Renewing Your Mind The Problem of Evil
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Feb 18, 2026 
R.C. Sproul, theologian and founder of Ligonier Ministries, offers a concise lecture on the problem of evil. He frames the philosophical challenge and explains what a theodicy attempts. He critiques views that minimize evil, explores Leibniz’s distinctions, wrestles with human freedom and Adam’s choice, and turns the challenge around to argue that evil presupposes ultimate goodness.
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Theodicy Admits A Real Mystery
- Theodicy tries to justify God for evil but no fully adequate answer exists.
- R.C. Sproul admits the mystery and urges honest acknowledgment rather than evasive answers.
Start By Admitting You Don't Know
- When confronted with the problem of evil, begin by saying, 'I don't know' and acknowledge its seriousness.
- Do not evade or play games; face the question honestly to maintain credibility.
Leibniz's Threefold Distinction
- Leibniz distinguishes moral, physical, and metaphysical evil and traces moral evil to metaphysical imperfection.
- This links sin to finitude: we err because we are finite and limited beings.