Introduction

N.T. Wright is something of a conundrum to me because he can sound very conservative evangelical in one one instance and then sound like a radical liberal the next.

This confusion is probably because he is one of the most prominent contemporary voices with regard to the New Perspective on Paul. And it’s not that I am unsympathetic to it because it hits some of the right notes with regard to what can be seen within the text with regard to its original socio-historical context.

But this isn’t about that. This is about Wright’s 2006 book, based on his lecture series by the same name, Evil and the Justice of God.

Wright’s brief book, 5 chapters and a preface, is not exhaustive in its treatment and assumes that whoever is approaching already possess some philosophical familiarity with the problem of evil, or is approaching the issue from an experiential aspect. And it’s this experiential approach to the problem of evil and ultimate theodicy that makes Wright’s little book stand out as a treatment on the subject.

Outline of the Work

In the first chapter of Evil and the Justice of God, Wright begins by recognizing that it’s easy to point to something like the 2003 Indonesian tsunami or the execution chambers of Auschwitz and Buchenwald and identify something as being “evil”, but the truly difficult part is to look into the mirror and identify that there’s something almost innately evil about ourselves. That just as sure as there’s something dangerous, an untamed, unpredictable, and unruly element out in the world, there’s something that lies inside each one of us that corresponds to that.

The question of, what can God do about evil is explored in the second chapter’s contents. Wright looks at the Old Testament and explores the relationship of evil in the world over and against how God interacts with the inhabitants of the world and the evil that is present in it and them.

Chapter 3 delves into God’s strategy for dealing with evil, both historically and metaphysically, and the purpose that evil serves as part of the created order. In this chapter, Wright dives into a brief outline of historic Christian responses to the problem of evil.

Understanding Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection as a promissory note to believers in the theme of chapter Four. Moreover, it deals with the means that people use to minimize and obscure the reality of evil in the world.

In the fifth and final chapter, Wright brings the reality of evil and the means to deal with it into sharp focus.

Impressions of the Work

Between looking at the reviews, and actually reading the book for myself, expect to walk away from Wright’s work with one of three potential reactions: you will with find it unsatisfying, simplistic, or incredibly insightful.

Wright’s presentation appears to be somewhat superficial because the human experience of evil—both natural and moral—is jarring and terribly personal and Wright recognizes that speaking to specifically or too generally makes such discussions either impossible or so pie-in-the-sky that real interaction is somewhat impossible.

See also: N.T. Wright lecture playlist

Wright also recognizes that to give a simplistic answer can trivialize the lived experience of some and giving an answer that is too complex will leave people filling unfulfilled. Discussions about the problem of evil are roads fraught with twists and turns with no clear solution.

The reality, and Wright keeps this is focus, is that evil is real and that most people will reject his solution which is one of simple trust in the God who has personally experienced evil himself and overcome it.

Wright’s book is going on the Recommended list because it is timely and relevant.