Agree or Disagree? The Author of the Story

God isn’t the author of evil, but he is the author of a story that includes evil.  He intended from the beginning to permit evil, then to turn it on its head—to take what fallen angels and fallen people intended for evil and use it for good.  In the face of the worst wrongs, God intended to show his highest good.  (Randy Alcorn, The Goodness of God: Assurance of Purpose in the Midst of Suffering , p.15)

This may not really fall under the category of Agree or Disagree.  However, I am interested to hear your reaction to this statement.  Is it biblical to say that God is not the author of evil BUT he is the author of a story that includes evil? 

If you agree I would like to hear how you would respond to someone saying that this does not “let God off the hook” if he wrote the story that includes evil then he in a roundabout way created evil.

If you disagree I would like to hear why.  Where did evil come from, biblically speaking. 

If you are an atheist and want to use this as your soapbox to proclaim that God does not exist, go ahead.  However, one rule.  We are interested in answering this question biblically.  Does Scripture agree or disagree with Alcorn’s statement?