The Question of Evil

With its screen presence, The Lord of the Rings has captured the imagination of yet another generation (who, unfortunately, may never feel the need to read the book). One low point in the compelling drama comes at the battle of Helm’s Deep. A fortress that had never been breeched in its glorious history was overrun by dark creatures hell-bent on the destruction of all things good in Middle Earth.

The armies of men and the elves who fought beside them had retreated as far as The Deep would allow. Trapped in the last enclave, it was the King of Rohan who uttered the despair that most were feeling,

What can be done against so much evil?

That’s the question, isn’t it? And, it’s not only a fair question, it is a necessary one. No theology that refuses to tackle the question of evil is worth its salt. How does God deal with systematic, widespread evil? We look to the past and see some disturbing trends; evil often seems to have its way. We look to the far future with hope it won’t be an issue in eternity. We simply try to avoid it in the present.

Not since Reagan’s “Evil Empire” references has the concept of evil made its way into the national conversation. A kinder, gentler nation – 9/11 notwithstanding – rarely names the darkness. Instead, we allow fingers to point in all directions especially up at The One who is supposed to be sovereign. Armed with our modern “What’s God done for me lately” theology we scream heavenward believing that He will never answer.

But maybe He already has.

In the nativity we see God take on the darkness. And it was dark. Widespread, systematic evil was embodied in a king who killed on whims and ruled his empire with the sword. Women were raped without any way of recourse, the poor were jailed without a trial, no one spoke their mind in public for fear of punishment. On one unthinkable occasion, this threatened king deployed his Roman troops to kill baby boys in a small town out of fear that one might fulfill an old prophecy.

What can be done against so much evil?

Invade the darkness with a Greater Power, one that has to ability to unnerve the violent and give hope to the violated. One that is animated by a source not of this world while being intimately involved in it. One that is shrewdly innocent, so shrewd in fact that it will look like a monumental failure to most but will overcome evil in such a fashion that that evil itself can be transformed.

Unto you a Savior has been born. Advent. That is the response to evil.