Bad Things, Good People, and God: A Guide for Teens
Help for teens struggling to reconcile complexity in the world and faith in God.
From the pandemic to polarized politics to school shootings, kids today face a reality that inevitably can lead to a wonder about why. Bad Things, Good People, and God offers help to teenagers as they think through one of the biggest and oldest questions of faith--why bad things happen. With stories from the Bible, a side-eye to some of the "classic" attempts at figuring all of this out, honest talk about sin and suffering, and hope for making sense of it all, this guide allows readers to explore, wonder, curse, lament, and ultimately find a sense of peace around the question of evil.
Bestselling YA novelist Bryan Bliss turns his hand to a challenging topic teenagers don't want a simple answer for-they want to know what's at stake, how it affects the world, and what difference they can make.
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Bryan Bliss is the author of four young adult novels, including We'll Fly Away, which was longlisted for the 2018 National Book Award. He has nearly 20 years of youth ministry experience and is a graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School, the creative writing program at Seattle Pacific University, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in public theology at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Praise for Bryan Bliss's YA novel, No Parking at the End Times:
"Bliss's debut explores family, sacrifice, and the power of everyday faith with a deft and sensitive hand."
-Horn Book Magazine
"This quietly powerful story of a young woman's quest for deliverance in the face of parental failure, religious disillusionment, and self-doubt moved me deeply. I can't wait to see what Bryan Bliss does next."
-Sara Zarr, National Book Award Finalist
