The Roots of Evil, Revised, Third Edition
by Dr. Norman L. Geisler

In 2013, Norm made some minor revisions to the book and added additional material in the form of appendices. Bastion Books plans to publish this third edition in 2022 or 2023. Please check back for more updates!

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 | THE DILEMMA OF EVIL.. 6
CHAPTER 2 | PHILOSOPHICAL OPTIONS CONCERNING EVIL.. 8
Illusionism… 8
Dualism… 10
CHAPTER 3 | PHILOSOPHICAL OPTIONS CONCERNING GOD.. 15
Atheism… 15
Finite Godism… 17
Sadism… 20
Open Theism… 22
CHAPTER 4 | THE THEISTIC EXPLANATION OF EVIL.. 25
CHAPTER 5 | THE WORLDS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.. 33
Options Open to God to Create Better Worlds. 33
The Best Way to the Best World. 38
The Beatific Vision: Seeing God Face-to-Face. 40
But what about the choice to do Evil?. 41
Why Did God Create a World where He Knew that Not all Would be Saved?. 42
Concluding Thoughts. 43
CHAPTER 6 | EXPLANATIONS FOR PHYSICAL EVIL.. 44
What About Gratuitous Evil?. 50
Why Doesn’t God Miraculously Intervene to Stop Evil?. 51
CHAPTER 7 | CONCLUDING REMARKS ABOUT EVIL.. 55
APPENDIX 1 | WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HEARD?.. 57
APPENDIX 2 | Questions About the Eternal Destiny of the Lost. 60
APPENDIX 3 | WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE.. 66
APPENDIX 4 | GOD, EVIL, AND DISPENSATIONS. 80
APPENDIX 5 | 9 Points for Preaching on the Problem of Evil 96
More Questions Than Answers?. 96
The Atheist’s Dilemma. 97
Evil Cries Out for God. 97
If God Created Only Good Things, Then Where Did Evil Come From?. 98
What Caused Lucifer to Sin?. 98
But If God Is All-Good and All-Powerful, Why Is Evil Not Defeated?. 99
What About the Holocaust?. 100
Why Earthquakes, Tornados, and Tsunamis?. 100
God Never Wastes a Tragedy. 101
No Pain, No Gain. 101
REFERENCES. 103
MORE INFO.. 107