Resource: Evil & Suffering | Evil & suffering: Christian, Muslim, atheist and agnostic responses.
How can the problem of evil & suffering be explained?
Link to Resource
Burnley Interfaith Question Panel is a video from CLEO of a question and answer session at the end of a young people’s conference. Four people, representing Christian, Atheist, Muslim and Agnostic points of view answer 8 questions put to them through the chairperson. The question in focus here is: ‘How do you explain the problem of evil and suffering?’
Classroom suggestions:
a) Ask students to choose one response shown in video. In pairs, ask them to identify the evidence and arguments they would use to challenge the point of view expressed.
b) Ask students to plan a new question for each of the four participants. How do they think their questions would be answered? What would their own response be to the question?
For more ideas:
Philosophical RE, ed Lat Blaylock, includes a section of activities on Why evil and Suffering? This publication is available online from RE Today; further details are available here.
