Theodicy, Hymnody, and a Christian Response to Natural Evil

Throughout the history of the Church, pastors, theologians, and philosophers have sought to address the problem of evil: if God is good and all-powerful, why does He allow for pain, suffering, and injustice? So numerous have been attempts to resolve the problem of evil that this study is now recognized as a philosophical field: theodicy, i.e., the effort to provide a ‘vindication of God.’

Within this field called theodicy, one might quickly recognize two subdisciplines: (1) theodicies focussing on moral evil, namely the sinful and wicked actions of humanity, and (2) theodicies seeking to address the realities of ‘natural evil;’ earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis, and similar ‘natural disasters.’ For many Christians, this latter category might be more challenging to think about or for which to provide an answer. While the former, moral evil, instantly brings our minds to well-known doctrines such as humanity’s free will, original sin, and total depravity and allows us to turn to comfort in the promise of future, final, and inescapable divine judgment, what is to be said about natural evil?

How can Christians respond or vindicate God as good when God sends the evil in question? What are we to think when God is responsible for the seemingly indiscriminate devastation that lays waste to cities, regions, or entire countries? When we encounter what many insurance companies to this day will still officially call ‘acts of God, ’ what are we to do? Where is God’s goodness when he creates calamity, disaster, and evil (Isa, 45:7)?

An Eighteenth-Century Response 

To find some direction in the face of these difficult questions, we can be thankful for the witness of the Church. From Lactantius’ On the Anger of God and Augustine’s The City of God, numerous helpful, albeit long and often academic, answers have been provided through the medieval scholastics, the protestant reformers, and reformed orthodox. Yet, the most pastoral and digestible theodical reflections come from eighteenth-century British evangelicals. In the face of natural evils, namely earthquakes, figures such as John and Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, and John Newton had to provide answers, comfort, and leadership to shocked or hurting congregations. To care for their people, they preached sermons, wrote essays, and crafted letters to guide people in understanding and rightly responding to the painful reality of natural evil. These evangelical leaders, however, also had another method of providing comfort and insight; perhaps peculiarly, they wrote hymns.

While this might come as a shock to many readers today, a quintessential evangelical response to natural evil in the eighteenth century was to write and sing original hymns: hymns that would directly address the disaster, unambiguously plan it in the context of God’s sovereign control and provide pastoral instruction into how regular Christians should think of and respond to such evils. Therefore, I will work through John Newton’s hymn On the Earthquake for the rest of this. Found within Book 2 of the Olney Hymns, Hymn 68, Newton provides a helpful case study into how Christians can make sense of evil, clearly perceive God’s goodness even in the midst and aftermath of it, and respond to it appropriately. Written in response to an earthquake that shook his community in 1775, Newton proves ever the thoughtful theologian, caring pastor, and bold evangelist.

On the Earthquake

I recommend you read the entire hymn, which may be found here.

Although on massy pillars built,

The earth has lately shook;

It trembled under Britain's guilt,

Before its Maker's look.

From this first stanza, we should note two points: (1) the reference to the nation’s guilt, and (2) the clear statement that the Maker (God) is the one responsible. As is typical for his day, Newton understands a nation’s collective accountability; national sin brings national guilt and results in national judgment. Among many eighteenth-century pastors is an awareness, a healthy concern, that their collective sin as a nation might justly incur the collective judgment of God. Thus, God, in his right and power as Maker (Creator), uses his chosen means of creation to punish or discipline his rebellious creatures justly. As a result of Britain’s guilt, the nation trembled before its Maker’s look; national judgment is a just response to national sin and guilt.

But mercy spared us while it warned,

The shock is felt no more;

And mercy, now, alas! is scorned

By sinners, as before.

In the third stanza, we are reminded of a sobering truth. God’s mercy is on powerful display in that the judgment, whether an earthquake or other means of disaster, is limited. As orthodox Reformed or Evangelical Christians are quick to confess concerning personal sin, that perfection is the standard and anything short justly warrants eternal punishment, the same holds for nations. The reality that God holds back complete, utter, and entire destruction when pouring out judgment against guilty nations is a profound testament to his mercy. As Newton points out, this is a great mercy that sinners continuously scorn as after each judgment they inevitably return to their wicked ways.

Repent before the Judge draws nigh;

Or else when he comes down,

Thou wilt in vain for earthquakes cry,

To hide thee from his frown.

As we learn from the fifth stanza, there is more to natural evil than God’s merciful judgement. In an act of pure benevolence, natural evil is a warning! When faced with the justice of Jesus’ second coming, unrepented sinners will beg for the relatively light hardship of even the most significant earthquakes (Rev. 6:16). In every act of God, in every terrible moment of natural evil, humanity gets a vivid reminder of God’s might, power, and righteous resolve to avenge. If God wanted, He could justly allow humanity to continue in their sin in relative ignorance, blissfully unaware of the wrath of the Lamb that is to come. Yet, in every earthquake and disaster, God graciously gives a potent reminder, a pledge, or what is surely to come. Each disaster is a merciful token to cry out in repentance.

But happy they who love the Lord

And his salvation know;

The hope that's founded on his word,

No change can overthrow.

Beginning in the sixth stanza and carrying on until the end of the hymn, Newton offers pastoral comfort. While Christians, as members of nations, may experience pain, suffering, or even death amid God’s judgments, the reality is this: they may rest. No matter what comes. Christians may rest knowing that their salvation is safe, their hope is secure, and nothing happens apart from the will of their Lord, who controls everything. 

Our Response to Natural Evil  

While Newton’s hymn is one example of many theodicy-minded hymns (e.g., Charles Wesley has an entire collection of ‘Earthquake Hymns’), it stands as a helpful guide from church history. Eighteenth-century evangelicals could go awry in their theodical thinking and writing, for example, by reading their political agendas into God’s judgments. Newton, however, in this brilliant hymn, sticks to the core and commendable elements that defined his day’s evangelical theodicy. Here is a summary of points and the implicit instructions they offer for our response that are raised in this single hymn:

As summarized above, natural evils emphasize God’s justice, mercy, and grace. Rather than being points undermining God’s goodness, they affirm in a particular life.

Response: Allow natural evils to draw you into sober, somber, yet heartfelt worship.

As discussed, natural evils may be considered national (or collective) judgments against national sin and guilt.

Response: Embrace natural evils as occasions to pray for national revival and call for national repentance.

As presented in conclusion, natural evils are an opportunity to rest and trust in Christ. Amid hardship and death, Christians can be sure of their salvation, love, and hope.

Response: As you minister to the physical needs of the affected, think of their spiritual needs as well. When appropriate, call them to the hope and rest you have as a follower of Jesus, our Shepherd, Lord, and Chief.