In Chapter One of God’s Problem, Bart D. Ehrman explains why the problem of suffering caused him to abandon his Christian faith. What do you think of his story and reasoning?

Suggested outline:I. (Summary)EhrmanGod’s ProblemEhrman shares personal story (pages 3-6)Problem of suffering, loss of faithII. (Analysis)Ehrman explains the dilemmaPersonal terms, prayer at Christmas service [be specific here!]Ehrman could not reconcile God’s existence with suffering in worldFor Ehrman, the Christian God is a God who intervenes, who actsThe Christian God stops sufferingBut Ehrman sees that suffering goes onSo he concludes there is no God [again, use specifics]IV. (Assessment)(Is Ehrman reasonable or unreasonable in his conclusions?)(Could more be said to strengthen Ehrman’s case?)(Are there weaknesses to Ehrman’s case?)(Do people today need to hear Ehrman’s argument?)Note: Obviously, you can’t criticize Ehrman for his heart or his personal struggles, but you can reflect on his logic and the problem of evil generally. This paper leaves a lot of room in the assessment for thoughtful reflection!Clear and concise expression (two pages is not much space; write economically!)Logical organizationA single, coherent argumentConstant engagement with the textAvoid using “I,” “you,” such expressions as “in my opinion,” and contractionsNo mistakes in spelling, punctuation, or grammarno longer than two pages