For The Rest Of Us with the Reverend Canon Megan Castellan

Megan Explains: Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?… for the rest of us! [Part 1]


Listen Later

This episode, Canon Megan leads the charge into one of the oldest and hardest questions out there: If God is good, why do bad things happen to good people? Adam’s along for the ride as they unpack what philosophy, theology, and real life have to say about suffering.

They explore different ways Christians have tried to make sense of evil, from the ancient to the modern—and why those answers often feel deeply unsatisfying when you're the one hurting.

Instead of offering a tidy solution, this episode leans into the mystery, highlighting how presence, empathy, and compassion matter more than perfect logic. It’s not about having the right answer—it’s about showing up with love.

What You’ll Walk Away With:

  • The question of suffering is one every human wrestles with—across time, cultures, and faiths.
  • Philosophical “solutions” can sometimes create more distance than comfort.
  • The classic theological problem: how do we believe in a good God in a world with evil?
  • The “Veil of Soul-Making” theory suggests that suffering helps shape our virtues—but it still leaves hard questions.
  • Christianity teaches that God is with us in suffering—not watching from a distance.
  • Conversations about evil and suffering get real fast—and need more compassion than cleverness.
  • God gives humans moral freedom, which means the possibility of real harm.
  • Natural disasters and illness—“natural evil”—make the problem even more complex.
  • Scripture shows us a God who doesn’t avoid suffering, but enters into it with us.
  • When words fail, presence, empathy, and support are often the best theology we’ve got.


If you’ve ever struggled to find meaning in the midst of pain—or tried to comfort someone who’s suffering—this episode offers grace, honesty, and a space to breathe.


AI Disclosure: To support our staff in their limited time, many of our episode summaries are first generated by AI and then edited by the Communications Director to accurately reflect and preview our podcast episodes.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

For The Rest Of Us with the Reverend Canon Megan CastellanBy The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

11 ratings


More shows like For The Rest Of Us with the Reverend Canon Megan Castellan

View all
Pod Save America by Crooked Media

Pod Save America

86,708 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

15,237 Listeners

Speaking of Faith with Bishop DeDe by The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York

Speaking of Faith with Bishop DeDe

14 Listeners

The Priest & The Prof by Trinity Episcopal Church with Rev. Deborah Duguid-May and Dr. M. Elizabeth Thorpe

The Priest & The Prof

12 Listeners