N. T. Wright: Evil and the Justice of God

N. T. Wright, Evil and the Justice of God (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 176 pages, ISBN 9780830833986.

Though he admits he is not an expert on evil (17), N. T. Wright writes Evil and the Justice of God in light of a new concentration on evil in postmodern Western society. His work is particularly significant in light of the perceived evil involved with such events as the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States; the devastation of Hurricane Katrina; and the Tsunami across the Indian Ocean. Wright defines evil as “the force of anti-creation, anti-life, the force which opposes and seeks to deface and destroy God’s good world of space, time and matter, and above all God’s image-bearing human creatures” (89). Wright notes that postmodern Western society either typically ignores or denies the existence of evil when it is not directly impacted. However, when postmodern Western society is directly impacted by evil, its typical response is to either blame everyone else or blame themselves (24). Consequently, this reaction has direct implications on the notions of how one exacts justice in order to combat evil. Given its ambiguous notion of evil, can postmodern Western Society clearly define and (more importantly) exact justice in response to evil being manifested? In contrast, what is the Judeo-Christian response to the problems of evil and implementation of justice on an individual and societal level? These are the key questions that Wright so provocatively addresses in his book.

Evil and the Justice of God is comprised of five chapters. Chapter one is entitled “Evil is Still a Four-Letter Word” and discusses the new and practical problems of evil existing in postmodern Western culture. For example, though the culture is often shown examples of evil through channels such as the television, its citizens are typically not directly threatened by that evil. This lack of engagement produces a false notion that evil is under control. Likewise, political leaders and the media also seem to be surprised by evil when it manifests in such a way that postmodern Western society is affected (25–26). Wright notes that this may be because they hold an abstract or philosophical understanding of the problem of evil. However, he asserts that the problem of evil is not an abstract or philosophical dilemma. Rather, it is a practical issue that has been largely ignored since the time of the Enlightenment (78). Additionally, for Wright, when postmodern Western society is directly impacted by the problem of evil there is often an immature, dangerous, and ineffective reaction to it. This is evidenced, for example, for Wright, by a “lashing out” at those perceived to be evil (28). But such reactions do not address the reality of evil—both super-naturally and naturally (32). For Wright, the problem of evil, however, is well addressed in the Judeo-Christian tradition.

Chapter two is entitled “What can God do about Evil” and presents a Judaic perspective on the problem of evil and the Justice of God. Relative to the problem of evil, Wright points out that in the Old Testament there is evidence of a divine pattern of dealing with the problem of evil in that God judges evil but also offers grace in the wake of evil (50). For example, in the story of the flood (Gen 6–7), God judged the continual evil of humanity (6:5, 11–13), but offered grace through the family of Noah (6:8, 18; 7:1). Likewise, because of their hubris ambition to build the tower of Babel in order to be like God, the inhabitants of the earth were deemed evil, and God’s judgment was to confuse their language, thereby limiting their creativity (Gen 11). Later, God offered grace to humanity through the “Abramic” covenant (Gen 12: 1–3). Though the notion of God offering both judgment and grace in response to evil may appear paradoxical, the Old Testament witness has been consistent on this matter. For, it is those who participate in evil who are judged, but God’s grace is extended to all of humanity.

Just as the Judaic perspective clearly addresses the problem of evil, Wright argues that it clearly addresses the justice of God as well (62). For Wright, this justice of God “is not simply a blind dispensing of rewards for the virtuous and punishments for the wicked … God’s justice is a saving, healing, restorative justice, because the God to whom justice belongs is the Creator God who has yet to complete his original plan for creation” (64). That being said, Wright makes it clear that humans are still accountable to the justice of God for their evil deeds. For Wright, this is true because beginning in the Old Testament a just God places boundaries on evil; and YHWH’s servant solicits God’s restorative justice by accepting the judgment that humanity deserves (65). In the same way, humanity should exact justice by allowing YHWH’s servants to redemptively limit evil.

Chapter three is entitled “Evil and the Crucified God” and addresses the problem of evil from a Christian perspective. In this chapter, Wright places particular emphasis on the gospel’s account of God dealing with evil through the violent and substitutionary atoning death of Christ on the cross and subsequent resurrection to life—which also represents God’s grace toward humanity. Wright equates Christ’s resurrection with forgiveness of sins because both represent a release from death (90). Further, Wright considers this understanding of Christ’s atonement a re-reading of the gospels because traditional atonement theology has not depicted the cross in terms of both the problem of evil and the solution to evil (79).

Having re-read the gospels, Wright entitles chapter four, “Imagine There’s No Evil.” This chapter is the first of two chapters in which Wright proposes specific ways in which God’s dealing with evil at the cross should impact humanity. A particular emphasis is placed on how Christians should presently and actively live toward a future with no evil. For example, prayer should be offered up to God on behalf of humanity for God’s will to be done in the earth. Similarly, holiness should be characteristic of the people of God, especially in anticipation of the promised future world where only that which is holy resides. Additionally, justice should be exercised by all authorities, both in matters of domestic and international disputes. Thus, humanity, and Christians in particular, are not simply to comprehend evil and the justice of God, but should partner together with God to eliminate evil, effectually exercising justice at all times.

Chapter five is entitled “Deliver us from Evil” and continues by addressing the corporate and personal significance of forgiveness as a way in which God’s dealing with evil at the cross is to impact humanity. Wright discusses three books in order to make his point. The first is Miroslav Volf’s Exclusion and Embrace which suggests that evil must be acknowledged and confronted before one can truly forgive and reconcile. Second, L. Gregory Jones’ Embodying Forgiveness gives explicit details of what true forgiveness entails as well as how Christians can live a life embodying forgiveness. Finally, Desmond Tutu’s No Future Without Forgiveness posits that forgiveness is essential toward remedying the problem of evil, because forgiveness “releases not only the person who is being forgiven but the person who is doing the forgiving” (159). This release also includes God’s forgiving us and releasing “himself from the burden of always having to be angry with a world gone wrong” (136). For Wright, this is a central point in the book because even if one does not accept forgiveness, the one who is doing the forgiving is not emotionally bound by the effects of evil. This is why God’s new world will truly be free from evil. However, Wright is careful to emphasize that forgiveness is also not tolerance (151), because the objectives of forgiveness are to identify and shame evil; do everything possible to reconcile with the offender; and does not allow evil to stipulate who or what one is and does. In effect, then, forgiveness is an inaugurated eschatology that brings into the present what the future promises (160) and exemplifies the restorative justice of God.

In conclusion, Wright admittedly says that Evil and the Justice of God does not provide a full or balanced treatment of the problem of evil (10), which he considers an impossible philosophical issue (11) that will not be solved in this world. Rather, the problem of evil is an opportunity to proclaim the message of God’s future world without evil, as a result of the atoning work of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, postmodern society in general, and Christians in particular, should live lives exemplified by forgiveness.

Compared to other books dealing with the problem of evil, Wright’s Evil and the Justice of God presents a very practical and thought-provoking composition that addresses the challenges and inherent connection between evil and the justice of God within both a postmodern Western context and a Judeo-Christian context. Wright’s frequent and insightful summations in each chapter make this book not only easy to read, but compelling for anyone interested in its subject.

Reviewed by Fitzroy J. Willis