Join Stephen Meredith, a professor at the University of Chicago specializing in pathology and philosophy, as he tackles the challenging question of why a good God allows suffering, particularly through disease. He shares poignant personal anecdotes from medical training that deepen the exploration of human suffering. The discussion covers sickle cell anemia's genetic background and its evolutionary ties to malaria. Philosophical reflections on the Book of Job and insights from thinkers like Aquinas and Hume reveal a complex interplay between good, evil, and divine purpose.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Author's Daughter's Tragic Leukemia
Peter de Ries wrote about his daughter's death from leukemia to question why a good God allows such suffering.
His novel "The Lord is the Lamb" explores this deep problem of evil and disease.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Sickle Cell Anemia and Evolution
Stephen Meredith shared a story about Sylvester, a boy with sickle cell anemia, explaining the biology behind it.
He discussed how the mutation that causes the disease has a balancing evolutionary advantage against malaria.
insights INSIGHT
The Classic Problem of Evil
The problem of evil questions why evil exists if God is all-powerful and all-good.
This trilemma challenges God's omnipotence, goodness, or the existence of evil itself.
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Boethius's 'Consolation of Philosophy' is a philosophical treatise written while he awaited execution. The work explores themes of fortune, adversity, and the nature of good and evil. Through a dialogue between Boethius and Lady Philosophy, the text examines the relationship between God and the world, grappling with questions of divine providence and human suffering. It offers a blend of philosophical and theological perspectives, providing solace and insight into the challenges of life. The book remains a significant work in the history of philosophy and theology.
Book of Job
Stephen Mitchell
The Book of Job is an Old Testament book that explores themes of suffering, faith, and the nature of God. It tells the story of Job, a righteous man who endures immense suffering despite his piety. The book features dialogues between Job and his friends, who attempt to explain his suffering, and between Job and God. It raises profound questions about the relationship between God and humanity, the problem of evil, and the meaning of life. The Book of Job is considered a literary masterpiece, known for its poetic language and philosophical depth. It remains a source of reflection and inspiration for readers grappling with the complexities of faith and suffering.
The Brothers Karamazov
Larissa Volokhonsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Richard Pevear
Set in 19th-century Russia, 'The Brothers Karamazov' is a novel that delves into the lives of the Karamazov family, focusing on the three brothers—Dmitri, Ivan, and Alyosha—and their complex relationships with their father, Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov. The novel is a murder mystery, a courtroom drama, and an exploration of erotic rivalry, faith, doubt, and reason. It examines the human psyche, moral dilemmas, and the search for meaning in a world fraught with suffering and uncertainty. The story revolves around the murder of Fyodor Pavlovich and the subsequent trial of Dmitri, accused of the crime, while exploring deeper themes of Russian life, social and spiritual striving, and the clash between faith and reason[2][5][4].
Book of Job
Stephen Mitchell
The Book of Job is an Old Testament book that explores themes of suffering, faith, and the nature of God. It tells the story of Job, a righteous man who endures immense suffering despite his piety. The book features dialogues between Job and his friends, who attempt to explain his suffering, and between Job and God. It raises profound questions about the relationship between God and humanity, the problem of evil, and the meaning of life. The Book of Job is considered a literary masterpiece, known for its poetic language and philosophical depth. It remains a source of reflection and inspiration for readers grappling with the complexities of faith and suffering.
An Anecdote, But Not Mine
An Anecdote, But Not Mine
Peter De Vries
Prof. Stephen Meredith examines why a good and all-powerful God would allow horrible diseases, weaving together scientific explanations, philosophical arguments from figures like Boethius and Aquinas, and personal anecdotes to address the problem of evil.
This lecture was given on March 12th, 2025, at University of Georgia.
Stephen Meredith is a professor at the University of Chicago’s Departments of Pathology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Neurology. He is also an associate faculty member in the University of Chicago Divinity School. He has published more than 100 journal articles, focusing on the biophysics of protein structure. Much of his work has been the application of solution and solid-state NMR to the study of amyloid proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease. He has also published articles on literature and philosophy in diverse aspects of medical humanities and bioethics. His teaching includes courses to graduate students in biochemistry and biophysics, medical students, and undergraduates and graduate students in the humanities, including courses on James Joyce’s Ulysses, St. Thomas Aquinas, Augustine, Dostoevsky (focusing on Brothers Karamazov), Thomas Mann and David Foster Wallace. He is currently working on a book examining disease and the theological problem of evil. Other current writing projects include a study of James Joyce and the problem of evil.
Keywords: Balanced Polymorphism, Boethius, Disease and Evil, Evolutionary Biology, The Consolation Of Philosophy, Philosophy Of Religion, Problem of Evil, Sickle Cell Anemia, Theodicy
The Thomistic Institute 
