Truth Unites Jon Stewart Just Challenged Believers (The Problem of Evil)
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Dec 4, 2025 A thought-provoking discussion unfolds around Jon Stewart's candor on faith and the problem of evil. Gavin Ortlund argues for the social benefits of religion while critiquing secular views. He challenges the idea of neutrality in creation, referencing fine-tuning and design. The crux of the conversation centers on how the problem of evil poses a deeper dilemma for atheism. Drawing on Dostoevsky, he emphasizes the necessity of God for moral outrage and hope, ultimately highlighting Jesus' incarnation as a source of comfort in suffering.
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Respond To Doubters With Prayer And Presence
- When someone says "I wish I could get there," respond with prayer and openness to conversation.
- Gavin says to pray for them and be available to speak gently about faith.
Specificity Strengthens Theistic Claims
- Ortlund finds cosmic fine-tuning and specificity (like Jesus' historical claims) more persuasive than vague spirituality.
- He argues specificity makes belief falsifiable and stronger than a generic 'spirit' explanation.
Problem Of Evil Is The Central Challenge
- The problem of evil is the deepest objection to faith and must be met with empathy first, not argument.
- Gavin Ortlund argues that while theism leaves mystery, it supplies frameworks that make the suffering of children intelligible and grievous.
