Biblical answer is much more appealing than the answer Ehrman gives, for ultimately his answer puts us on a road to nihilism.(less)

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Oct 06, 2011

Paul rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: god-botheration

It could be that I read this book sadistically, having cruel fun watching the poor Christians run around like rats frantically looking for the impossible way out of the trap that they themselves created, which is:

-God is omnipotent

-God loves us

-We live in an ocean of human suffering which laps and lashes at everyone's life. Just take a look at the news. God loves us? You gotta be joking, pal.

But I believe I read this book with a bit more compassion...more

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Jul 08, 2008

Sally rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: religion-christianity

Discusses the various, sometimes contradictory, ways in which the Bible explains the existence and meaning of suffering. The author, no longer a believer, explores the reasons behind these explanations being formulated in their own time and evaluates their (in)adequacies generally and for thinking people today. His material on apocalyptic explanations and figures, including Jesus and Paul, was especially interesting to me.

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Jul 25, 2011

Lacey rated it

· review of another edition

Very readable and thoughtful. Ehrman explores "the question" that has always plagued humanity: Why do we suffer? The Bible offers many options: God is punishing sin, God is testing your faith (or proving a point), to inspire growth, and, later, even as proof that one is in God's will, for Satan attacks the most righteous (in contrast to 'God punishes sin and rewards obedience,' since people learned that they could obey or disobey, and they still suffered regardless. If you can instead ...moreVery readable and thoughtful. Ehrman explores "the question" that has always plagued humanity: Why do we suffer? The Bible offers many options: God is punishing sin, God is testing your faith (or proving a point), to inspire growth, and, later, even as proof that one is in God's will, for Satan attacks the most righteous (in contrast to 'God punishes sin and rewards obedience,' since people learned that they could obey or disobey, and they still suffered regardless. If you can instead believe that it's the devil doing it, you can still believe that God is good and even that suffering is good.)

Ehrman illuminates the Bible's varied answers to this timeless question, pointing out where these answers do not agree with one another, and how they ultimately fail to provide an acceptable explanation. If it is God punishing sin, what do we say to people starving to death in third world countries, to people maimed in natural disasters, to victims of rape and torture, to victims of cancer? We really want to tell them that they had it coming, and that God is good to punish them this way? If God is testing faith or proving a point (as in the story of Job), we face a similar dilemma: that God would instigate unspeakable suffering just to make sure we're still believing. If suffering is supposed to "work for good," this often seems to trivialize actual suffering. Perhaps "struggle" can inspire growth and maturity, but who ever said "I'm glad I watched my children slaughtered in front of me, it ultimately made me a better person"?

Oddly, as often as the answer is given, 'free will' is not an answer to suffering provided in the Bible, but rather is a later philosophical solution. This, however, comes with its own set of problems (if God can make a world however he wants, why not make one where people have free will but also do not suffer, especially if he apparently exists in this reality?). Ehrman explores this answer well, showing it's obvious flaws and inability to answer our question, including the question of natural disasters.

I appreciate his honest dialogue with the text and his overall respectful agnosticism. The last chapter was especially sobering, but was also refreshingly honest and inspiring. I highly recommend this book!(less)

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Jan 20, 2011

Collin rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: probably nobody

Recommended to Collin by: maybe my dad? I'm not sure how I acquired my copy.

Short version of this review: I wasn't super impressed.

Erhman mentioned in several of his other books that the problem of suffering is what drove him to become agnostic, so I knew going in that he wouldn't find a satisfactory resolution (not a spoiler; the subtitle also gives it away, no?). I'm OK with that, since I've had roughly the same stance ever since I wrote a theodicy (theodicy = answering the question of why, if G*d is all-loving and all-powerful, there is suffering in the ...moreShort version of this review: I wasn't super impressed.

Erhman mentioned in several of his other books that the problem of suffering is what drove him to become agnostic, so I knew going in that he wouldn't find a satisfactory resolution (not a spoiler; the subtitle also gives it away, no?). I'm OK with that, since I've had roughly the same stance ever since I wrote a theodicy (theodicy = answering the question of why, if G*d is all-loving and all-powerful, there is suffering in the world) in college. All the same, I don't think his treatment of the subject is even-handed.

It's important to understand the scope of the book. Erhman here is ONLY considering the explanations for suffering that are given in the bible (the main examples: G*d causes suffering as punishment for sin, people cause suffering to others by sinning, suffering has a later redemptive purpose, the reason is not knowable, and/or the forces of evil triumph in this world until G*d comes in power at the apocalypse). I wouldn't have minded this limitation if Erhman had concluded that the bible alone cannot adequately account for suffering, but his overarching theme--and this gets repeatedly brought up--is that he himself is agnostic because suffering cannot be adequately explained period. This implicit conclusion is much broader than the scope of the book.

On the other hand, he does talk briefly about two types of explanations for suffering that are not found in the bible. The first is free will (basically: the most perfect world that G*d could have created is one in which humans have free will and can cause suffering), which is the answer most people nowadays try to provide, but Ehrman rightfully points out that it fails to account for natural disasters. The second is erudite philosophical works, about which Erhman says scant little beyond that they are "morally repugnant" for being too far removed from actual suffering.

Back to the first hand, he doesn't even give a complete catalog of the biblical explanations. For example, in the concluding chapter he quickly mentions another reason (G*d allows suffering because it builds character). He says he doesn't give it fuller treatment because it is not common in the bible. So it's not even exhaustive of the limited scope? Blah.

However, there is a redeeming quality to the book: he provides context to many of the biblical passages that he cites. He spends time explaining the historical setting during which Jeremiah was prophesying. He gives a fascinating analysis of Job and how the two parts of the story are contradictory. I wished for more like that.(less)

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Jul 01, 2010

sonofabit rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: people who question religion and blind faith

Shelves: non-fiction

Insightful look a the paradox of the existence of a loving God in a world full of suffering. Written by a former devout Christian inevitably turned agnostic while trying to reconcile the impossible question of Theodicy: defending God goodness despite the existence of evil and suffering.

Update July 1, 2010
I just finished the book today, and I really enjoyed it. I wish it had been a bit more "hard-hitting" towareds the people who blindly accept the common explanations ...more

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Sep 26, 2009

Julie rated it

· review of another edition

This is a fascinating exploration of the Biblical explanations for suffering. Ehrman delves into at least 5 vastly different explanations offered in various books of the Bible (I won't give them away here). He also examines how the explanations changed over the centuries as the different authors of the books of the Bible sought to make sense of what they saw in the world and the failure of prophecies to come to pass. Besides giving one much food for thought as to one's own explanation for/bel...more

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May 10, 2009

Tom rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: awesome, non-fiction

I believe I have given a written review to all of my 5 star rated books so I believe it would be out of place if I didn't give one here as well.

First, I have read Misquoting Jesus by Ehrman and I did like it, didn't love it, but really liked it. I do like Ehrman's writing style and his ability to keep his incredible intelligence from confusing the common dude (ie. me). I listened to a radio interview with Bart Ehrman where he was asked about this particular book and why he wrote ...more

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Aug 18, 2008

Rod rated it

· review of another edition

Ehrman has become one of my favorite writers in the realm of Biblical and extra-Biblical/Gnostic studies. A very clear understanding of the various reasons for suffering that are offered in the Bible (which are prevalent throughout the culture), as well as his own speculation/journey from Christian to agnostic. Makes me want to read "The Brothers Karamazov" again.

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Sep 07, 2010

David rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: atheism, philosophy, non-fiction

Having read the likes of Sam Harris, David Mills, Bertrand Russell and Christopher Hitchens, I anticipated God's Problem would follow form: A manifesto extolling the virtues of rational, secular thinking, while promulgating the dangers and necessary evils of religion -- in a more or less dogmatic fashion. To be told, I have thoroughly enjoyed those books. But this is far different.

Bart D. Ehrman is a theological scholar, having devoted his entire academic, and personal, life to the s...moreHaving read the likes of Sam Harris, David Mills, Bertrand Russell and Christopher Hitchens, I anticipated God's Problem would follow form: A manifesto extolling the virtues of rational, secular thinking, while promulgating the dangers and necessary evils of religion -- in a more or less dogmatic fashion. To be told, I have thoroughly enjoyed those books. But this is far different.

Bart D. Ehrman is a theological scholar, having devoted his entire academic, and personal, life to the study of Early Christianity and the New Testament -- even having gone as far as learning Greek, so as to immerse himself in the surviving early Biblical manuscripts. He is a distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, having chaired the department as well as served as director of graduate studies. And he is considered one of the foremost authorities on Biblical studies and interpretations, continually being invited to lecture around the world and on television programs on the topic of Scripture.

The punchline? Dr. Ehrman is agnostic.

(This is to be distinguished from being an atheist, which he does not declare. Dr. Ehrman does not believe in the Biblical God, but cannot say definitively that there is or is not a supernatural puppet master.)

And the subject of God's Problem -- that of suffering -- is precisely the reason for Dr. Ehrman's falling away from faith.

Suffering is a problem that has been cogitated since hominids first dropped from the trees and began walking upright. And as humans gained increasingly larger frontal lobes and shed their body hair (well, most of it, anyway), we began to seriously ponder the reasons for crop failure, death, destruction and inhumanity.

As such, the reasons for suffering plagued (literally?) the Biblical authors, as they struggled to grasp why it existed -- believing it to be, for example, a symptom of man's sinful nature, or perhaps God's "mysterious ways." And so the tales were written down and passed along, declaring themselves as holding the true reasons for suffering, as given by God himself. This, as Ehrman points out, is problematic -- as well as erroneous.

What Ehrman does incredibly well (more so than the other atheist writers) is provide numerous references from the Bible on suffering, and applying brilliant insight as to the intentions and meanings of each of the different Biblical authors. He covers the likes of Amos, Daniel, and Solomon, all the way through Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Paul, illustrating how each author had different views of suffering, and the role of God in each account.

Ehrman also makes note that most modern-day believers indicate suffering exists because of free-will. The response to that becomes: What about tsunamis? Earthquakes? Tornadoes? Hurricanes? Drought? AIDS? Malaria? Famine? Infant fatality? Cancer? And on and on and on.

The point is: not all suffering is the direct result of free-will. In fact, the vast majority of suffering is due to forces beyond human control. So the believer changes his/her answer: God is testing you. Huh. If a father cuts off his son's arm, just to test the son's courage and resolve, the father is considered wicked, cruel, inhumane and malicious, and will likely be vilified and imprisoned. But when a baby is born without arms, or without eyesight, should God be revered, rather than given the same treatment as the evil father, simply because God is testing the baby? Me thinks not -- nor does Ehrman.

Ehrman's goal is not to convert believers into non-believers, and he says as much from the onset of the book. His goal is merely to challenge the thought process of individuals, urging them to do more to eradicate suffering (the suffering that is controllable, at least), rather than dismissing it as "God's whim." If one has the means to donate to charity, then do it! Children across the globe are needlessly starving and dying every minute of every day, despite the fact that there is more than enough food to go around. Malaria can be stopped. Clean drinking water for everyone is possible. We just need to make a paradigm shift to realize that there is no invisible deity in control (or relinquishing control) of the suffering that exists, and empower ourselves to make a difference.(less)

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About Bart D. Ehrman

Bart D. Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. He came to UNC in 1988, after four years of teaching at Rutgers University. At UNC he has served as both the Director of Graduate Studies and the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies.

A graduate of Wheaton College (Illinois), Professor Ehrman received both his Ma...moreBart D. Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. He came to UNC in 1988, after four years of teaching at Rutgers University. At UNC he has served as both the Director of Graduate Studies and the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies.

A graduate of Wheaton College (Illinois), Professor Ehrman received both his Masters of Divinity and PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary, where his 1985 doctoral dissertation was awarded magna cum laude. Since then he has published extensively in the fields of New Testament and Early Christianity, having written or edited 21 books, numerous scholarly articles, and dozens of book reviews. Among his most recent books are a Greek-English edition of The Apostolic Fathers for the Loeb Classical Library (Harvard University Press), an assessment of the newly discovered Gospel of Judas (Oxford University Press), and two New York Times bestsellers: God’s Problem (an assessment of the biblical views of suffering) and Misquoting Jesus (an overview of the changes found in the surviving copies of the New Testament and of the scribes who produced them).

Among his fields of scholarly expertise are the historical Jesus, the early Christian apocrypha, the apostolic fathers, and the manuscript tradition of the New Testament.

Professor Ehrman has served as President of the Southeast Region of the Society of Biblical literature, chair of the New Testament textual criticism section of the Society, book review editor of the Journal of Biblical Literature, and editor of the monograph series The New Testament in the Greek Fathers (Scholars Press). He currently serves as coeditor of the series New Testament Tools, Studies, and Documents (E.J. Brill), coeditor in chief for the journal Vigiliae Christianae, and on several other editorial boards for journals and monographs in the field.

Winner of numerous university awards and grants, Professor Ehrman is the recipient of the 1993 UNC Undergraduate Student Teaching Award, the 1994 Phillip and Ruth Hettleman Prize for Artistic and Scholarly Achievement, and the Bowman and Gordon Gray Award for excellence in teaching.

Professor Ehrman has two children, a daughter, Kelly, and a son, Derek. He is married to Sarah Beckwith (PhD, King's College London), Marcello Lotti Professor of English at Duke University. He lives in Durham, North Carolina.

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More about Bart D. Ehrman...

Books by Bart D. Ehrman

Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible & Why

Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible & Why We Don't Know About Them

Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture & the Faiths We Never Knew

Lost Scriptures: Books That Did Not Make It Into the New Testament

The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot: A New Look at Betrayer & Betrayed

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