2nd Book Review: Evil: A Guide for the Perplexed

Chad Meister’s Evil: A Guide for the Perplexed is a remarkably concise and accessible introduction to the “problem of evil”. Meister summarises a quarter century of academic debate and philosophical reflection in a book that can be read in an evening. He also finds time to critique Hindu and Buddhist responses to evil, and to present a moral argument for Christianity based on the gravity of evil and suffering.

Mesiter leads with the logical problem of evil, which was presented most effectively by JL Mackie.
i) A wholly good being always eliminates evil as far as it can.
ii) There are no limits to what an omnipotent and omniscient being can do.
iii) So, if a wholly good, omnipotent and omniscient being exists, it eliminates evil completely.
iv) Evil has not been eliminated completely.
v) Thus, a wholly good, omnipotent and omniscient being does not exist.

Review: Evil: A Guide for the Perplexed by Chad Meister

Given that most of us are perplexed to a certain extent about evil, this new book on the subject by Chad Meister, professor of philosophy at Bethel College, Mishawaka, Indiana, is aimed at just about everybody.

Meister begins his work with an attempt to answer the question of what evil is. He notes that “the meanings of the word are multifarious and often fall short of capturing the depth and complexities of the term” (1). He offers several examples, then goes on to classify evil in two categories—moral and natural.

The author asserts that, if we are to talk about evil and its relationship to God, we must also elucidate what we mean by “God”. He then lists a number of properties in the traditional theistic understanding of God, including omnipotence, omniscience and omnibenevolence.

Philosopher Interview: Chad Meister

Today's interview is with Chad Meister, professor of philosophy at Bethel College. He talks about his background and how he got into philosophy and apologetics, a defense of philosophy as a tool in apologetics, what philosophy is and isn't, his book Building Belief: Constructing Faith from the Ground Up, the starting points for apologetic/evangelistic engagement, ontology/epistemology distinctions when reasoning about God's existence, the role of the Holy Spirit, advice for communicators, and more.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here (52 min)

Books by Chad V. Meister include:
• Building Belief: Constructing Faith from the Ground Up
• Evil: A Guide for the Perplexed
• Introducing Philosophy of Religion

Enjoy.

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Book Review: God is Great, God is Good edited by William Lane Craig & Chad Meister

God is Great, God is Good edited by William Lane Craig and Chad Meister is a book geared specifically to address the arguments and rhetoric of the so-called New Atheism. With contributions from fourteen scholars, this is a 14-chapter book of essays critiquing the most notable points of contention from popular atheist writers Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens.

Because of the topical way the book is composed, it could easily be read in a non-linear fashion; it doesn't have to be read from beginning to end. However, the book follows a structure: Part 1 – God Is – presents essays dealing with God's existence. Part 2 – God is Great – presents evidence from natural theology which show God's power in creation. Part 3 – God is Good – presents essays with a moral theme. And Part 4 – Why it Matters – wraps up the overall case with discussions on divine revelation, history, and the identity of Jesus Christ. This review will present an overview of the chapter content and highlight some notable points.