Religion and Science

Good and Evil

PREVIEW

A.   CHRISTIAN BELIEFS ABOUT GOD

1.   Old Testament

2.   New Testament 

Additional Note:The Trinity

B.   CHRISTIAN BELIEFS ABOUT THE DEVIL/SATAN

1.   A Personal Being 

2.   The Enemy of God 

3.   An Instrument of God’s will

4.   A Myth

Additional Notes:Definitions – Evil and suffering – Natural Evil and Moral Evil

666

Ideas of Evil from Outside the Bible

B.   CHRISTIAN RESPONSES TO THE PROBLEM OF EVIL AND SUFFERING

1.   The Suffering of Christ

Additional Notes:The Problem of Evil and Suffering

Old Testament Understanding of Evil and Suffering 

C.   COPING WITH EVIL AND SUFFERING

1.   Acceptance of Our Suffering

2.   Action for Others who Suffer

3.   Exorcism Today

Additional Notes:Mother Teresa of Calcutta

The Salvation Army

Exorcism in the New Testament 

D.   DISCOVERING THE RIGHT WAY TO BEHAVE

1.   The Bible

2.   The Example of Jesus

3.   The Teaching of Jesus

4.   Prayer and Conscience

Additional Notes:The Ten Commandments

L’Arche

The Samaritans

The Trinity

The Dispute about Conscience

E.   WHY CHRISTIANS TRY TO FOLLOW A MORAL CODE

1.   Rewards and Punishment in This Life

 2.   Rewards and Punishment in Life after Death

Good and Evil

A.   CHRISTIAN BELIEFS ABOUT GOD

1.   Old Testament

a.Creator of the universe

God created the world effortlessly in 6 days:

“And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

God saw that the light was good”

Genesis 1:2-3

b.Yahweh/Jehovah

Probably means “I am (the one who makes things happen)”

Name announced to Moses by God at the Burning Bush on Mount Sinai:

“God said to Moses, "I am who I am (Yahweh). 

This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

Exodus 3:14

c.Holy

Means “separate” – unlike any human being

Isaiah in the Temple in Jerusalem hears the angels announce that:

"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;

the whole earth is full of his glory."

Isaiah 6:3

d.Israel’s God

God tells Moses at the Burning Bush on Mount Sinai that the Jews are his “Chosen People”:

"I am the God of your father,

the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob."

Exodus 3:6 

e.   The Judge of Israel

The prophet Amos warns the people that God will judge them:

“Then the Lord said,

"Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel;

I will spare them no longer.

"The high places of Isaac will be destroyed

and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined;”

Amos 7:8-9

f.   A loving Father

The prophet Hosea describes God as a loving father:

“When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and out of Egypt I called my son.”

Hosea 11:1

2.   New Testament 

a.   Incarnate in Jesus Christ

Jesus tells his disciples that he is God-become-man (incarnate = became flesh):

“Anyone who has seen me…