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Christianity and the Problem of Evil: The Story That Helped Me

Gavin Ortlund

Gavin Ortlund

teaching

5,747 viewsMay 6, 2026
Gavin Ortlund explores how Christianity responds to the problem of evil by showing, through Joseph’s story and ultimately Jesus, how God can bring good out of even the darkest suffering. Truth Unites (https://truthunites.org) exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President of Truth Unites, Visiting Professor of Historical Theology at Phoenix Seminary, and Theologian-in-Residence at Immanuel Nashville. SUPPORT: Tax Deductible Support: https://truthunites.org/donate/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/truthunites FOLLOW: Website: https://truthunites.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truth.unites/ X: https://x.com/gavinortlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnitesPage/ MY ACADEMIC WORK: https://truthunites.org/mypublications/ PODCAST: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truth-unites DISCORD SERVER ON PROTESTANTISM Striving Side By Side: https://discord.gg/MdTt6d5PVs CHECK OUT SOME BOOKS: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Christianity-Makes-Sense-Mysteries/dp/0310182204/truthunitesbo-20 https://www.amazon.com/What-Means-Be-Protestant-Always-Reforming/dp/B0CNFFP6LK/truthunitesbo-20 https://www.amazon.com/Makes-Sense-World-That-Doesnt/dp/1540964094/truthunitesbo-20 https://www.amazon.com/Theological-Retrieval-Evangelicals-Need-Future/dp/1433565269/truthunitesbo-20 https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Right-Hills-Die-Theological/dp/1433567423/truthunitesbo-20 https://www.amazon.com/Retrieving-Augustines-Doctrine-Creation-Controversy/dp/0830853243/truthunitesbo-20 00:00 - Introduction 00:44 - Jean Valjean's Suffering 04:08 - 1) Trust 15:40 - 2) Hope 22:08 - Summing Up

Topics

gavin ortlundtruth unitesthe problem of eviltheodicysufferingchristianity and sufferingjosephwhy does god allow suffering