“Only after opening our hands should we dare to open our mouths…”

Haiti and the Problem of Evil: Pathways in Theodicy:

Christians and non-Christians alike ask for theological justifications and explanations for the horrific evils of the world, and we should be prepared to respond. For Christians, the best response, the more imperative question, is not “why?” but “what”: What can we do to help in situations of suffering? Pat Robertson, ironically, is contributing funds to help with Haitian relief. We should do the same. Only after opening our hands should we dare to open our mouths, and even then we should speak with fear and trembling. We should choose pathways in theodicy that cohere with our highest theological ideals and that, above all, make sense to those at the epicenter of tragedy. Only thus do we avoid grave Robertsonian missteps.