Christian Apologetics - Meaning of Life
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Where was God when Adam and Eve fell into sin? This is a question that has puzzled many thoughtful Christians. The spiritual downfall of these first humans in the Garden of Eden has resulted in suffering for the entire human race. And because our search for the meaning of life is most urgent whenever we are faced with an existential crisis, our search must begin with this tragic event in Eden. So, where was God when Adam and Eve fell into sin? Why did he not intervene to forestall their downfall and pre-empt the global catastrophe that has befallen humanity?
This book takes a hard look at God's conspicuous absence in Eden. It offers a working definition for the meaning of life by distinguishing it from the purpose of life, and by suggesting that although believing in the existence of a transcendent God is indeed crucial, it is insufficient for attaining the meaning of life. What is needed, first and foremost, for the meaning of life is a narrative that responds coherently to the question of God's hiddenness in Eden.
Other issues are also raised in response to the question of God's hiddenness in Eden:
Why didn't God warn Adam and Eve about Satan when Christians today have ample warning about him?
Why didn't God reveal his mercy and forgiveness to Adam and Eve after their disobedience when Christians today are so blessed with abundant revelation that he loves to forgive and desires reconciliation with sinners?
How can sin be prevented in eternity? And if sin can be prevented in eternity, why didn't God prevent it in this temporal world?
God who is omniscient must have known that this world would be fraught with all kinds of evil and suffering. How can the creation of such a world be meaningful to him? And how can it be meaningful to us?
It is the thesis of this book that the key to these questions may be found if we focus resolutely on God's mysterious absence on that fateful day in the Garden of Eden when he was poignantly missing in action to forestall the downfall of humanity and the ensuing global catastrophe.
Even though this book has been written with care to be reverent toward God, it is nonetheless intentionally provocative to stimulate further conversation and debate on this topic.
Readers are assumed to have some basic knowledge in biblical theology and Christian apologetics to benefit most from the author's reflection in this book.
Acknowledgement
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Professor Paul Chamberlain, Professor of Christian Apologetics at Trinity Western University. I am indebted to Professor Chamberlain for his many comments. If this book has any clarity in terms of coherence and consistency, the credit must go to him. However, the responsibility for the deficiencies in this book lies solely with the author.
Also, the ideas presented in this book are the personal opinions of the author. They do not represent the viewpoints of any other individual or any organization (religious or otherwise).