Dear Dr. Craig, what is your opinion of a fall of the angel's hypothesis that would help explain natural evil in the world?

Mentioned by UK Anglican priest Reverend Michael Lloyd in his book,

Cafe Theology.

It basically describes the possibility that there is some reality to the biblical

language of angels and demons.

There was some sort of fall of angels prior to creation that involved the rebellion of these free-will

entities in the spiritual realm against God. This rebellion somehow distorted the whole way in which

material creation developed, luring it away from God's original harmonious purposes, and

introducing division, pain, predation, cruelty, and killing. Presumably, this rebellion also introduced

entropy into the universe, along with disease, earthquakes, and so forth. Humans, instead of being

part of the solution to undo these effects, often join the rebellion. When I first read this hypothesis,

I dismissed it as ad hocum. Then I

discovered that Alvin Plantinga argued the case for the fall of the angels in a 1978 book,

God, freedom, and evil. It does appear to have theological explanatory ability that God is not

the architect of suffering. It is also pastly helpful in that suffering is not the work

or the will of God. Sincerely, Mark from the United States. Thanks for your question, Mark.

As my defender's lectures on angels and demons in the Locust Doctrine of Creation make clear,

I do take seriously the biblical worldview that angels and demons

exist. Moreover, I think that it is plausible that what we call demons are, in fact, fallen angels,

angels who freely sinned, and so now find themselves opposed to God and his work.

It seems to me that these demonic creatures are bent on the harassment and destruction of God's

people in this world.

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