The Problem of Suffering, which is a subset of the broader philosophical Problem of Evil, is only an intractable problem if we assign to God the characteristics of being all powerful, all knowing and all loving. These are traditional attributes of assigned to God in Christianity, but are they necessary?

I was watching a philosophy video the other day and heard something for the first time: The Problem of Animal Suffering is even more intractable.

At least with people, we have the theoretical ability to say that sin is somehow responsible for suffering. You’ve explained pretty well why that isn’t a very satisfactory answer, but it is at least some kind of answer.

But how do we explain animal suffering, if animals can’t sin?

It’s a serious philosophical dilemma that appears to have no resolution other than to re-examine how we imagine God.