The Reason For God - Post on Argument Style

Timothy Keller, a Christian pastor in New York, undertook the job of laying out the strongest atheistic views against believing in God, and then from a fair and unbiased view responds to them using logic and the Scripture. In his chapter "How Could a Good God Allow Suffering?," Keller takes up the topic of judgment. I will just say it right now - I am not a pastor. And when I read this chapter I initially found Keller's argument weak, because it concentrated more on the gospel message than it did logically explaining why there must be suffering in this world. The thing that really got me was that Keller never talked about the Fall. To me as a Christian, there is nothing more central to why we suffer in this world than the Fall. The world was perfect before it, and after it mankind was punished for Adam's sin. Eve was seduced by Satan, and Adam by Eve (by seduced I mean they were led to have a desire for other things more than God. In Eve's case, power and immortality, in Adam's case, Eve) and the result brought death for all his decendents. Yet Keller does not mention the Fall once. Why?

Keller uses a carrot, not a stick, in this chapter. His emphasis is much more pastoral and much less philosophical/logical. He passes over the Fall and goes straight to the Cross. After reading this passage a second time, I see why he does this (although I would not have left out the Fall - it is too essential.) At the cross the pain, suffering, and most importantly death are all conquered. Keller shows how Christ himself took on all the sin of the world, and therefore not only the excruciating physical suffering of crucifiction but the torment of the soul of having the wrath of his Father poured out against him makes him the ultimate atonement for our sins. Only by coming to him can we be freed from torment - physical and spiritual. And in the end, when the Last Day comes, it is His people that will enjoy eternal life with him, while those who ignored the cross and hardened their hearts will suffer forever in Hell.