I just finishing reading the first volume in the Theology in Community series by Crossway titled Suffering and the Goodness of God by Christopher W. Morgan (Editor) and Robert Peterson (Editor). Contributors include: Robert W. Yarbrough, Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Daniel G. McCartney, John M. Frame, William Edgar, David B. Calhoun, and John S. Feinberg. This series promises to provide Christocentric answers enveloped with the truths of Scripture to the many theological, practical and philosophical challenges that are currently facing Christianity.

Suffering and the Goodness of God presents biblical truths concerning suffering and challenges believers to promote justice and to emulate God’s grace as they minister to others in the midst of famine, sickness, terrorist attacks, natural disasters and etc. Each day horrific scenes of suffering are streamed before us through television, the Internet, and newspapers. As believers we are taught that God is good, and they believe this truth. Yet when they are faced with suffering and hardships, the one question believers most often asked is, Why?

The 10 essays presented in the book bring practical theological insight to many contemporary concerns of suffering by outlining Old and New Testament biblical truths and tackling difficult questions concerning God’s sovereignty, human freedom, and the nature of evil.

Some highlights were Walter Kaiser's two chapters on how suffering is handled in the Old Testament are most intense as spends the majority of his time in the main books that deal with suffering in the OT like Job, the Wisdom literature, Lamentations and the lament psalms, and the story of Joseph.

He presents 8 types of suffering found in the OT. One is retributive suffering, which is reaping what one sows. Another is by choices have consequences, and bad choices (sin) invariably meet with negative consequences. Educational or disciplinary suffering is also clearly taught in the Hebrew Scriptures. That God can use hardships and trials to perfect us, to mould our character, and make us more like him, is a common theme of both Testaments.

The difficult question of the problem of evil is covered by John Frame, writing from a strongly Reformed perspective, he emphasizes the sovereignty of God in all this. But he looks at how God can be seen as in control of all things, while not being the author of evil. Frame looks at differing types of evil, different ways to understand God's will, and how a good God can use evil for good ends.

In totality this is a helpful one-volume look at the biblical discussion of suffering and evil. It is a nice arrangement of the main concerns as addressed by Scripture. For those wanting a good volume which covers most of the bases, this is a good place to begin. ( )