Religion and Theology

Phase one 1750-1200
This period saw the Vedas (ancient Hindu scriptures) compiled (Hopfe, 2009, p. 77), the development of belief in Shang-Li (supreme deity) in China (p. 179), the setting down of the basic texts of Zoroastrianism (p. 234) and the compilation of the Jewish Torah (p. 253). Historical details are vague. No names are associated with the origin of the four Vedas, although Vyasa, a somewhat mythical figure, is said to have arranged them (Holdrege, 1996, p. 249). Scholars believe that migrant Aryans entered India between 1750 and 1200 BCE (p. 82), taking with them stories about gods, later set down in the Vedas. Similarity between this material and ancient Iranian religion suggests a link with the Gathas (ancient texts) of Zoroastrianism the gathas indicate that the Aryans were nature worshippers who venerated a series of deities. Many are also mentioned in the Indian Vedic literature (Hopfe, p. 235).

The Vedas set down practices and systems that endured. For example, belief that chaos preceded the world, from which order or dharma was established social division - into four classes, arising from the sacrifice of primordial man (Purusha) (p. 90) four stages in life (p. 92) four goals in life duties and responsibilities. They hinted at a supreme reality but offered no definite understanding of the relationship between that reality and human life. The Brahman priests must perform sacrifices to help sustain the universe, which keeps chaos in check. Individuals must fulfill their dharmic duties. The most ancient Jewish scripture, the Torah, dates from about 1200 BCE, corresponding to a commonly accepted date for the setting down of the Vedas.

The Torah is linked with the story of Moses, who led his people out of slavery in Egypt - the event known as the Exodus (traditional date 1312). However, it was Abraham (traditional date, 1812 BCE) with whom G-d had entered a special relationship (covenant), promising to bless his heirs if they worshipped no other Gods. This is linked with monotheism. It was in the Torah given to Moses that the details of the Law, which Abrahams heirs must keep, were given. Obedience and faithfulness to G-d emerged as central precepts. The Torah is the book to which Jews (Abrahams heirs) still look for inspiration and guidance (Hopfe, p. 258). The prophet Zarathustra may have lived as early as 1600. He set down 17 hymns known as the Gathas, which have parallel content in the Vedas. However, the Vedas did not articulate a sophisticated view of the Ultimate Reality, the Gathas established a dualist doctrine positing rival good and evil powers. One of Zarathustras unique contributions (p. 251), this solves for some the problem of evils origin. This differed from the idea of a single originator of life found in the Torah, the Vedas as well as in a later text such as the Quran but has a parallel in early Chinese belief in Shang Ti, dated from the Chou dynasty in the eleventh century (Hopfe, p. 180). Chinese still believed in many deities but saw Shanag Ti as supreme. These religions all developed ideas about how the truth contained in scriptures represent revelation or communication from the Absolute, to humanity. The Torah, the Vedas and the Gathas were not composed by people but revealed, although scholars posit long, complex editorial processes involving many human actors.

Phase Two 9th to 6th centuries
This phase saw a consolidation of classical tradition. In China, two distinct traditions, Taoism and Confucianism emerged. In India, philosophical reflection began, later resulting in numerous sub-traditions. In Judaism, the community took shape as notions about divine-human relationship become more sophisticated. The great prophets and wisdom literature elaborated on G-ds nature, and on moral standards. Under their leader, Abrahams heirs settled as citizens in the land that G-d originally gave Abraham, which split into two kingdoms. The great theme was justice unless justice was upheld, G-d would punish G-ds people Stated abstractly, the Prophetic principle can be put as follows The prerequisite of political stability is social justice, for it is in the nature of things that injustice will not endure (Smith, 1961, p. 292). When the people failed to uphold justice, they were punished through conquest and exile. In 537 BCE, some Jews were allowed to return to their former capital, Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple that had been destroyed in 586BCE. Jewish scriptures contain little reflection on individual fate, focusing on obedience and morality in this life. After death, Jews thought souls lived for a while in a realm called Sheol, then gradually fade into nothingness.

In contrast, Zoroastrianism, then the established religion in Iran, developed belief in resurrection of the dead and in judgment between good and evil. These notions impacted Jewish thought and subsequent Jewish writing (Hopfe, p. 241). Aryans settled in India developed another view, reincarnation. The vague Ultimate Reality of the Vedas became Brahman, the world soul from which all that is emanates, pervading all existence. Within all sentient forms, Brahman exists as the atman. Like Brahman, the atman is eternal. The Upanishads, written down in this phase, saw the soul as part of Brahman. The goal of spiritual life is to realize the true nature of self, so that the atman re-unites with Brahman, and the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth within Samsara ends. The Vedas were breathed out by the Ultimate, containing in embryo all knowledge (Veda  knowledge). While numerous deities feature in the Vedas, these are now represented as different manifestations of what is ultimately above form, Brahman.

While Jews were developing ideas about G-d as knowable and personal, in India the Ultimate was increasingly perceived as trans-personal. A similar notion developed in China, the concept of the Dao. Confucius (as he is known in the West) and Lau-Tzu both recognized the Dao as the source of their own teaching. The singular Dao becomes Yin and Yang, feminine and male principles. Balance is needed to maintain universal order. Both men also spoke about upholding tradition, especially filial piety and reference of ancestors. Confucius wanted a strong, united China, led by an emperor who set a moral example. Lau-Tzu wanted people to develop their own morality, with less or no government oversight. However, like Judaism, the main concern was social harmony, not individual salvation. Individual salvation  escaping from Samsara  was the Hindu goal.

Third Phase  reform 6th Century BCE to 2nd Century CE.
Not everyone in India found the trans-personal Brahman concept useful. Some wanted a more intimate relationship with the Ultimate. This emerged in the Bhakti traditions, associated with the Puranic scriptures, veneration of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and their saktas (female partners). Loving devotion of a personal God (who manifests Brahman) attracts divine grace, release from Samsara. Buddhism began as an alternative to this tradition, which sees atman (soul) and Brahman (universal soul) as essentially the same. Taught by Gautama (480-405 BCE), what became Buddhism denied that atman and Brahman exist, teaching that false attachment keeps people within Samsara. Letting go on self, of desire leads to nirvana, to higher knowledge or enlightenment (Hopfe, p. 140).

Buddhism itself splintered into schools Theravada sees itself as close to Buddhas original teaching Mahayana describes itself as the greater vessel, based on Buddhas secret teaching. Perhaps influenced by Hindu bhakti, cosmic beings known as Bodhisattvas play significant roles, gifting grace to devotees, speeding up their enlightenment. In the Jain tradition, taught by Mahavira (599-527 BCE) almost the opposite belief emerged  that the atman is eternal but unique and infinite, thus the goal is not union with Brahmans but autonomy.

Judaism saw a multiplicity of schools emerge during this period, when the Jews homeland was occupied by various foreign powers. After the Romans destroyed the second Temple (70CE), most Jews were forced to flee, settling in Diaspora. Already, development of the Synagogue as places for Torah study provided a substitute for the Temple (and sacrifices), while new texts (Mishnah, Talmud) changed the focus from ritual to moral living, always a central concern but ritual had often dominated. Christianity, based on the teachings of a first century Jew called Jesus, took Jewish ideas about One God demanding obedience, then said that this represented a faith that all people could embrace, regardless of race or ancestry. Jews continued to see themselves as a distinct nation, although they lacked a state until 1948, when Israel was created. Christians also believe that Jesus death represented a sacrifice to redeem people from sin, a concept that Jews rejected. Jews also rejected the Christian claim that Jesus was Gods son. Later, another teacher, Muhammad (570-632  CE) preached Islam, that God requires moral conduct from all people, which is sufficient for salvation. He also rejected the need for Gods son to die. More so than Christianity, similar to Judaism, Islam sees life as a social-spiritual-political continuum, so has tried to establish political systems based on Muhammads teachings. The Quran, Islams scripture, was revealed. Sunni (85) appoint any pious person as leader. Shia recognize only the authority of male heirs of Muhammad, otherwise there is little difference in practice or belief.

Final Phase Modernity.
Responding to modernity, religions developed new schools. Christianity, through the Protestant reformation in the sixteenth century, anticipated the shift from doctrine to personal faith, downplaying the role of priests and official doctrine within the Catholic form of the tradition, stressing personal relationship with God. Judaism followed, with Reform (early nineteenth century), stressing Jews as loyal citizens of whatever state they lived in rather than as a distinct nation, contributing to human progress and welfare. Hindu reform, largely reacting to Christian criticism, emphasized the Oneness of the Ultimate, made less use of images. Opening membership to non-Indians, they became popular in the West, stressing spiritual not material wealth and Hinduisms universal aspects, rather as Christianity took up Judaisms universal values. Buddhism also finds a welcome in the West. Of the religions discussed, Zoroastrianism (displaced in Iran by Shia Islam) and Jainism are the smallest, Islam and Christianity the largest. None show signs of rapid decline. More people practice eclectic spirituality, borrowing from several religions, as Chinese and Japanese have done for centuries. Despite years of officially atheist government in China, religious belief persists, although its position is precarious (Hopfe, p. 203). Islam is growing in parts of the world (p. 372).

Modern Muslim movements attempt to reformulate Islam to meet contemporary needs, often focusing on creating authentic Muslim systems and states. 57 states are majority Muslims. Traditional Christian denominations are declining. Others are growing. Religions show a tenacious tendency to develop, adapting in response to human questions, needs and contexts.

Throughout the world, poverty, inequality and globalization have been issues of concern in the church for a long time. This is as a result of their negative effects in the society, which has portrayed a continually growing gap between the rich and the poor. Looking at the issue of poverty, the church has taken responsibility in addressing it at its own point of view. In connection with this, Pope Benedict xvi echoed the words of his predecessor who had affirmed that poverty is a contributing factor in conflicts. In fact, he argued that conflicts always worsen the poverty state of the people in any state.

From an analytical point of view, there is much evidence that there is a looming crisis ahead as far as peace is concerned. This has resulted from the fact that the number of people living in extreme poverty conditions today has increased tremendously. Surprisingly, the case is the same even in developed countries such as the United States, Japan, Germany and others. For this reason, poverty cannot be ignored in the church but rather it needs to be addressed to reduce the insulting condition that poverty has posed to the harmonious coexistence of mankind. To be more specific, Church laws have always been concerned with the poor in the society. In connection with this, the church is of the idea that poverty needs a close attention in its relation to globalization (Gillet 83). This is because it translates driving all the fruits economic research into the diverse aspects of poverty. It is also to be understood that, poverty is extensive across the globe and should be addressed accordingly.

The church has reiterated that educational campaigns can be of great assistance in the reduction of poverty especially among the young people. This is because through this, moral issues concerning HIVAIDS can be addressed and its spread be reduced as well. In the same line of thought, the church will continue to air her views in matters concerning poverty so as to determine biasness and misunderstanding resulting to a peaceful coexistence mankind throughout the world (Groody 186).

From the Churchs point of view, human beings are perceived as a reflection of Gods imagine and are therefore equal in all aspects. It is very clear that the state of inequality has risen globally. Even though absolute equality may not be attained, this does not mean that extreme differences are allowed and therefore it must be reduced to its lowest level. There are various measures that can be taken at a personal level to be able to deal with increasing poverty and the gap between the rich and the poor in the society. It is important for one to understand that while human beings have individual lives to live, ones live affects the whole society and vice versa. As a result of this, there is a growing need for personal liberation from poverty as one way of dealing with poverty issues across the globe (Groody 188).

There are various examples of Christian actions towards eliminating poverty and inequality or rather dealing with the negative effects of globalization. To begin with, one of the issues that have led to the rampant poverty across the globe is poor leadership. As a result of this, there have arisen Christian movements in the past that have worked tirelessly to address the need to have quality leadership in every nation as a way of dealing with the emergent problems of globalization (Laderman and Len 347). Similarly, there are specific movements in form of organizations that have devoted themselves to working tirelessly with the poor from the horn of Africa, Asia and other parts of the world as a way of dealing with poverty and inequality. Among these organizations and movements are gender-based movements that have propagated the message of equality both among men and women across the globe. For example, these organizations have worked on empowering the girl-child through education as way of getting her out of the oppression that has been imposed on her by men. In this regard, these girls have been educated freely through bursaries and other forms of sponsorship, thus being able to raise their living standards in the society.

Finally, war and other national crisis among different societies across the globe have been among the major contributors of poverty and inequality in the society. In line with this, there are different Christian organizations across the globe that have taken the initiative to preach peace thus embraces coexistence among different society across the globe as one way of dealing with inequality and poverty in war torn nations and regions across the globe (Laderman and Len 895). With such recognition of the need to embrace peace in the society, they have formed peace initiative campaigns that have

Who would have thought that one of Jesus greatest persecutors would end up contributing more to the growth of the early Church than any of his other followers  While it may be surprising, miracles do happen.  And while Saul of Tarsus was a conservative Jewa Pharisee, in factwho despised early Christians, his conversion and transformation to Saint Paul paved the way for the expansion of Christianity throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

In the New Testament, thirteen canonized epistles are credited to him.  These include Romans, First Corinthians, Second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, First Thessalonians, Second Thessalonians, First Timothy, Second Timothy, Titus and Philemon.  However, he wrote other epistles like the letter from Laodicea mentioned in Colossians 416, which are not included in the Bible.  An anonymous letter (Hebrews) is also attributed to Paul by some people, but others dispute his authorship of Hebrews.  Furthermore, many scholars also dispute his authorship of First Timothy, Second Timothy, Titus and Ephesians.

There are also some epistles and texts claiming to be authored by Paul or is about Paul, but these texts were not canonized since many scholars do not believe in their authenticity.  No one however can prove with 100 accuracy that they are all forgeries.  The disputed epistles include the Epistle to the Laodiceans, the Epistle to the Alexandrians and the Third Epistle to the Corinthians.  Other disputed texts include the Coptic Apocalypse of Paul, the Apocalypse of Paul, the Epistle to Seneca the Younger, the Acts of Peter and Paul, the Acts of Paul and Thecla and the Prayer of the Apostle Paul.  Again, while many scholars believe that these works are all counterfeits, no one is completely certain about its authenticity.

However, the canonized letters provide insight into the problems and beliefs of the early Church.  They are also the basis of Christian ethics and theology.  These epistles also show the personal relationships that he developed over the course of his missionary work.  He greets many of his followers and friends by name and expresses the value of their encouragement to him in times of trial and tribulation.

In his first missionary journey, Antioch became a major Christian center for his evangelization.  In the Acts of the Apostles, he follows the lead of Barnabas from Antioch to Cyprus.  But Elymas the magician mocks his teachings, so he rebukes and blinds him.  After that incident, Paul is promoted to top leadership.  Then they move on to Anatolia (southern Asia Minor) before going back to Antioch.
His meetings with the church of God or the Council in Jerusalem regarding theological policies are described in Acts 152 and Galatians 21.  The necessity or non-necessity of Gentile circumcision was one of the hotly-debated topics that were discussed, and John, Peter and James accepted Pauls Gentile mission.  Other issues discussed include famine relief, as mentioned in Acts 1127-30 during his second visit to Jerusalem.

Paul was not always agreeable with church leaders in Jerusalem.  In his letter to the Galatians, he narrates an incident in Antioch when he politically confronts Peter.  In Antioch, Peter did not want to share a meal with Gentile Christians, and that infuriated him.  As he narrates in Galatians 211-13
When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.  The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. (New International Version)

But Paul straightened them all out.  He said to Peter in front of them all, You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs (Galatians 214) He also had a disagreement with his traveling companion, Barnabas, regarding the reliability of one of their followers, John, also known as Mark (Acts 1537).  As Acts recounts
They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

After his missionary work abroad, Paul would go back to Jerusalem to greet and encourage the Christians there (Acts 1821-22).  He also came back another time to Jerusalem, after his long absence, to deliver gifts to the poor and to present offerings.  But he would later be arrested there and suffer for Christ.

In Corinth, Paul spent one-and-a-half years with Silas and Timothy to preach the Gospel of Christ.  Later, in his letter to the Corinthians, he narrates a detailed description of what love is, and what to expect from love in Chapter 3, verse 4

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Ephesus was also another important missionary base for Paul.  He lived there for more than a year, and while he attended to the needs of the church there, he also organized missionary activities to the remote areas outside the city.  However, he had to leave later due to the tribulations that he encountered in the area.

Paul also traveled to Illyricum, currently called Illyria Graeca, part of Macedonia, a Roman province during his time.  He would later go back to Corinth for a few months then back to Jerusalem where he was arrested due to James proposal for purification after rumors had spread that he was violating Jewish laws.

During his fifth trip to Jerusalem in 57 A.D., Paul appeared at the temple to give notice regarding his purification.  But several furious Jews saw him and announced to the other Jews gathered in the temple that he teaches people to violate Jewish law (Acts 2128).  They also thought or assumed that Paul brought an Ephesian to the holy temple grounds, forbidden to gentiles.  So the crowd grabbed him and dragged him out of the temple.  They beat him up until word got out to the Roman troops that there was a riot in the temple area.  The crowd stopped beating him and dispersed when Roman troops arrived.

They arrested Paul and questioned him, but upon learning that he was a Roman citizen, they protected him from being murdered by the Jews.  The Romans found no offense in him and wanted to release him, but the Jews objected.  He was imprisoned in Caesarea for two years.  Eventually, he was transported to Rome after appealing to Caesar and defending his rights as a Roman Citizen.  Upon arrival in Rome, he was under house arrest for another two years.

These tribulations allowed him to preach to many high-level officials and spread the Gospel to Rome.  His testimony about his miraculous transformation on the road to Damascus was heard by many there.  As Acts 2830 narrates

For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

This contribution was probably critical in laying the foundation of Roman conversion later and the transformation of the Roman Empire to Christianity under the Roman Catholic Church. While preaching in the small gentile cities near Jerusalem was probably small-time in his missionary work, preaching in Rome was big-time because it would allow the Gospel to spread all over Europe later.  And through the Spaniards, Portuguese and Britons even much later, the Gospel would be spread to every corner of the globe.

In the end, Pauls work was undoubtedly a significant force in spreading Christianity in the early church.  Indeed, without him, it may not have spread as fast or as widely in the Middle East and Europe.  Last year, Pope Benedict announced the results of St.Pauls excavated tomb at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.  The results confirm that the bones found in the tomb date back to the first or second century, indicating that the bones may be indeed Pauls.  In any case, he is a true hero of Christianity, and he will continue to live through the pages of the New Testament.

The word Judaism derives from the Hebrew text and means Judah. This religion started as a relationship between God and the Children of Israel. . It was created 3500 years ago in the Middle East. The religion was founded by Moses but traces its origins to Abraham. It is one of the Abrahamic faiths which includes Christianity and Islam.  (Lange, 2010)

Jewish followers believe in a covenant which is signed between them and God. The Jews follow Gods principles as this covenant binds God to take special care of them.  The Torah is the most essential document of Judaism. It was revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai over a period of 50 days (Lange, 2010). It incorporates the written and oral law practiced by the Jews.

There are various Jewish practices and holidays. Amongst them is the Days of Awe is the first date in the Jewish calendar and a time for those who have sinned to ask for repentance. Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights which celebrates Jewish freedom and involves the lighting of candles, giving of gifts and playing driedel.  (Lange, 2010)

The Jews practice 10 commandments that concentrate on the presence of one God and denounce any other Gods. They also lay down basic principles like staying away from adultery, lies and murder.  (Lange, 2010)

Judaism is divided into different sects. These include conservative and liberal Jews. Humanistic Judaism is another form which practices a non-theistic religion concentrating on the Jewish society rather than religious principles. (Lange, 2010)

Children of Israel are the children born from Jacob. The Hebrew Bible promises these children the land of Israel. The attempts to remove Judaism from Europe led to the Holocaust six million Jews were killed.

The religion is a strong and widely practiced form in the world today. It is divided into various sects but each concentrate on the oneness and divinity of God.

The world is now in a Great Recession, and some people say that it might get worse  It may become a Great Depression rivaling or even surpassing the Depression of the 1930s.  But who is warning us about this  It might come as a surprise to many, but it is Gordon Gekko, the unethical corporate raider in the film Wall Street who was arrested and sentenced to prison for investment fraud back in 1987.  He is back, however, in Wall Street 2, and this time, he has many bright insights to share about what it means to truly live.

While Gekko was in prison, he developed a new heart.  A lonely prison cell gave Gekko a lot of time to think.  He had access to many booksincluding the Bible.  He remembered what he said in the past during a stockholders meeting.  It flashed back from his mind Greed, for lack of a better word, is good, he said.  But he realized that his greed led him to prison.  That was when he started reading the Bible.  He opened the letter of St. Paul to the early Christians and read that money is the root to all evil (1 Timothy 610).  He didnt believe it at first, but he gradually accepts the fact that it was money that brought him to his current lonely place.  He then remembers his daughter Winnie who blames him for the suicide of her brother Rudy.  She doesnt speak to Gekko anymore, and it hurts him more than ever.

Eventually Gekko is released from prison.  He longs to see Winnie, who is engaged to a stockbroker, Jacob.  But when he tries to call her, she refuses to answer him.  Frustrated, he remembers what he read in St.Pauls letters to the Corinthians Love is patient and kind (1 Corinthians 134).  So he keeps his cool.  Later, he tries to call his old contacts, and he eventually confronts Bud Fox, his former stockbroker, again.  He asks Buddy for forgiveness.  It never occurred to him in the past that he hurt so many people, including Buds father, Carl, a hardworking blue-collar worker.  But now knowing the Bible, forgiveness is something he asks from Bud.  However, Bud finds it difficult to forgive Gekko.  He refuses to believe his prison transformation, and he thinks its all a trick, just as he tricked him in the past about Bluestar Airlines, where his father worked.

Gekko simply moves on.  He doesnt waste his time anymore and studies his computer charts.  When he was in prison, he had access to the librarys computer, and he studied a significant amount of financial data from the internet.  Many bankers are lending out mortgages that are extremely risky.  Even if the homeowners obviously dont have the capability to pay back their loans, they still lend them money, thinking that they could easily sell the collateral.  But Gekko could see the pattern of greedthe very same habits that he had before he went to prison.  So he confronts several bankers, bringing a Bible with him, and tells them all that they are committing grave sins.  Youre all going to hell with what youre doing, he says.  But they all laugh at him.  Being an ex-convict, he didnt have much credibility.

Since nobody believed in him, he eventually just tried to reconcile with his daughter, Winnie.  He calls Jacob, Winnies fianc, and asks if they could meet at Starbucks.  They see each other and Jacob tells Gekko about the death of his mentor.  Jacob suspects that it was his hedge manager who killed him, but he has no proof.  And he wants revenge.  But Gekko brought his Bible with him, and he points out that we should leave vengeance up to God.  We need to learn how to forgive, he said.  While Jacob thought about it, Gekko asked him a favor.  He had problems with Winnie and he needs him to help find her way back to Gekko.  Well, Jacob replies, You seem to be a different person from what Winnie described.  Tears started rolling from Gekkos eyes.  If it werent for Jesus and the Blessed Virgin, he replied, I wouldnt have survived prison.  I owe my life to the Lord.  So Jacob promised to help him.

Meanwhile, the stock market eventually crashes in 2008, but New York bankers assemble a press conference and blame the Chinese Yuan for it.  He attends the conference and manages to stand together with dozens of journalists from all over the world.  Why did the market crash asks one newsman to the bankers in front of them.  Its because of the Chinese, a banker replied.  Infuriated, Gekko shouted a remark to the banker You liar.  The Chinese have nothing to do with it  Its you greedy bastards that are responsible for the mess were in right now  Thou shalt not lie, saith the Lord  Suddenly the journalists start to question him, and he replies that we havent seen anything yet.   He warns them of the coming Great Depression, and that it is all due to American greed.  Greed is evil he shouts.  We need to repent as Americans.  The end is near, and unless we repent, we are doomed   But nobody pays attention to him, and they heckle him as a crazy fool.

Fortunately, Jacob brings Winnie back to him.  He finally sees his daughter after 11 years, and tears of joy roll from his eyes.  He realizes that his relationships and integrity are more important than money.  And it doesnt matter to him that nobody listens.  He has God and his family with him, and thats all that matters.

Martin Luther the priest (1483-1546) is widely remembered as a highly influential world figure that boldly resisted the institutions of the empire and the papacy and spearheaded a reformation that would forever change the life, organization, worship, and teaching of the Christian church. The reforms introduced by Luther also left an everlasting impression on the history of Western civilization and governments. Yet, while making reflection about his life, there is a general tendency to overlook his most treasured lifestyle that of being a pastor as well as shepherd of the souls which chose to commit themselves to the Christian religious walk. At the birth of the Reformation in Germany, Martin Luther became greatly concerned that his parishioners were deeply engrossed in purchasing letters of indulgence from the church and subsequently walking in the deception that absolution was an assurance for their salvation. Through various sermons, lectures, and well-thought Bible commentaries, Luthers pastoral concerns became deeply revealed in the Christian circles (Luther  Tappet, 2003, p.13).

Martin Luther the Priest
On November 10, 1483, a son was born in the German village of Eisleben to Hans Luder (Luther) and his wife Margarethe popularly referred to as nee Lindermann. He was the couples first child and they gave him the name Martin Luther. On the following day after Martin Luther was born, his parents introduced him to Christian life and he received Roman Catholic baptism. At the time of Martin Luthers birth, Germany was part of the expansive Holy Roman Empire. In 1484, Luthers family moved to Mansfield where his father made a living through copper mining and smelting. Hans Luther and his wife are said to have been a very hard-working couple. Martin Luther is said to have been well aware of this special characteristic about his parents and is said to have hailed them for making it possible to pursue education up to university level. Hans Luther wanted his eldest son to study law and sent him to Latin schools in their resident town of Mansfield. In 1497, the senior Luther sent his son to school in Magdeburg where he would learn under the care of a Christian lay group known as Brethren of the Common Life. Within the same year, the young Luther moved to St. Georges School in Eisenach where he continued learning until 1501 when he joined the University of Erfurt at the age of 19 years. Four years later in 1505, Martin Luther received his masters degree from the same institution. In accordance with his fathers will, Luther enrolled at the institutions school of law, but the uncertainty that such a career represented made him drop the course almost immediately. His yearning for something that would give him assurance in life drew him towards philosophy and theology. However, philosophy also failed to quench his inner desires because it advocated the use of reason instead of the love of God that Luther so much craved for. Martin Luther felt that reason was not a pathway to developing a relationship with God, and for this reason, he hated the philosopher Aristotle whom he had earlier admired. For Luther, God was above reason and knowledge about him could only be achieved through reading of scripture and divine revelation of the same (Mckim, 2003, pp. 4-5).

On July 2, 1505, Martin Luther had a thunderstorm encounter while returning home on horseback which made him very much afraid of death. Fifteen days later, Martin Luther reversed his decision and to his fathers disappointment, the young Luther opted to join the monastery and train as a monk. On July 17, 1505, he joined the Augustinian friary in Erfurt. Hans Luther was overly angry with his son and considered the young mans decision as a waste of all the education he had worked so hard to pay for. As a monk, Luther practiced a deep spiritual life characterized by prayer, frequent confession, fasting, and pilgrimage. But the young monk was later to admit that such kind of life was futile because instead of gaining his soul, he had dedicated his life to spiritual despair and in the process had lost touch with Christ who was the savior and comforter of souls. In 1507, Luther was ordained as priest and one year later, he took a teaching job at the University of Wittenbergs school of theology. On March 9, 1508, he acquired a Bachelors degree in Biblical studies and another one in 1509 in which he specialized in commentating on Peter Lombards document entitled Sentences. On October 19, 1512, Martin Luther was awarded a Doctorate Degree in Theology by the University of Wittenberg, and three days later, he was admitted into the universitys faculty of theology where he was to serve for the rest of his career life. For ten years between 1510 and 1520, Luther furnished students at Wittenberg University with lectures on various Biblical books such as Romans, Galatians, Hebrews, and the Psalms. It was through these Biblical studies that Luther developed a new view of Christianity. They drew him further and further away from the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, and he began a new chapter in his life through which he would make tremendous contribution to Christianity not only during his time but for all the time this religion would be practiced after his death (McGrath  Marks, 2004, pp. 40-42).

Martin Luthers Contribution to Christianity
For many centuries, there was a widespread assumption that what Christians received from the priests, bishops, and other authorized bearers of the Christian faith was unquestionably true and was in harmony with scriptural teachings of the prophets and apostles. Martin Luther however defied church tradition to introduce a new kind of Christian belief where believers were given room for doubt by advocating that the Roman Catholic Church had all along been giving people the wrong doctrine. He especially openly condemned the churchs involvement in war and argued that teaching the right doctrine rather than violence was the best method of resolving conflict. According to Luther, the Roman Catholic Church had replaced the scripture with human reason in its teachings and had put obedience to the law above Christ as having power to remove sin. Only Christ had power to remove sin. This raised conflict with the papacy and other church authorities that led to Martin Luthers excommunication from the office of priest in the Roman Catholic Church. Yet, he had succeeded in establishing a new tradition in the Christian faith in which the Word of God or scripture became the object of faith and also the means by which this faith was evoked. Between 1514 and 1520, Martin Luther indulged in the study and interpretation of a new kind of theology that decisively broke from the old-time theology and finally from the Roman Catholic Church. Luthers criticism of church authority sparked the Reformation through which the Roman Catholic Church lost its domination of Europe, and Protestantism was introduced into Christianity (McGrath  Marks, pp. 23-24, 41-42). Yet, Martin Luther was very moderate and also careful in his criticisms against political authority. He did not deny the fact that the pope was a supreme ruler but only raised the issue that the papacy practiced human instead of divine right in administering his duties. In such way, he set an example that the Christian church should follow in terms of balancing Christian values and political authority so that people can live in peace.  However, his utterances were not taken kindly by some and this was an indication that Christian opinion can sometimes elicit political uproar, but this should not make Christians live in fear (McGiffert, 2003, p. 141).

Martin Luther deeply committed himself to preaching against religious indulgences which he warned would lead to negligence of the pure relationship with God that comes through repentance, confession, and satisfactions. Through the 95 Theses, Luther openly condemned worldliness and greed in the Christian Church and viewed these habits as arising from indulgences. Indulgences referred to church certificates that Christians were issued with as a sign of forgiveness or remission for sins within the Roman Catholic Churchs penitential system. These indulgences could even be offered for relatives who had died in sin, and in such way, people had begun to put their trust in these letters instead of crying for Gods mercy. Martin Luther openly despised this type of cheap grace and called for the abolition of any form of works that led Christians to think that they had obtained forgiveness. He also proposed various other changes in Christian practice such as clerical marriage, giving of the bread and wine during Holy Communion, abolition of Christian masses during funerals as well as the removal of the papacy from German church administration. Luther advocated for the introduction of biblical teachings and languages as part of university curricula. Through various publications and lectures, Martin Luther instituted a change to the way theology had previously been taught. He introduced a new style of theology by working his own views on justification found in his treatise Against Latomus.  Other publications covering this issue were Bondage of the Will and Commentary on the Magnificat, among others. Through these and various other works, Martin Luther the priest is remembered as one of the most famous theologians that ever lived in the history of the Christian church. Many 16th Christians have hailed him as a pioneer in the defense of truth and religious freedoms (Mckim, 2003, p. 44).

Through the Reformation, Martin Luther introduced a new aspect in Christian life the serious study of the Word of God. It was through such serious study that he got the revelations that salvation was by Gods grace and through faith in him alone. During his career at the University of Wittenberg, Luther encouraged evangelism by engaging in serious discussions with the faculty and staff and also with his students. He passionately spoke about salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and taught that salvation was mans free gift from God and could therefore not be bought through any kind of works to the church such as buying of indulgences. When the cardinals at Rome warned him to withdraw his criticisms, Luther boldly replied to them that he would only do so if there was scriptural evidence stating otherwise. It was such a bold attitude that paved way for the birth of the Protestant Reformation. Even after his ex-communication from the Roman Catholic Church and subsequent trials at the Diet of Augsburg and Diet of Worms, Luther still stood his ground. Hence, a new generation of Christians who were ready to defend their faith had been born (McGiffert, 2003, pp. 91-92, 118-126, 192-194).

Martin Luther also introduced the system of teaching Christian doctrine in churches by introducing the catechism as the simplest method of furnishing Christians with basic knowledge about their faith. He wrote a manual for pastors and Bible teachers referred to as the Large Catechism as well as the Small Catechism which the believers were supposed to memorize. By providing easy-to-comprehend devotional and instructional material on such biblical topics as the Lords Prayer, Ten Commandments, Lords Supper, baptism, and Apostles Creed, Christians would not only be able to learn the basics of their faith but understand them as well. Through the works of Martin Luther the Priest, clear religious teaching found its way into the church and into peoples lives as well. The Small Catechism proved especially helpful to parents who wished to instill Christian doctrine in their children. In 1522, Martin Luther published a new translation of the New Testament in the German language, and by 1534, he and others were able to complete a translation of the Old Testament as well. In such way, a German translation of the whole Bible was published. His main aim was to get rid of the difficulties and impediments that had always characterized biblical understanding, and he purposed to enable other people apart from the clergy to read the Bible without hindrance. The Luther Bible paved way for other vernacular translations, and soon after, the King James Bible and William Tyndales English Bible were also in circulation (McKim, 2003, pp. 43-44).  Martin Luther succeeded in linking the Old and New Testaments to bring out an understanding of the Bible and Gods forgiving love through Christ in a way that Christians had not experienced for a long time. He devoted himself to using the scripture to interpret various issues in the daily lives of the people. In such way, Luther made Bible text more clear and understandable but not without much criticism. To Luther, the Bible was a practical book and he was determined to share this knowledge freely with others (McGiffert, 2003, pp. 60-63). By protesting against the Roman Catholic Churchs interpretation of scripture, Martin Luther became a pioneer for individual study of the Word of God. Both individual and group Bible studies were now encouraged among Christians. Today, evangelical Protestant churches have established the Bible study program as one of the largest entities in majority of these Christian institutions (Welch, 2005, p. 316).

Through his writings, Martin Luther adopted the style in Pauls letters through which the study of the Bible brought together issues such as theological questions and ethics, as well as life and faith issues. Luther refreshed the Christian interpretation about how Christians should conduct their daily lives regarding their motivation, worldly vocation, and content in their action. This he did through various publications which included The Freedom of a Christian, Two Kinds of Righteousness and Treatise on Good Works among others (Mckim, 2003, p. 53). Martin Luther also studied and critically evaluated the Quran but did not advocate its abolishment arguing that the papacy and other false Christians lived freely under their false doctrines. However, Luther also proved that even the clergy are human beings who can sometimes be overwhelmed by personal opinion. His writings about the Jews reveal a human being who was unable to forgive this race for the murder of his savior. Yet, despite his stern opposition towards the Jews for their rejection of the Messiah, Luther criticized those who pointed an accusing finger at the Jews while living in sin themselves. He advocated that Jews were to be treated with kindness although their continued failure to convert eventually created feelings of bitterness and resentment in the priest towards this race. Luthers anti-Jewish rhetoric is said to have contributed to the ruthless treatment of this race in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. The Protestant Church was influenced by his anti-Jewish writings to encourage the very violence that it had shunned in the Catholic Church. Various scholars have however defended Luther and argued that his position against the Jews was purely religious and not racial and that the Nazis had no legal ground to hide behind Luthers thoughts in their negative treatment of the Jewish race (Mckim, 2003, p. 114).

Martin openly criticized social disorder, and although he advocated that rulers and other appointed authorities were the only ones who could institute pleasing changes, he also challenged Christians to defy participation in discredited Roman Catholic practices. He also encouraged them to raise their voices and demand for reforms. In his publication, Temporal Authority To what Extent It Should be Obeyed, written in 1523, Luther however defended the divine authority of the political government, stressed its limits in controlling faith or conscience, and laid out the character of a wise Christian leader. Martin Luther argued that the states role in peoples lives was to maintain order but never to force them to believe or even interfere with the preaching of the church. He expressed this through his critique of Muntzer entitled To the Princes of Saxony Concerning the Rebellious Spirit, which was published in 1524. He also wrote various publications that addressed the Christians role in the military which was addressed through such great works as, Whether Soldiers Too Can Be Saved, Warning to His Dear German People, and Appeal for Prayer Against the Turks among others. In his commentary on Psalm 101, Luther clearly laid out his opinions about the character of a Christian prince. When the Peasants War open rebellion broke out in the German province of Thuringia, Luther spoke out and asked for a clear distinction between the institutions of religion and law.  Luther felt that the peasants were not only guilty of violating the peace that Christians must display but that they were also blasphemous. He urged the ruling princes to protect the institution of the law and take action against the peasants. The peasants had taken religion too far by trying to share out among themselves what belonged to the wealthy. While the Roman Church blamed Luther for the outbreak of the rebellions, the peasants were embittered that he had betrayed them. By addressing such conflicts, Martin Luther had laid a foundation for the separation of church and state powers (McKim, 2003, pp.14-15, 43, 54).

Regarding Christian faith, Martin Luther admitted that people had the knowledge that a God actually exists but deeply felt that they failed to differentiate what was or was not the will of this God. He rejected the popular assumption by medieval scholars that reason and logic could lead to knowledge of God as well as the medieval mystics theory that ecstasy or self-mortification were paths to the knowledge of God. Luther advocated that the knowledge of God and that of his will could only be found in Jesus Christ. He also created a new understanding of sin, arguing that sin does not only refer to the wrong acts but also to the denial of the existence of God. Wrong orientation according to Martin Luther led to disbelief, lack of trust, and fear for God as well as reluctance to give him the glory that he so well deserves and that these shortcomings are, in reality, sin itself. He introduced the revelation that sin broke mans fellowship with God and that it is God who takes the initiative to revive such fellowship. In Christ, the grace of God was manifested when God took mans sin and suffered on his behalf, encouraged reconciliation with man, and also offered him pardon and forgiveness. Despite mans sinful nature, God accepted him back by offering the gift of eternal life through repentance. Martin Luther taught that salvation of humankind could not be acquired through good deeds but was a gift that God had freely given to those who believed in his son Jesus Christ as the one who was sent to redeem from sin. The Word of God and not indulgence, and only in believing in its content and pursuing a commitment to God through Jesus Christ and not through doctrine, leads man to this forgiveness and eternal life. Those who have faith in God have God. He challenged the papacy and Roman Catholic Church doctrine which advocated that baptism automatically ushered a Christian into holy priesthood. According to Luther, the Bible was and would remain the only source of knowledge and that such knowledge was acquired through reading the Bible and the revelation of the Word that followed. After his ex-communication from the church for example, Luther was able to sneak back to Wittenberg where through lecturers, he stressed the Christian values of love, freedom, charity, and patience and reminded the citizens that change could not be achieved through violence but only through Gods Word. Such kind of Christian teaching had not been heard in the church for a long time, and by reviving it, Martin Luther took the church back to the teachings of the Apostles. The church was experiencing a rebirth and Luther worked together with other renowned Reformation figures to modify new church practices and banish violence from the Christian circles (Luther  Tappert, 2003, pp.14-15).

Apart from spearheading Bible translation and introducing new Christian style of biblical teaching, Martin Luther is also renowned as a very creative hymn writer and one who introduced congregational singing in Christian worship. One of his most famous hymns is the famous A Mighty Fortress id Our God, and through this and other hymns that he wrote, Luther introduced a tradition in the Christian Church where folk music and high art were brought together in such way that German hymns became part of Christian worship services. He developed hymns about the Creed, Lords Prayer, Psalms (From the Depths of Woe I Cry to You  Psalms 130) and subsequently encouraged the introduction of Psalms in German worship as well. Through the introduction of hymns during Christian worship, Luther imparted the culture of singing that is found in Christian churches today. In 1526, Luther introduced a new style of worship in German church services through his publication, The German Mass and Order of Service. This style of worship has influenced Protestant church services to this day (Mckim, 2003, p. 31).

Perhaps the most remarkable contribution to Christianity and one that created so much fame for Martin Luther was his daring reevaluation of clerical marriage in a landmark publication which he entitled Sermon on the Estate of Marriage.  In 1525, Martin Luther left monkhood and got married to a former nun, Katharina von Bora. He further underscored this type of freedom in his treatise, The Judgment of Martin Luther on Monastic Vows. Other publications such as Marriage Matters and The Estate of Marriage explored the issue even further. Martin Luther also addressed the relationship between parents and children through the treatise, That Parents Should Neither Compel Nor Hinder Their Children. Another of his treatises entitled The Sermon on the Mount became a biblical basis for Christian ethics and discipleship. Apart from the six children that Martin and Katharina gave birth to, Luther was also said to have taken in orphaned children from his two deceased sisters and his wifes aunt. Foreign guests and students also sought accommodation in this house and Luthers household was said to have been immense in size. Perhaps for Luther, this was a practical way of the Christian requirement to show compassion to the needy. By combining marriage and various other activities in his life, Luther proved to the Christian church that it was possible to hold various offices at the same time while serving God in all. He was a husband, father, friend, preacher, pastor, professor, writer, and Bible commentator. In all these fields, he worked hard to make known his opinions about Christianity. Martin Luther created a legacy as a brilliant rhetorical speaker, great theologian, as well as successful reformer. He worked hard to find answers to life from the scripture. Deducing from such kind of personal devotion, it is quite clear that Martin Luther the priest was not working to build a reputation for himself but to make Christendom as realistic as it should be. To do this, he had to go beyond the reason that had ruled religious circles for so long (McKim, 2003, pp.15, 31, 53, 87, 155). Luther was said to have had a reasonably enjoyable married life unlike most of the worlds great men.  Marriage helped to keep this famous prophet human (McGiffert, 2003, p. 304).

In 1542, Martin Luthers favorite child Magdalene died in her fathers arms. Luther wept bitterly on the floor beside her bed as he prayed to God for her restoration. The girl died anyway and despite all the consolations of the Gospel that Luther had brought to others and his strong faith, the pastor suffered affliction. Through this experience, Martin Luther faced the reality of human grief and in such way was even more encouraged to identify with others who were faced with similar affliction (McGiffert, 2003, p. 304).

Conclusion
The history of the church cannot be evaluated without deep reference to the contributions of Martin Luther the priest. This courageous 16th Century priest defied church tradition and boldly went against the papacy and empire to institute various changes that would affect the Christian Church for the rest of its existence. He became an epitome of what determination can do in bringing change and also introduced a new light into Christian teaching. The famous theologian spearheaded the translation of the Bible into different languages other than Latin. As a result, the Word of God has subsequently spread to the uttermost parts of the earth. It was through the Reformation that Protestantism was born, and he was the man behind the creation of the Lutheran Church. Though Luthers legacy had been highly controversial, his contribution to Christianity will forever remain, since he passionately spearheaded the process of making the Word of God easily accessible and understood by every human.

This paper tackles the various explanations advanced by the Christian theological tradition on the problem of why bad things happen to good people. The paper explains in detail four explanations as well as their implications and some reasons why the layman may not have readily understood them.

A blind man is run over by a truck. An earthquake hits Haiti and Chile. A young man with a promising career is shot dead in cold blood. Children are abused, kidnapped and raped. Indeed bad things happen all the time and that none of us is immune from bad things (Spinney, 2006). The people mentioned above are what we would call good people who we believe do not deserve to die. We then hear ourselves asking why them and we begin an endless tirade of complaints to God and accusing Him of injustice. Yet deep inside, each one of us longs for an explanation. What then does religion have to say about the problem of why bad things happen to good people The Christian theological tradition provides some clear-cut explanations that shed light on this seeming injustice and enlightens the layman on his ignorance in this aspect of religion. The explanations of Christian theology are logical and above all, enlightening and humbling.

The Lesson from the Book of Job
The Book of Job is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible which relates the story of a man named Job and his trials, his discussions with his friends as to the nature of his suffering, his challenges to God, and finally Gods response to him and his friends. The lesson in the Book of Job provides insight as to why bad things happen to good people.

Gods Will Transcends Innocence. First of all, the story of Job is a proof that sometimes God allows Satan to do his own tests on people. The Lord said to Satan, All right, everything Job has is in your power, but you must not hurt Job himself (NIV Holy Bible, Job 1.12).

Another insight from the story of Job is that despite ones supposed goodness and obedience to the moral and religious laws, bad things may still happen to someone. Johns oath of innocence in Job 311-40 states that he has not committed all the sins like lust, lies, adultery, and idolatry. He also contended that he has not failed to help his slaves, the poor, the needy and even not treated his enemies unfairly. Yet bad things happened to him because God willed it that Satan test him. This implies the omnipotence of Gods Will over mans innocence.

Gods Power Transcends Human Logic. Jobs friends Eliphaz, Bildad and Zohar declared to Job their thoughts on the nature of his suffering. Long (2008) states that Eliphaz lists a catalogue of Jobs missteps and maintains that God punished Job for the wickedness he did not admit (Job 15.17-35 22.5-20). Bildad, on the other hand, reinforced the theology of retribution (Long, 2008) in chapters 8 and 18. The third friend, Zophar, is figuratively speaking, apoplectic (Long, 2008), and speaks of a wisdom in chapters 11 and 20 that he believed Job himself fails to understand. However, all their logical constructs and self-satisfied theology are no match for Gods Will and shocking amorality (Long, 2008) in chapters 38-41. The Lord God says, Who are you to question my wisdom with your ignorant empty words (Job 38.2), and spends the next three chapters giving Job an account of His Power until Job finally concedes in Job 42.2 admitting that the Lord is all-powerful and that He can do everything He wants. This implies that Gods power is morally indifferent to the problem of why bad things happen to good people.

Somehow the Book of Job also echoes Isaiah 55.8 in which the Lord says, My thoughtsare not like yours, and my ways are different from yours. God therefore is beyond the human notion of good and bad, of good people and the bad things that we believe are happening to them.

Trial and Temptation
The idea that bad things happen to good people may be anchored upon the idea that bad things may be in the form of trials, which are actually good things, and temptations, or the truly bad things.
A lot of the bad things happening to good people are actually mere trials, or tests, and such are from God. The purpose of trials is implied in Romans 5.3-4 which states that weboast of our troubles or trials, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance brings Gods approval, and his approval creates hope. And the next verse says that this hope does not disappoint us. Trials are therefore good and always possess the hidden purpose of making us better people. It should also be noted that God frequently sends trials to the just who, through their patienceincrease in virtue (Aquinas, 1939).

Furthermore, God has already anticipated the events that will follow the beginning of the trial and His good purpose is revealed only after a certain amount of suffering. In Genesis 45.5-8, we hear Joseph telling his brothers do not be upset or blame yourselves because you sold me here. It was really God who sent me ahead of you to save peoples livesGod sent me ahead of youto make sure that you and your descendants survive so it was not really you who sent me here, but God. The aforementioned verse clearly implies that even though suffering may have taken place, that even though bad things may happen to good people, these bad things are actually preordained trials with a spiritual purpose, hence actually not intrinsically bad.

On the other hand, the truly bad things that may happen to good people are sins caused by temptations, but these temptations do not come from God but from the devil, and that they are not brought upon by God but rather by mans volitions.

Temptations. St. Thomas Aquinas classified temptations into three.
Temptations of the Flesh. Man is tempted by the flesh in two ways.
First, the flesh incites man to evil. The flesh seeks its own pleasures, specifically called carnal pleasures, in which man indulges himself and consequently neglects spiritual things (Aquinas, 1939). This is confirmed by the apostle James when he said, Every man is tempted by his own concupiscence (1 James 1.13).

Secondly, man is tempted by the flesh by enticing him away from good (Aquinas, 1939). This presupposes the instances where the flesh puts obstacles in the way of the spirit. The corruptible body is a load upon the soul (Wis. 9.15). Indeed, the temptations of the flesh prove to be most severe to man as the flesh is something united to him.

The sufferings of good people due to the consequences of lust, gluttony, pride and sloth are actually works of the devil and since they happen due to the volitions of man, they are actually brought upon by man on himself.

Temptations of the Devil. Even when the flesh is subdued, man may still be tempted by the devil with extreme force (Aquinas, 1939). The Apostle Paul says in his Epistle to the Ephesians that mans struggle is not against flesh and blood, but againstthe rules of the world ofdarkness, against the spirits of wickedness (Eph. 6.12).

The devil does two things when he tempts man. First, he deceives a man first. Paul himself, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, says, Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light (2 Cor. 11.14). Secondly, after Satan betrays man, he leads him to sin (Aquinas, 1939).

The good that suffer from the sins of adultery, deception, lies and stealing are actually suffering these out of their own volitions.

Temptations of the World. The world has two ways of tempting man. First, the world tempts man through excessive and intemperate desire for the goods of this life (Aquinas, 1939).

The second way that man is subdued by the temptations of the world is through fears engendered by tyrants and persecutors (Aquinas, 1939). This is further supported by Paul in saying that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3.12).

The aforementioned statements imply that good people whose sufferings are due to the lust of money and material things as well as fear are actually also suffering out of their own free wills, which they could have controlled in the first place.

The Role of Satan
Another reason why bad things happen to good people is that Satan is trying to neutralize and destroy human history and that this very act is to be used as Gods evidence in Satans appeal to his sentence to the Lake of Fire (Ellis).

It is said that when mankind was enticed to sin in the Garden of Eden, Satan gained dominion over this earth and human history (Ellis) and that he does this in an attempt to neutralize and destroy the evidence in his trial (Ellis), and this evidence is mankind and history. Satan is actually one incredibly powerful creature against whom we would not be able to stand but with the intervention of God, Satan cannot exercise his full power and destroy humans directly en masse (Ellis).

The suffering around us is the result of living in a world that is under the dominion of Satan (Ellis). However, the fact that mankind has volition and that this volition is an integral component of the evidence to be used against Satan in his appeal trial (Ellis) means that good people will continually experience bad things, as when certain men use their volition to make bad choices (Ellis). The aforementioned statements clearly imply that since mans volition and the bad choices that arise from its use are somehow being used as evidence against Satan in his trial, then it simply follows that these bad choices are allowed by God to happen. Therefore God allows bad things to happen to good people for two reasons the given fact that God may choose not to interfere with mans volition out of love, and the fact that bad choices caused by mans volition would anyway be used against Satan during his trial.

The Role of Sin
Another attempt of the Christian theological tradition to solve the problem of why bad things happen to good people is by looking into the role that sin plays in suffering. First of all, if one looks into the Bible for reference, technically speaking there are no good people (Slick). The Bible says that All have turned aside. Together they have become useless. There is none who does good. There is not even one (NIV Holy Bible, Rom. 3.12). Moreover, in Luke 18.18, Jesus says, Why do you call Me good...No one is good except God alone. Still, Romans 3.23 states that For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Based on the aforementioned verses in the Bible, one can therefore conclude that there really arent good people and bad things happen to them. (Slick)

However, even though there are no good people according to the Bible, there are decent people who are very nicehonest, dont lie, dont steal, and treat people very well (Slick). Nevertheless, despite such decency, God still allows bad things to happen to them because of the effect of sin (Slick). Based on Romans 3.23, which states that For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, one can see that even the most decent people are not spared from sin and its deadly effects. Sin has five emotional effects and separates a person fromGod. Sin may also sadden the sinner or may scar him and that he may continue to carry the burden of sin (Halliburton). Even after his conversion, the apostle Paul still called himself chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1.15). Furthermore, sin may cause a person to become negative and overly critical of others and produce heart problems, ulcers, and emotional difficulties. Lastly, sin allows the heart to become hardened (Halliburton). In Ephesians 4.19, Paul describes the Ephesians that they have lost all feeling of shameand that they give themselves over to vice and do all sorts of indecent things. Sin may also weaken someone spiritually, making him prone to committing more sins (Aquinas, 1939). These statements all point out to the fact that sin is destructive and that since no one is spared from sin, then no one is spared from its effects.

The problem is that most people gauge their goodness not vertically but horizontally. People typically measure horizontally to determine if someone is a good person (Spinney, 2006). This means that we measure goodness based on accepted community ethical guidelines. We, however, must measure goodness vertically, which means that we must measure ourselvesagainst Gods from-Heaven-down-to-earth instructions. (Spinney, 2006).

Another thing is that sin affects people differently as in when someone throws a grenade into a crowd, one person gets hit but another does not (Slick). Such differences may therefore spare the bad but not the good and so we think that bad things happen to good people and good things to the bad ones. But it is clear that sometimes good and bad things happen to both good and bad people.
Even though there is actually a good person, we are still faced with one question that challenges the very logic of our claim that bad things should not happen to good people, and that is How good must a person be in order to be spared from bad things (Slick)

Conclusion
Bad things happen to good people because of Gods will and power, trials and temptations, Satan, and sin. First of all, in the Book of Job, God shows Job that His will and His power are above mans notion of good and bad. Moreover, bad things may only seem to happen when one undergoes trials but it is only actually a test of ones spiritual resilience. Temptations, on the other hand, may cause real suffering on the individual yet he can subdue this through control of his volition. On the subject of Satans role, bad things happen for they will be used as proof in Satans trial someday. Lastly on the role of sin, it is concluded that since All have sinned (Rom. 3.23), then there are actually no good people according to the Bible, hence no one is spared from the destructive effects of sin.