PROBLEM OF EVIL

Why does evil exist? How do we explain the existence of evil? The issue of addressing the presence of evil has puzzled the human mind for centuries; it has been a dominant issue in philosophical and theological literature and discussions. Cornelius Van Til (1895-1987), perhaps the most formative apologist for historic Christian orthodoxy in the twentieth century, wrote a compelling award-winning essay in 1923 as a student at Princeton Theological Seminary on the subject entitled 'Evil and Theodicy.' Van Til's intriguing discussion traces the history of Western thought's inadequacy to deal with the issue and concludes that 'God is his own theodicy' in view of his own sovereign authority. Based on the historical revelation of God in the Holy Scriptures, Van Til's position challenges Christians as well as those outside Christianity as to why evil exists. William D. Dennison's introductory essay places Van Til's thesis in the context of more recent discussions.