Big Questions in an Age of Global Crises: Thinking about Meaning, Purpose, God, Suffering, Death, and Living Well during Pandemics, Wars, Economic Collapse, and Other Disasters

by Nick Megoran, Sharon Dirckx (Foreword)

Does life have meaning, purpose and value? Can we know whether God exists? If he does, why does he allow bad things to happen? How can we make sense of death, and what lies beyond it? And how can we live life well during a personal, national, or global crisis? Human beings have always asked these big questions. However, crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2007-2008 financial collapse, or the War on Terror following the 9/11 attacks, make them seem more urgent and harder to avoid. This short book is an accessible introduction to these questions.

115 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 4, 2022

About the author

Also known as Nick Solly Megoran

Nick Megoran is a geography professor at Newcastle University, England, and is part of the leadership group of Wallsend Baptist Church. He is interested in how humans divide up the world between each other, how and why that becomes violent, and how such divisions can be overcome peaacefully. At the heart of his work is a sense that human beings have inherent value and that this should be respected in how we create societies, for example in how we draw international borders and make workplaces.

Reviews

[Daniel Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclosure - I got to know the author when he was studying political borders in Central Asia. Decades later, I am struck by how he is now straddling a different type of border - that between secular social science (as Professor of Political Geography) and Christian service (as a pastor). There is plenty of Christian apologetics written by theologians, or those trained in other humanities like philosophy or the natural scientists. It's rare, however, to find an exploration of Christian faith from the perspective of someone trained in critical analysis of how societies function, and who is also hands on in building community. I found it really helpful to see this perspective deployed in this short, but insightful, book, in particular the sections on human meaning and suffering. It's very reflective and relatable and I would recommend to anyone studying, or who has studied, the social sciences and is looking for a wise guide in grappling with these bigger questions.

[Evenly Geal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Timely Compass for Troubled Times
Big Questions in an Age of Global Crises by Nick Megoran is a profound yet accessible guide to the questions that echo through the ages—and grow louder in times of upheaval. With clarity and compassion, Megoran addresses life’s deepest concerns: purpose, suffering, mortality, and the existence of God.

In a world shaken by pandemics, wars, and economic uncertainty, this book invites readers to pause, reflect, and seek meaning amid the chaos. Far from offering platitudes, it wrestles honestly with doubt and offers grounding insights for those navigating personal and global storms.

Whether you are a seeker, a thinker, or someone carrying silent questions in the shadow of crisis, this book is a wise companion for life’s most difficult moments.

Highly recommended for anyone yearning for purpose and peace in an unpredictable world.

[Ingrid A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book - I'm not a churchgoer or religious myself but as Nick Megoran rightly writes in the book, these are big questions that we all face, repeatedly and to lesser or greater intensities through life I suspect. It was a thought-provoking read, and engaging and accessible; I enjoyed the references to popular culture, current events, animals (puss moths!), history, and more. A short book that I can imagine a lot of thought, through many years, has gone into!

[Becky Briant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book covers many key questions of life and death, sharing the author's experiences of exploring them. What I found particularly useful was the final chapter about how to live well during a global crisis. In a world that seesaws between despair / anger and denial in relation to crises, Nick shows how the Christian worldview provides a better and more balanced way to approach crises than any other worldview.

[Sarah Hackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. It tackles the big issues of life and death but is not heavy going. There are lots of personal anecdotes and stories from films and literature that will keep you reading.