Theodicy and the Kingdom

In the Old Testament Survey Class that I teach at King College, we discussed Job this past week. I have taught this lesson many times and my view of theodicy (the theology that reconciles a loving, good God with the human experience of evil in the world) is pretty well established. To summarize: bad things happen to good people because we live in a world of choices and consequence. Though I do not buy into retribution theology as dogmatically as Job’s friends did, I do see that God has ordained a system in which our free decisions and actions affect ourselves and others.

For example, why does a nice family of four die while the drunk driver who killed them lives on? Because it was in God’s will to take them? No, because the drunk driver chose to become inebriated and then attempt to drive. God’s hand was not in that decision and humanity suffers the consequence. Can God redeem that situation? Yes, but I do not believe he preordained it. Thus, we see that our actions affect this world (far beyond ourselves) for good or bad.

But this week I think my off-the-cuff remarks in class belied a refinement of my thought. God would have us make decisions and choices that do not result in the awful consequences we see all around us. As these proper choices are made based on love of God and neighbor, we would see a world that perhaps would not expose “good people” to “bad things.” This world would see less of the atrocities that are far too prevalent. And as I reflected on this concept I could not help but be drawn back to the Kingdom of God. Is this the basis of the Kingdom? That as we let the reign and rule of God pervade our lives God transforms the world and attempts restoration? I think so.

The Kingdom comes as humanity enfleshes the gospel and becomes united with one another and the King for the common purpose of reconciling creation. Perhaps then we would not have to explain why bad things happen to good people, because it would be evident that their decisions are not in line with the Kingdom.

May God’s Kingdom come. May His will be done.