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The age-old question of how a good God can allow suffering is
addressed by several authors in this compilation. The root of
all suffering is explored, as is the way suffering is
categorized and dealt with in Scripture. The final chapters,
written from lessons learned in personal suffering, were of
great value. Although this book can be a bit academic at times,
it is a helpful resource for those desiring to give thought to
this question.
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| QUOTES from Edgar's
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One of the most telling signs of a people’s faithfulness to God
is the way they treat disadvantaged people. Such a concern is
simply the reflection of God’s own concerns. [166]
The evil of oppression began not with European colonists nor
with Pharaoh, as recorded in the book of Exodus, but with our
first parents in the garden…While we certainly want to promote
freedom from oppression, we do not want to stop short of
responding to the full depth of the bondage that has invaded
God’s good world. [169]
How is it that, in a world created by God and governed by God,
we could have fallen into this condition? While the Scripture
does not fully elaborate on this issue, it does state two things
forcefully. First, God is fully sovereign, yet his authority
over humanity does not make him the author of evil. His
sovereignty is, indeed, a guarantee of our freedom and
responsibility, not an impediment to it. Put clearly, we alone
are accountable for the introduction of evil into the world.
Second, God has had mercy on us, looks down at our suffering,
and provides a way out. [173]
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