Life Is Mortal (Paperback)

If a good and all-powerful God exists, why does he allow innocents to suffer and die? Because our existence makes sense only if we're mortal. It's impossible to come up with reasons why God allows instances or kinds of suffering, if there are reasons. I approach theodicy by explaining instead why innocents must live as mortals - or as creatures vulnerable to suffering and death. That question is answerable: our mortality motivates the social structure that is essential to our existence. In this essay, I show why divine intervention to prevent suffering or death would yank the thread of caregiving and interdependence that stitches human existence together. Survival and mortal dependence are demanding and self-sacrificial. They are also the basis for culture and civilization. Were God to render those endeavors unnecessary by keeping us healthy and safe, we would live differently - but not better. The need to be mindful of life is central to being human.