(a) describe Christian beliefs about why there is evil in the world

An example answer:

Christians have different views about the existence of evil in the world. For many Christians evil is a mystery, which they struggle to explain.

Some Christians would argue that much that is evil in the world is a result of people being deliberately cruel and uncaring. This kind of evil is called moral evil. Some Christians believe that evil is a result of the Fall of Adam and Eve, who chose to disobey God and as a a result bring evil into the world. The other kind of evil is natural evil, which includes floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and disease. Natural evil is that which does not happen because of human action.

Other Christians believe that evil in the world comes from the Devil. The Devil is believed to be the enemy of God, who was created good, but grew jealous of God and decided to fight against him. The Devil, some Christians say, tries to turn humanity away from goodness and cause them to do evil. In the Bible the Devil is found tempting people, including Jesus, to turn against God.