Why Does God Allow Suffering? (Alpha) [Paperback]

Nicky Gumble has been associated with the Alpha course for two decades. Alpha is a series of discussions on questions relevant to the practice of Christianity within the context of the meaning of life generally. Alpha courses take place in over 150 countries with some designed for specific groups such as the military, prisoners, young people and the elderly. Although the central tents of Alpha are common to all groups flexibility is encouraged, permitting specific denominations to maintain their doctrinal position to course attenders whose faith may be nominal.

Although Alpha developed from the Evangelical Anglican tradition it is not confined to that tradition. Indeed, many conservative evangelicals are wary of the charismatic element which appears to be part of some Alpha meetings. Critics range from those who believe Alpha is a front for eumenicalism to those who suggest it produces a narrow minded version of Christianity and others who consider it concentrates too on what theologians have said about Jesus rather than on the teachings of Jesus himself.

However, according to the Guardian, Alpha has resulted in the conversion of 250,000 agnostics to Christianity thanks to Alpha's outreach work while the mainstream British press have accepted that it has been a success. Two underlying reasons for that success are the mutual respect shown by all during discussion and the knowledge that participants can ask any question, attend as they see fit and leave without being subjected to follow up enquiries.

Having never attended an Alpha meeting I can only assume the various comments in the media in general are accurate. Gumble's booklet should be seen within that context. Indeed, it only works within the wider context of Christianity with an acceptance to varying degrees of the truth of many basic Christian doctrines. The result is a Christian apologetic in the context of the world in which we find ourselves and a contribution to the philosophical debate about life, purpose and meaning. The question of applicability is both the strength and the weakness of "Why does God allow suffering?"

Gumble notes "suffering is not a problem for all religions. It is an acute problem for the Judeo-Christian tradition because we believe that God is both good and all powerful." He acknowledges that "Theologians and philosophers have wrestled for centuries with the problem of suffering and no one has ever come up with a simple and complete solution. Gumble argues that suffering entered into God's perfect creation through sin which alienated mankind from the goodness of God. That sin may be one's own or that of other people.

Gumble contends that God sometimes "actively judges sin in this life." The biblical flood is an example of suffering on a global scale caused by sin, resulting in God's judgement." This viewpoint is essentially that of a Young Earth Creationist (YEC), a viewpoint which was developed in the 1960's by Henry M Morris. The alternative, promoted by mainstream evangelicals such as Bernard Ramm, was critical of flood theology and its associated gap theory. The argument that the Flood was God actively intervening in human affairs leads logically to the conclusion that natural disasters are evidence of God's judgement. It's not an explanation widely accepted outside the YEC camp.

Gumble suggests God can use suffering for good, as a means of understanding the message of the cross and as a means of character building. The late David Watson wrote, "There is no doubt that millions of Christians all down the centuries have become more Christ-like through suffering." He argues that rampant materialism has reduced mankind's "eternal perspective". Similarly, through the person of Jesus, God accepted suffering in a direct way. Within the context of the Alpha course Gumble's argument holds itself together but requires an acceptance of a particular form of Christian doctrine or worldview which appears to be based on a literal reading of the Bible. Hence for some Christians it addresses the problem of suffering but for others it does not.

It appears to this reviewer that Gumble holds too narrow a viewpoint. There is no conflict between Christianity and Science, only a divergence of views between theist and secular theologies. Many years ago J B Phillips wrote an excellent book entitled, "Your God Is Too Small". Whereas Feuerbach argued that Christianity was a projection of humankind on to an imaginary God which alienated individuals from their very essence, Phillips pointed out that many people's idea of God had not developed beyond simplistic explanations which amounted to no faith at all. Ironically, whereas Phillips was telling people to see God in an eternal and universal manner, atheists moved in the opposite direction and appear firmly wedded to the idea of God as a bearded man in the sky.

This booklet is best read in the context of an Alpha course and, as mentioned earlier, people are free to come and go to and from such courses as they please. Alpha has proved to be successful in many countries, particularly amongst agnostics for whom it proves a theological explanation of issues such as "Why Does God Allow Suffering?" within an eternal context. Perhaps the question is incorrectly phrased and should be rearranged as "Does God Allow Suffering?" Maybe what needs to change is our perception of God. Many parts of the Old Testament, which is often criticised as portraying God as the exclusive property of the Jewish nation, convey an interventionist being whereas Jesus taught, "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4.24).

While useful for those attending an Alpha course, many evangelicals will regard this as a failed attempt to answer the question asked. That failure is attributable to Alpha's theological narrowness, biblical interpretation and implied commitment to YEC. Three stars.