Why?: Making Sense of God's Will

In this slim volume, a Methodist pastor of a large Kansas City church attempts to tackle the formidable issue of theodicy: if God is good, why do bad things happen? Hamilton (24 Hours that Changed the World) does so without resorting to big-name philosophers or Latin-sounding constructions. He has a comforting story-telling approach to writing that will be appreciated by readers wanting to soothe their sores more than grapple with the complexities of this age-old question. Hamilton proposes that God has given human beings responsibility and free will to manage their lives and oversee the created order. He sidesteps the issue of why God is necessary if people are essentially left to their own devices. Instead, he offers faith in a larger Christian scheme, a divine narrative that the gifted theologian and writer Frederick Buechner summed up by saying that "the worst thing is never the last thing," or, in more traditional language, life will overcome death and good will triumph over evil. (Apr.)