Where Is God in a World with So Much Evil?

by Collin Hansen, Chris Fabry (Narrator)

Addressing Doubts about God's Justice and Goodness in the Face of Evil

In the face of evil and suffering, many people question God's goodness. Even faithful Christians may struggle to see God's justice when they experience the heartache, pain, and tragedies of our broken world. Why does God seem to remain silent when we need him the most?

Collin Hansen's short and accessible guide answers suffering peoples' questions about God's character by exploring the stories of Job, Jesus, and the Jewish people during the horrific events of the Holocaust. Ideal for both skeptics and Christians who want to help others in their pain, this booklet reminds us that God speaks through the cries of his people and offers us the gift of his Son—a suffering servant who makes all things new.

Great for Personal Use and Ideal for both skeptics and Christians who want to help others in their pain Short, Accessible Combines anecdotes, a historical overview of moral revolution, testimonies from sufferers in the Bible, and literature to answer doubts about God's goodness Part of the TGC Hard Questions Equips readers with answers to difficult questions facing today's church

Genres: Christian Living, Theology, Christian

Audible Audio

Published March 4, 2025

About the author

Collin Hansen is editorial director for The Gospel Coalition and was previously an associate editor for Christianity Today. He has written for Books & Culture, Leadership, and Christian History & Biography, and is the author of Young, Restless, and Reformed.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Over the clanging gong of breaking news, we listen for the first notes from a trumpet that will signal the end of evil.”

[Troy Solava · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful booklet- especially helpful to discuss with another Christian! This booklet does not (and should not) go through philosophical reasons about the problem of evil. Rather, it pastorally gets into the trenches of suffering and shows the grace of Jesus.

This probably won’t help you writing an academic paper on the problem of evil. But it will help you learn to lament, to care for a friend suffering, and to better understand scripture!

[Summer Culver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredibly powerful book on the problem of evil in this world and how Christ is not silent in our sorrows. Definitely recommend.

[Wesley Rinehart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brief, but helpful for any believer.

“We demand justice because we have been made by a God who is just.” Pg 19

“We can’t judge others without inviting judgment ourselves. We don’t just need evil to be eradicated out there. We need it removed in here, within us. We are not as bad as Hitler. But that doesn’t make us good.” Pg 27

“To approach him in his holiness, we need a mediator, because those who suffer still sin. We do not merely need deliverance from the evil of the world. We need deliverance from the evil in our hearts.” Pg 28

[Matt Francisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly helpful and concise primer on the problem of evil. Praise God that He is not silent, even when He seems to be, and that while we may not ever know why He allows specific things to happen, we know that He sent His Son once to suffer and die for us and that “even now, God prepares to send his Son again. In Christ, new creation is coming. Jesus overcomes evil with good” (p. 39)

[Rachel Burcham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great companion read to historical books on the Holocaust. It refers back to the suffering and questioning in Night by Wiesel and some others, and seeks to provide biblical wisdom in these hard situations. It would be helpful book for anyone helping a friend through hard times, and it's a very quick read at under 50 pages.

[Evan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m always a fan of books who do their best to honestly pursue what they put out to accomplish. For me, I want an author to be consistent and honest about the purpose in their writing. With a short primer like this one, the author does well to address the severity of the question, and give the honest, biblical answer. In this case, the biblical answer is a hard one, THE strongest barrier to faith in the postmodern/post-Christian West. I appreciate the author’s provision of a list of additional, lengthier resources that deal with the topic of evil and how it relates to Christianity.

One caveat to my review: the author looks at both historical and modern accounts of evil, including current events that have not fully played themselves out on the world stage. While I believe that all human suffering is to be lamented by the devoted Christ-follower, I also fear that the author’s inclusion of these controversial geo-political issues might unnecessarily steer some “truth-seeking” readers away from the crux of the argument and conversation for reasons that could have gone without being brought up in this circumstance. He certainly does not show the sensitivity required to address such a universally hot-button and sensitive international dispute.

When considering world news and American politics, I often consider the fact that after Muslim terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001, weeks later there were American missionaries deployed to the Middle East who were actively risking their lives not for military revenge against Muslim extremists, but for the sake of the Gospel and the glory of Christ among them. Things on the world scale are not always as simple as they seem. We as Christian’s are to abhor evil wherever it is, lament evils against the innocent, and pursue righteous justice, and yet at the same time, hold the Gospel above all.

While I would certainly highly recommend this short book as a great starting line for considering the “problem of evil” and how it is reconciled within Christianity, I know for certain that some of the decisions he makes as far as examples go will be problematic for some. This book serves as an example of why we should read all things critically and with grace towards the author (who in the case of much Christian writing, is seeking to do good to the reader rather than evil), taking the good and leaving the bad, knowing that only Scripture is inerrant, infallible, and inspired by God.

[Cade Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired to read by our study through Habakkuk. Wrestles with real, common questions about the “problem of evil”. It also touched on the suffering of children which I’ve always struggled with in my profession. Encourages the reader to rest in the sovereignty/justice of God and look to the cross to see the goodness of God. Really appreciated.

[Erin Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This booklet is March 2025 from Crossway as part of The Gospel Coalition’s Hard Questions series.

In this short book, Collin Hansen addresses what he believes is one of the greatest objections to Christianity — if God is good, sovereign, and just, why is there so much evil in the world?
Hansen shares his own experience of contemplating the unspeakable terrors of the holocaust while reading Elie Wiesel’s book, Night. He does not shy away from acknowledging the rampant (and often unexplainable) evil we experience in this world. Yet he offers up succinct and reasonable answers with compassion and truth.
This is certainly worth reading, contemplating for yourself, and sharing with others.

[Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting.

Hansen doesn’t give an answer to the book’s question, but instead points to the cross.
He explains that Christ is not indifferent to suffering, yet endured ultimate suffering for our sake.

In order to empathise with our suffering, Hansen points us to Psalm 22 where God was silent in the greatest suffering the world has ever seen.

He also offers wisdom to help those in suffering - sit with them, listen to them and don’t talk as much as you listen. Take Job’s friends as an example (before they started talking).

[Raegan Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful little guide on navigating the brokenness of our world. “He may not give us answers, but he gives us Jesus Christ” so much truth in so few pages. A great reminder of how to minister to others in suffering and also walk it ourselves.

[Mitzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short, thoughtful book offers a clear and compassionate look at one of life’s hardest questions. Collin Hansen doesn’t shy away from the reality of suffering but points to a God who sees, speaks, and ultimately redeems.

[Idalisse · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5, great little primer on the problem of evil.