Change Age

Science, Religion and Suffering

Hi there, if you're aged between 2 and 11, this space is for you to explore your big questions about science and religious faith.

Use the menu on the left to choose your age range, then click on a question below to read some thoughts about God, suffering, disasters and why bad things happen. You can also click on ‘Scientists’ to meet some scientists of faith who study this topic!

If you are older than 11 you can explore these same questions on our teens website, here


  • Why are we talking about suffering?
  • Why do bad things happen?
  • Why would a good God let people suffer?
  • Are natural events like volcanoes and floods always bad?
  • Scientists
  • More Questions?
  • Activities
  • Why are we talking about suffering?

    Suffering is a big word which means going through difficult things.

    When we learn about the world around us, we learn about all sorts of amazing things, from wonderful creatures, to how to help poorly people get better. But we also learn about things that are sad and hard. We might learn about nasty things that can make us sick, or dangerous things like big storms.

    So, when we learn about science, we might want to ask questions about the difficult and scary things that can happen in life. Sometimes these things might even have happened to us or the people we love – which can be really sad.

    We might not always want to talk about these hard things. But sometimes asking questions can help us to understand more about the things that have happened to us, and even help us to keep people safe and happy in the future. That’s why we want to talk about suffering.

    We’ll be adding more big questions on this topic, so keep checking this page!

  • Why do bad things happen?

    We’ll be adding more big questions on this topic, so keep checking this page!

  • Why would a good God let people suffer?

    We’ll be adding more big questions on this topic, so keep checking this page!

  • Are natural events like volcanoes and floods always bad?

    We’ll be adding more big questions on this topic, so keep checking this page!

  • Bob White

    Professor Bob White is a geophysicist and a Christian.

    John Wyatt

    Professor John Wyatt is a medical doctor, professor of medicine and ethics and a Christian.

    Roger Abbott

    Revd Dr Roger Abbott is a theologian a scientific researcher and a Christian.

    Roger Bretherton

    Dr Roger Bretherton is a psychologist and a Christian.

    Tom Ingleby

    Dr Tom Ingleby is a Geophysicist and a Christian

  • More Questions?

    ​Do you have questions which aren't covered here?

    It's great to ask lots of questions and we want to help!

    Take a look at some of our other topics, activities and resources to see what else you can discover. 

    Or why not get in touch and we'll do our best to help you out as you explore these exciting questions!

  • Activity Biography

    Volcano Explosion!

    One way to see some of the incredible power in the world around us is with a homemade volcano! Simple kitchen ingredients can be combined to create all sorts of explosive fun.

    Can You Save the World? (Game)

    How does science affect our everyday lives?

    Spring 2020 saw lots of the world in 'lockdown' and having to keep away from each other.

Your browser does not support SVG.