Is protest theology a theodicy — or something else entirely? In this episode of Beyond Simple Answers, theologians Scott Rice, Greg Fung, and Kristin T. Lee debate whether protest theology and liberation theology truly qualify as theodicies, or whether they function as responses to evil rather than intellectual solutions to it. The conversation explores the "three-legged stool" of theodicy — God's omnipotence, God's goodness, and the reality of evil — and asks whether protest and liberation theology can hold all three legs at once. A rich, honest discussion for anyone wrestling with faith, suffering, and the problem of evil.

In this final Beyond Simple Answers Q&A, Scott Rice, Greg Fung, and Kristin T. Lee explore some of Christianity’s hardest questions about suffering, evil, prayer, and the presence of God. Can protest be a faithful form of prayer? Why does it matter that Christ suffers with us? And can Christianity truly explain evil?

Drawing from Job, the Psalms, process theology, liberation theology, and personal experiences of grief and loss, this conversation wrestles honestly with faith, doubt, lament, forgiveness, and theodicy. If you’ve ever questioned God in suffering or wondered where God is in death and pain, this episode is for you.

In this deeply honest episode of Beyond Simple Answers, Scott Rice talks with Jasper Su and his mother, Vivian Su, about Christian faith, doubt, theological questioning, and spiritual growth. Jasper opens up about wrestling with uncertainty, growing up in church, and learning that questioning faith does not make someone a “bad Christian.” Vivian shares the perspective of a parent walking alongside an adult child through difficult spiritual conversations with love, patience, and openness. Together, they explore deconstruction, suffering, God’s presence, and the importance of safe spaces where authentic conversations about faith can happen without fear or judgment.

In this powerful bonus episode of Theology Lab’s Beyond Simple Answers series, Scott Rice hosts an honest conversation between Vivian Su and her son, Jasper Su, as they wrestle with Christianity’s hardest question: If God is good and all-powerful, why does suffering exist? Vivian shares how trust in God’s sovereignty gives her peace even amid tragedy, while Jasper candidly explores his struggle to reconcile faith with the reality of evil, pain, and injustice. Together, they discuss the Book of Job, the limits of human understanding, faith versus doubt, and how families can navigate deep theological disagreements with honesty, love, and respect.

In the final episode of Beyond Simple Answers, Scott Rice, Kristin T. Lee, and Greg Fung reflect on what they’ve learned from exploring why God created a world marked by suffering and evil. The conversation highlights protest theology, liberation theology, process theology, and the importance of holding multiple perspectives in tension rather than settling for simplistic answers. Together, they explore how faith can include wrestling with God, pursuing justice, and trusting in God’s presence amid suffering. Thoughtful, honest, and deeply personal, this episode offers a compelling vision of theology as a relational and ongoing journey toward truth, hope, and spiritual growth.

In this Beyond Simple Answers episode Scott, Greg, and Kristin explore the Bible, suffering, creation, and the problem of evil in passages like Philippians 2, the book of Job, Lamentations, and the stories of Hagar and Gethsemane. Returning to previous discussions, they look back at Process and Liberation theology's themes of justice and noncoercive love, as well aa prayer. Why does Job accept God's response? How do believers hold together anger and faith? It's a human conversation, animated by a desire to believe, that looks at suffering, divine power, and faith -- and the many complexities that arise in between in these topics. Beyond Simple Answers episodes are part of Theology Lab. We aim at seeking out a theological vision when simple answers fall aren't enough. And the conversations are geared towards anyone who might be amidst processes like deconstruction and reconstruction of faith, or who just wants curiosity and thinking to play a more important part of your faith life. Thanks for giving some of your time to engage this. We really do appreciate that and hope it might be helpful in some way.

In this Theology Lab conversation, Kristin Kobes Du Mez and Walter Kim explore evangelicalism, masculinity, and Christian identity, focusing on the American church. Drawing from Jesus and John Wayne, they discuss how rugged masculinity, power, and nationalism have often overshadowed the gentleness, compassion, and courage of Christ. Kim reflects on the many “rooms” within evangelicalism—some hospitable, some hostile—while Du Mez challenges rigid gender binaries and calls believers back to deeper theological reflection. Together, they model respectful disagreement, historical honesty, and hopeful dialogue. This discussion asks: What have Christians traded for power, and what might faithful witness look like now?