In this episode, I tackle a tough but necessary question: Why do bad things happen to good people? I’ve wrestled with this question personally, especially after losing my son and witnessing deep suffering in people I love.

I explore what two early Church Fathers—St. Augustine and St. Gregory of Nyssa had to say about the nature of evil, suffering, and God’s role in allowing it. Their views on theodicy are profound, but they also raise questions for me. What if the purpose of suffering is soul refinement? And what if, unlike their one-lifetime view, we experience multiple lifetimes to reach that refinement?

This is a personal reflection on: