Part Three of The Problem of Evil series with my brother Josh DeVries follows along with chapter 3 in C.S. Lewis' book The Problem of Pain, on "Divine Ominpotence" and what this does and doesn't imply. We get into an interesting discussion on consequences and grace as well. If you'd like, you can go back and listen to the first episode and/or the second episode in the series first or after, or whenever the Spirit moves you ... Thanks as always for listening!

episode notes/links

• The Wade Center Podcast - episodes "Love, Pain, Grief, and Joy: Vol. 2, The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis" and "Love, Pain, Grief, and Joy: Vol. 3, The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis"
• "Don't You Want to Thank Someone" - song by Andrew Peterson

Part Two of The Problem of Evil series with my brother Josh introduces C.S. Lewis' book The Problem of Pain, and follows along with Lewis' case in chapter one for how we even have a "problem" of pain or evil in the first place. If you'd like, you can go back and listen to the first episode in this series; and the next episode on chapter two of The Problem of Pain should be posted soon!

episode notes/links

• The Wade Center Podcast - episodes "Love, Pain, Grief, and Joy: Vol. 2, The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis" and "Love, Pain, Grief, and Joy: Vol. 3, The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis"
• "C.S. Lewis on War and Peace," by David C. Downing (C.S. Lewis Institute article)
• C.S. Lewis' books Surprised by Joy and Miracles
• G.K. Chesterton quote referenced by Josh: "I have remarked that the materialist, like the madman, is in prison; in the prison of one thought. These people seemed to think it singularly inspiring to keep on saying that the prison was very large. The size of this scientific universe gave one no novelty, no relief. The cosmos went on for ever, but not in its wildest constellation could there be anything really interesting; anything, for instance, such as forgiveness or free will. The grandeur or infinity of the secret of its cosmos added nothing to it. It was like telling a prisoner in Reading gaol that he would be glad to hear that the gaol now covered half the county. The warder would have nothing to show the man except more and more long corridors of stone lit by ghastly lights and empty of all that is human. So these expanders of the universe had nothing to show us except more and more infinite corridors of space lit by ghastly suns and empty of all that is divine." (from Orthodoxy, ch. 4; 1908)

I'm joined by another special guest, Melinda Schmidt, to talk about the recent passing of her beloved dog Pippa, and how she is gradually processing that passing and the hole Pip left in her personal and family life.

Melinda once interviewed me about a Christian approach to animal welfare for her former Moody Radio podcast Bring to Mind, an offshoot of Midday Connection. It was a real encouragement to me then, and it's an honor to turn the table so to speak. Always the encouraging conversation partner, she was very patient with my technical bumbling and long-way-about interview style (loosely defined). Thank you, Melinda!

guest & episode notes

• You can often hear Melinda on the podcast of her former Midday Connection co-host Anita Lustrea, Faith Conversations, including recent episodes: Ep. 322 - reflecting on John 2:1-11, and Ep. 319 - Millrose Club reunion. You can also find Melinda on Instagram.
• pet loss book referenced by Melinda: Losing My Best Friend: Thoughtful Support for Those Affected by Dog Bereavement or Pet Loss, by Jeannie Wycherley (Barnes & Noble link)
• "Ask NT Wright Anything: Do Pets Go to Heaven?" article on PremierChristianity.com.

My first guest is a very special one! My brother Josh DeVries joins me to start a series of conversations on the problem of evil. This first episode is a more general and personal exploration of the subject, but in the coming episodes we'll be exploring C.S. Lewis' book The Problem of Pain and using it as a starting point for further discussion. If you'd like to read along, we'll be looking at the first two chapters in a couple of weeks (give or take). Thank you, as always, for listening!

episode notes/links

• Britannica article on the "problem of evil" (https://www.britannica.com/topic/problem-of-evil)
• C.S. Lewis' book The Problem of Pain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Problem_of_Pain)
• Isaiah 53:11 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2053&version=ESV)
• Ben's book A Delicate Fade (https://www.alibris.com/booksearch?mtype=B&keyword=a+delicate+fade&hs.x=0&hs.y=0)
• A few Christian groups helping on the ground in Ukraine, and/or refugees from the Russian invasion: Gennadiy Mokhnenko & Pilgrim (https://republicpilgrim.org/en), Slavic Gospel Association (https://www.sga.org), Mission Eurasia (https://missioneurasia.org/ukraine-emergency-relief-fund)

In this episode I get around to sharing a little more of an introduction to myself, Ben DeVries, and more of what's behind the podcast name "A Corner of the River". Thank you, as always, for listening!

A loose application of "the five stages of grief" to my following the invasion of Ukraine from a distance, with some extra focus on anger. Thank you for listening, and for your own caring and praying for Ukraine!

episode notes/links

• an article debunking five defined/linear stages of grief (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/five-fallacies-of-grief)
• C.S. Lewis' A Grief Observed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Grief_Observed)
• Ruslan Trad tweet (https://twitter.com/ruslantrad/status/1513829542066012164); CNN interview with Olena Zelenska (https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/12/europe/olena-zelenska-ukraine-first-lady-amanpour-cmd-intl/index.html)
• Melanie Goggans' poignant Facebook post (https://www.facebook.com/MelanieGoggans/posts/10227553266320993)
• Psalm 21:8-12 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+21&version=NIV); Ephesians 4:26-27 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4&version=NIV); Luke 18:1-8 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+18&version=NIV)

Prompted by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, this episode just begins to explore the disconnect between our true intuition that every human life is of infinite value, in contrast and connection to the reality of mass suffering such as what we're seeing in Ukraine. What do we do with this, and how do we see God's role in this?

episode notes/links

• CNN video about 11-year-old Ukrainian girl recovering from being shot by Russian soldiers: https://youtu.be/2tz7stTA_Bo
• United Nations data on Ukrainian civilian casualties and refugees: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-03-27/ukrainian-civilian-death-toll-reaches-1-119-u-n & https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/press/2022/3/623ce1e44/news-comment-international-solidarity-ukraines-displacement-crisis-turn.html
• video featuring Gennadiy Mokhnenko of Pilgrim charity fund/ministry which is based in Mariupol: https://www.facebook.com/soworldwide/videos/1007976530126562; and link to Pilgrim's website for more information on the heroic work they're doing, and to donate: https://republicpilgrim.org/en/pilgrims-service-in-the-war

Thank you for listening, and for praying for Ukraine! - Ben DeVries, A Corner of the River

A very brief introduction to "A Corner of the River", and reflecting on the horrific invasion of Ukraine which prompted this first episode ... Thank you for listening! - Ben DeVries