Why does God allow suffering? And why are our attempts to figure it out inadequate?

Why does an all loving God allow evil and suffering in the world?
The theodicy isn’t just a problem for popes and theologians—at some
point in any believers life it’s a question that seizes and stops a
prayer in the throat. Yet we try to offer inadequate answers all
the time: God only gives us what we can handle. This is a test.
Everything happens for a reason. Push any of these responses a bit,
and the unraveling begins. Perhaps the only real answer is in
asking the questions. In poetry. In prayer. Joe Hoover, S.J.,
America’s poetry editor, is out with a new book O Death, Where is
Thy Sting?, which is a meditation on all of this and more. In this
week’s show, Zac and Ashley sit down with Joe to talk about
suffering—fitting for Good Friday.  Links from the show: 
Joe’s book: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting? The Great Courses Plus
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