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Unspeakable: Facing Up to the Challenge of Evil

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Evil may seem to be an old fashioned word in this relativistic age where the only absolute truth, many contend, is that there is not absolute truth. It is that attitude that lets evil spread. Using the past as illustrations, Mr. Guiness confronts our attitudes about evil. Correcting them is the key to dealing with evil in the best possible way. By asking seven incisive questions, he takes readers on a journey that will lead them to an apprehension of this enemy and, hopefully, to make a difference in their own hearts.

**** Yes, the book is slanted towards a Christian world view, but he does present other views as fairly as it is possible for a committed Christian to do. Though the answers are staunchly Christian, they are presented logically enough that it is hard to imagine that a non Christian reading this would be offended. Reading a book won't cure the evils of life, but it might help you face them better. ****

This is a very important book: it is an important subject tackled by an important author. Guinness, one of our finest Christian commentators and thinkers, argues that the issue of suffering and evil is our most urgent and serious problem.

Evil may have been always with us, but Guinness argues that for the first time in human history, many people no longer have a coherent moral and intellectual framework with which to assess it. More disturbing, we no longer have a shared understanding about whether there even is such a thing as evil.

Ironically, while the scale and scope of evil has increased in the modern world, our ability to respond to it has weakened. Because of the "sorry state of moral illiteracy and intellectual cowardice" that we moderns find ourselves in, we have a hard time even recognizing evil. Or worse still, we simply make excuses for it.

Utopian views of human goodness and a refusal to face reality have resulted in a moral myopia that cannot call evil evil. Indeed, postmodernism compounds the problem, by arguing that calling something evil is the real crime. PoMo has "spawned legions of people who pronounce all judgments of evil to be judgmental and evil themselves".

Guinness spends a lot of time asking questions about evil and suffering, saving tentative answers for the end of his book. The questions themselves reveal a very deep and nuanced struggle with the issue. Guinness has drawn deeply from the wells of human reflection on, and interaction with, the subject of pain and suffering. His many incisive quotes from a range of authors, thinkers, philosophers and religions are alone worth the price of the book.

As part of his investigation, he describes in detail three main responses to the problem of evil. The three main families of faith in the modern world are the Eastern, the secular, and the Judeo-Christian.

Eastern responses to evil include that of Hinduism, Buddhism, and much of the New Age Movement. A common theme of the Eastern approach is that there is no real solution to evil in this world, only the renunciation of this world. Freedom from evil means freedom from individuality. If the East is world-denying, the next main option is world-affirming.

In the secularist family of faith (atheism, naturalism, secular humanism, etc.) evil is something that we alone must confront. There is no God to help us, so we must create our own paradise on earth. And we have certainly seen some robust attempts in the past century to do just that. Great experiments in producing a new man and a new social order have been tried, but only to be found greatly wanting. The grand social utopias, be they of Stalin, Hitler or Mao have all resulted in the most horrific bloodshed known to man.

Secularist regimes with secularist visions of heaven on earth have only led to hell on earth. Indeed, more people were killed by the secularists in the twentieth century than all other ideologies combined before then.

The last family, the great monotheistic faiths, has quite a different spin on things. The Judeo-Christian tradition sees evil as an intrusion into this world. Things are not the way they are supposed to be. Evil is unnatural and an intruder. The doctrine of creation tells us about how the world was meant to be, while the doctrine of the fall tells us what has gone wrong. But it does not end there. In the Christian version of things, the doctrine of redemption tells us how evil has been faced head on, and how it has been, and ultimately will be, overcome. Thus we can join in fighting against evil without seen to be fighting against God.

God does not abandon us in our struggle against evil. Indeed, "no other god has wounds," Guinness reminds us. In the Eastern view, detachment is the solution. In the secular view, denial or utopianism is the proposed course. In the Christian view, God enters into our predicament, suffers for us and with us, and leads us in the way ahead.

The three views could not be more different. In the Christian religion, not only is there a plausible explanation for evil, but there is the conviction that something has been done about it. God has entered human history and confronted sheer evil. And the sheer love of God has defeated this evil.

Of course the mystery of evil can never be fathomed, at least in this world. In the Hebrew scriptures a whole book was devoted to the subject. Job asked a lot of questions which were never answered. "In the end, rather than getting an answer from God, Job encounters God himself, which is his answer."

The timeless truths of the Christian faith will not satisfy everyone. And as Guinness points out, some of the most anguished cries against God concerning the problem of evil have come from believers, not atheists. The Christian solution must be weighed up and compared to its chief rivals.

No one system may completely satisfy. But by means of a careful presentation of the main alternatives, this book helps to lay out the quite different approaches to this vexatious problem, helping all pilgrims along the way to see more clearly and perhaps more hopefully.

If this book ultimately sheds little new light on the subject, it is because it does not claim to do so. It can only restate what has gone before. And this restatement is superbly done. And given the age of terrorism and genocide that we find ourselves in, the demand for a careful restatement is more urgent than ever.

Os Guinness has both a brilliant mind and a compassionate heart. He is a sharp writer, who captures the focal point of a topic and presents his case with clearness and depth. Such is the case with this new book, UNSPEAKABLE: Facing up to Evil in an age of Genocide and Terror. He tackles a very difficult topic which few scholars, pastors, or writers can, without being or becoming very prejudiced. I appreciated this as I read this book. Guinness outlines the nature and origin of evil, and therefore terror, which are hot topics in our world today, especially in America since September 11, 2001. He is one who has experienced both in his own life, having lived up in China during a period of war and political upheaval. That is why he can write as one who has been there, so to speak. He considers Evil and terror two of the "most urgent and momentous issues of our times," and he is right. In this book, he tackles the tough questions of why does God let evil happen, and where is God when it does happen? He does not answer these questions with wishy-washy clichés, but gets right to the point of identifying humanity's responsibility. Whether it is the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, or the 1940s death camp of Auschwitz, or the 2001 attack on the Twin Towers in New York City, Evil, and Terror are our common foes, and at the same time, our common questions surrounding God's contribution or not, are the same. There is far too much to say about this incredible book in a short review. It is a must read.

Once again Os Guinness writes a book that is deeper, wider, and more intellectually (think also spiritually) insightful than the bulk of stuff produced. If you are a Christian, read this book to see a great mind at work. If you are a non-Christian, read this book and see that some Christians can and do think.

The problem of evil confronts and confuses us all. Guinness encourages us to examine our lives in light of the evil so prevalent in our world today. Through a series of seven questions, Guinness addresses several areas relating to evil, including causes for and reactions to the suffering all around us. His overall thesis is that `religion is not the problem' but the only real answer to survival in a world gone mad.

In general Guinness examines evil from three perspectives: (1) Eastern religions (especially Buddhism and Hinduism); (2) Secularism (especially in terms of liberalism and relativism); and (3) Biblical faiths (Judaism and Christianity). He really never examines his subject from an Islamic viewpoint. Guinness writes from a Christian viewpoint and in determined fashion argues that detachment from evil (Eastern religions) or underestimating the presence and power of evil (Secularism) is not the answer. Rather, Christianity offers the only realistic appraisal of evil and the only legitimate hope of overcoming it. He writes with a `trilemma' in mind. Is God willing to prevent evil yet unable to? Is he able but unwilling? Is he both willing and able? These three questions vex Christian to no end but Guinness is clear to admit the questions must be part of the discussion.

Guinness is well informed and includes many great thinkers and survivors of evil in his discussion. He writes from a context of having evil impact his life directly. Readers will come away with an understanding of the issues surrounding evil, even if they don't share his embracing of the Christian worldview. If anything could be changed about the book it would be the inclusion of an Islamic perspective and the addition of footnotes and a subject index. But these complaints aside, Guinness' book will make you think about a topic that is often denied though it is critical to our understanding of who we are and what the meaning of life is.

The reviews of this book reveal that Mr. Guinness is "dinged" for one consistent reason only: his Christian faith. There is no criticism of his thinking (he is exceptionally lucid and insightful) or his delivery (always candid and respectful). Mr. Guinness is Christian, and as such, he does not receive the level playing field of the naturalist or secular humanist. This bothers me. I am especially concerned because the book is about evil and the devaluation Mr. Guinness receives simply because of his faith is nothing if it is not evil and bigotry.

This is not limited to the individual reviews. Look at the Publishers Weekly review above: "Guinness, one of evangelical Christianity's few public intellectuals...." Why is it okay to do this with Christians? Could we be so accepting if it were blacks? Muslims? Atheists? Chinese? Hindus? Publishers Weekly continues: "His Christian convictions are evident, but he engages respectfully with those who do not share them." It is very interesting that other reviewers also emphasize that Mr. Guinness is a Christian, but doesn't write offensively. Have we lost even the concept that those whose convictions differ from our own cannot extend to us respect and courtesy? Is respect only to be expected from those who have NO convictions (or perhaps no Christian convictions)? Is it possible for anyone to be without some absolute convictions? I think not. I guess we are all doomed to be offensive to each other, instead of grateful for the freedom to think and express ourselves, to the end we might be iron sharpening iron.

Reading this book is like taking in calories - it is nourishing even though it is not a comfortable read. Mr. Guinness has a rare gift of very deep thought and the ability to write in precise language. His arguments are, at least to my mind, unassailable.

Those who discredit Mr. Guinness for his faith should re-read pp. 231 and 232 of this book, which I will quote here: "One of the main lessons is to reconsider the significance of evil for our understanding of public and international life, though this topic would require a book in itself. I would simply argue here that living with our deepest differences is one of the world's critical problems and that one of the overlooked keys to solving it is to give religious liberty its due place in public life. People of different faiths--including secularism--might then relate to public life constructively and to each other civilly.

"At the very least, we must shed Enlightenment prejudices about religion and consider the facts more objectively. We must reject the hoary myth that 'religion is the problem,' as well as the fallacious idea that the answer is a public square denuded of all religion....The quality and tone of the public discussion would improve immeasurably if secularists were to acknowledge that their faith is one faith among others and talk openly of their own failures--on the one hand, directly inspiring utopian evil, and on the other, failing to provide humanistic values strong enough to resist modern evil.

"As the global public square emerges, there are two particular errors we cannot afford. One is to replace the religious establishments of the past with a secularist establishment or semi-establishment. The other is to create a two-tier global public square in which the cosmopolitan liberal secularists form the top tier of the global elites and all religious believers are relegated to the second rank. In a truly diverse world, neither of these options for the public square is just and neither is workable."

I find it frightening that Mr. Guinness's words appear to be coming true. The bottom tier, the back of the bus, is to be occupied by Christians and others who embrace religious world views, while the top tier would never include them simply because they are people of faith.

Unlike many of Guiness' earlier works, Os tackles a heavy topic from a broad perspective in this book. For anyone wrestling with the concept of evil, even from the perspective that there is no such thing, Guinness lays out a very strong study of the strengths and weaknesses of all the modern approaches to the problem.

The hardest part of the book was reading that not only has genocide happened again and again after WWII, but the world's responses to it haven't improved in the slightest.

Left unanswered is what response world leaders should take, but Guinness does an excellent job of laying out what the individual should do.

Facing evil, defining that word as a person and culture, why is it so difficult? Os Guiness does a great job in defining how Americans in particular are morally illiterate and intellectual cowards when faced with horrific events and agreeing on "evil," and all of us alive today know some of the worst natural disasters and inhuman treatment the world has ever seen. We must have a shared, strong, non-controversial, focused response to evil and suffering. Otherwise "the consequences of our uncertainty damage us all on all sorts of levels. He asks us to ponder Where is God, Why Me, How Can I Stand It,The Courage to Stand among many other questions.
"The world is too dangerous to live in -- not because there are people who do evil--but because of people who sit and let it happen" Albert Einstein.
A great book for anyone and a great read for a book group.

Os Guinness writes with clarity about suffering. Our current age is simply the fruit of a long struggle that began about 40 years ago. Since the 1960s, when someone wrote "It is forbidden to forbid," too many have lost their way amid the current, The only absolute truth is there is no absolute truth, mantra. The author gives the reader a brief course in comparative religion that illuminates the issue of suffering across a wide range of belief systems. Yes, he is a Christian but he gives voice to something that needs to be said. There are absolutes today, but they are not healthy. Relativism is not a valid way to live, along with Indifference. These things detach human beings from each other. There are reasons for suffering and for love. This book provides a solid framework for understanding both.

A single volume can't do a subject like "evil" any justice. But this comes pretty close. Good overall view of how to approach the topic, the contemporary and traditional views of sources of evil, and how dangerously close we could get to allowing atrocious episodes take place under our noses...and even how we've allowed it to happen anyway (Rwanda)...