Engaging God's Problem -- Three Objections Part 1 -- Over Reliance on Classical Theology

Well it is time to put Bart Ehrman's book God's Problem to bed in a threefold posting. The original three objections to the book i had when i started this things still stand:
1. Ehrman's has an over reliance of classical theology models
2. Ehrman's objects to a God that is not really a God of the Bible
3. No answer will ultimately satisfy Ehrman's

Now I have made it no secret that I don't think much of classical theological models. my chief objection to them is that in theology there is a coupling of western philosophical thought on God with the Bible. Western philosophical thought is dominated by pagan philosophers who for the most part created a God that was unfeeling being that was not touched ultimately by our existence as human beings. Like it or not some of this has spilled over into classic theology and I feel it has tainted it. Bart comes at the problem from a classic understanding of God probably based on his Reformed and Baptist background. This has a couple problematic effects when dealing with the problem of evil.

Classic Theodicy
Bart's first problem is that he relies on a classic theodicy model:
1. God is all powerful
2. God is love
3. There is suffering.

This is a problem for me because his definition of what it means for God to be all powerful is one of -- "God controls everything" -- does he? The Bible indicates to me that God leaves a great deal to our responsibility and it is because of this failed responsibility that evil exists.

Secondly, classic theodicy is, IMHO, incomplete. I would add a lot more attributes of both God and man to the discussion. How about: God is holy, God is good, Man is a morally free agent, etc. I have always found this argument to be overly simplistic when discussing the problem of evil.

Single Minded Atonement Theory
Bart, in engaging Christ's suffering and it's affect on the problem of evil, never departs from the Penal Atonement theory. Not once does he even consider the many other atonement theories and what affect they might have the problem of evil. There are at least 7 other theories that could have been considered but Bart once again proceeds based on the idea that his education is correct in how atonement works.

Nothing New Here
I put this in too, If your looking a new arguments about the problem of evil from Bart, sorry there is nothing new to see here. I have heard all these arguments around the halls of the various academic institutions I have been a part of and every book I have read on the issue. Bart does not give anything new, he just repackages it well.

Next: Part 2 -- Bart's Bible not the Bible.