Ep. 82: Are There Really No Tragedies? | A Lutheran Response to R.C. Sproul Jr.

Are there really no tragedies? In this episode of The Bookcase Behind Me, Rev. Brandon Warr takes on R. C. Sproul Jr.’s controversial claim that “ultimately there are no tragedies.” While this statement has circulated widely in Reformed circles, a Confessional Lutheran response uncovers a very different theological truth—one that is deeply biblical, historically rooted, and pastorally necessary.

From the laments of the Psalms to Christ’s own tears at the tomb of Lazarus, Scripture does not erase tragedy. Instead, it teaches us to name evil for what it is, to cry out to God for deliverance, and to cling to the promise that one day He will wipe away every tear. In this episode, Rev. Warr explores:

• The Theology of the Cross: why Lutherans call sin, death, and suffering exactly what they are, rather than minimizing them.

• God and Evil: the Scriptural and Confessional teaching that God is not the author of sin.

• Luke 13 and the Tower of Siloam: how Jesus Himself forbids us from interpreting disasters as specific judgments on their victims.

• Romans 8 and Christian Hope: how tragedy is real in this fallen world, yet God bends all things toward the good of His people in Christ.

• Pastoral Care: why telling grieving Christians that “there are no tragedies” misses the comfort that the Gospel truly gives.

This episode is rich with quotations from the American Standard Version (1901) of the Bible and from the Book of Concord, grounding the discussion in the authoritative sources of the Confessional Lutheran Church.

Whether you’re Lutheran, Reformed, Catholic, or simply searching for biblical clarity, this episode offers a robust, faithful answer to Sproul’s claim—reminding us that tragedy is real, but so is Christ’s victory over it.

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