The question of suffering is one of the greatest hurdles to Christian faith. When believers respond to the question of why there is suffering in the world, they often turn to the free-will defence - that humans make bad choices that can cause suffering for others. However, that doesn't explain why children die of cancer, or why the latest earthquakes, tsunamis or pandemics have been so destructive. These seem to happen not because of our choices, but in spite of them. So how do we make sense of these events in light of belief in a good God? This talk takes an honest and holistic look at the question of natural disasters.

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Sharon Dirckx is a freelance speaker and author and an adjunct lecturer at OCCA The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. Originally from a scientific background, she has a PhD in brain imaging from the University of Cambridge. Sharon speaks and lectures on science and theology, ‘mind and soul’, and the problem of evil. She has appeared on several BBC programmes in the UK including Radio 2 Good Morning Sunday and Radio 4 Beyond Belief. Sharon is also author of an award-winning book on suffering, entitled Why?: Looking at God, evil and personal suffering (2013), as well as a book on human consciousness and identity, entitled, Am I just my brain? (2019). Sharon was a contributor to best-selling author Lee Strobel’s latest book and subsequent documentary, The Case for Heaven (2021). Her next book on natural disasters, Broken Planet, was released in February 2023.

Stefan Gustavsson is a member of the European Leadership Forum Steering Committee. He is the director for Apologia – Centre for Christian Apologetics and makes his home in Stockholm. He was the founding general secretary for 16 years of the Swedish Evangelical Alliance. Stefan travels widely with apologetic teaching and training and is often involved in university evangelism and public debates. He is the author of six books on Christian apologetics and the Christian mind and contributes regularly to news media in Sweden. Stefan is married to Ingrid, they have three grown children and four grandchildren.

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