Why Does God Allow Pain and Suffering?

Why does God allow pain and suffering? This age-old question, of course, presumes that a higher power exists — a notion that some individuals most certainly reject. Regardless, the vast majority of society believes in a creator and, when tragedy strikes, most people find themselves questioning the allowance for such horrendous events and personal pain.

In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Friday, a traumatic event that left 28 individuals dead, including 20 small children, this pertinent question is at the forefront of peoples’ minds. While it’s perfectly natural to wonder why an all-loving and all-powerful deity would allow such horror to befall kids and families, alike, finding viable and definitive answers is a monumental — and some might argue, impossible — task.

TheBlaze reached out to faith leaders and Biblical experts to ask why, from a Judeo-Christian perspective, the Lord (for those who believe in his existence) would permit such horror. Their responses may bring comfort to some, may satisfy others — and will likely still leave additional Americans with new and unanswered questions.

Dr. Darrell Bock, professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and author of “Who Is Jesus?: Linking the Historical Jesus with the Christ of Faith,” explained the role and prominence of personal decision-making when asked why God allows pain and suffering.

“We are human beings endowed with the image of God. So God made us to make choices and have responsibilities for how we exercise our choices,” he wrote in an e-mail, going on to also explain that personal freedom and choice are mutually exclusive.

“Although it is a mystery why such specific and quite tragic things happen and no one can explain them, those who often ask where God is and why he does not stop it are often those who wish to have the maximum freedom to be humans and makes choices for their lives,” Bock added.

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