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Eben Scheffler wrote much on poverty and social injustice, and this article focusses on his understanding of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts in order to comprehend the different dimensions of suffering and the healing ministry of the Lukan Jesus. Scheffler stressed that Jesus' life, from birth to cross, was immersed in suffering thus becoming part of the human condition of sorrow and misery, but Scheffler ultimately stressed the compassion of Jesus' ministry which continued in the early church and which must be reflected by his followers to all people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the relationship between melancholy and mystical longing from a religious perspective. The author comments on the works of Italian priest Romano Guardini, including "Apuntes para una autobiografía," in which he examines the Christian understanding of melancholy and suffering.

The book of Job is, undoubtedly, the literary work that has provoked more comments regarding the issue of suffering in human existence. However, the expressive richness with which men is described, and his relationship with evil, has not been delved in enough. This is why this research intends to reflect on the issue of human suffering in the book of Job, in accordance with the book's own vision, based on the classic Hebrew anthropology, and beginning with (1) some linguistic considerations regarding the description of the body in the expression of emotions in the Hebrew Bible; (2) a similar study on the book of Job and in part of its rich anthropological vocabulary in the description of the experiences of pain and suffering, especially according to the poem of chapter 3; and, lastly, (3) the scopes of the anthropological conception of the book of Job and its poetic expression in the entire book, with the objective of carefully establishing a bridge between the present and the past (Job and us), between the human figure of Job and out daily experience of suffering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of the many problems which evolutionary theodicy tries to address, the ones of animal suffering and extinction seem especially intractable. In this essay, I show how C. D. Broad's growing block conception of time does much to ameliorate the problems. Additionally, I suggest it leads to another way of understanding the soul. Instead of it being understood as a substance, it is seen as a history-a history which is resurrected in the end times. Correspondingly, redemption, I argue, should not be seen as an event which redeems some future portion of time. God's triumph is over all of history, not just some future temporal portion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a speech given by Mormon feminist Liz Hammond at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the First Ward of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Topics of the speech include the differing roles of men and women in the Mormon Church, the "female condition," including suffering, vulnerability, and injustice, and female spirituality vs. male spirituality including the dominance of male spirituality in scripture.

The article presents a theological reflection of persecution and martyrdom. It notes that persecution and martyrdom serves as examples in globalizing theology. Information on "Bad Urach Statement," a document with a subtitle "Towards an Evangelical Theology of Suffering, Persecution, and Martyrdom for the Global Church in Mission," is offered. The author encourages the readers to be bare witnesses of Christ's suffering, persecution and martyrdom.

Matthew records six instances in which Jesus expressed the idiom 'weeping and gnashing of teeth' (8:12; 13:42; 13:50; 22:13; 24:45; 25:30). The phrase refers to the eschatological fate of the wicked. This article investigates whether those who weep and gnash their teeth suffer physically, or merely spiritually and emotionally. A word study of the 'weeping' and 'gnashing' revealed that both these terms contain within their connotation the aspect of weeping and gnashing of teeth that is a direct result of physical pain. The use of the 'furnace of fire' and 'cut him in pieces' similarly seems to associate the idiom with suffering as a direct result of physical pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks at books by Christian theologian Augustine of Hippo, including "Confessions" and "De Trinitate," examining his aesthetic theory of theatrical images of suffering and its relation to his theology. Topics include Augustine's aesthetic theory in relation to Platonism, his views on soteriology and the cross in relation to suffering, and his relation to the phenomenological thought of philosopher Martin Heidegger.

The church has an essential role to play in communities riddled with poverty, disease, and despair. Communities in informal-settlement areas suffer a great deal. Churches in these communities are often small and have few means for alleviating poverty. In the Bible, the community of God is a community of love. Although there are instances of retribution in the Old Testament, there are clear instances where the community of God experiences the implications of love for one's neighbour. In the New Testament, the essence of the church is to be the community of love. Congregations in Mangaung's informal settlements bring a message of hope by being the community of love in their area. The church can become the true messenger of God's hope in informal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines God's action in the evolutionary process and the reconciliation of Christian affirmation of divine action in evolution with the massive suffering involved in the evolutionary process. Particular focus is given to major figures in the contemporary science-theology dialogue, Arthur Peacocke and Wolfhart Pannenberg. It notes that Peacocke has a deep concern with the naturalistic assumptions of empirical sciences while Pannenberg's theology of evolution is based on his eschatological perspective.

The article explores a theodicy which provides a framework for understanding the fulfillment of animal existence. Particular focus is given to the essence of the theological problem of death, pain and suffering in the natural world, as well as the conflict between God's goodness and the presence of pain and suffering. It discusses the argument that death and suffering were a direct result of the Fall and that creation was corrupted by an angelic fall before the appearance of humans. The view that natural evil was caused by disobedience is also explained.

This article explores the possible contributions that the Adventist Theology can make to resolve the emergent impasse between the conception of a God of love and a world of evil and suffering. The author presents an alternative hermeneutics to solve the "paradox of Epicure", and to understand the reality that surrounds us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the book of Ruth from the Bible and how the author believes that it gives hope in hard times. He lists down seven signs which he believes show that there was a lot of difficulty and suffering during the time of Ruth and Naomi. He then enumerates six sources of hope despite their difficult circumstances. The author believes that God knows and cares about the problems of the people and will bless those who trust him.

The construction of a distinctively Christian 'theology of evolution' or 'theistic evolution' requires the incorporation of the science of evolutionary biology while building a more comprehensive worldview within which all things are understood in relation to our creating and redeeming God. In the form of theses, this article brings four support pillars to the constructive work: (1) orienting evolutionary history to the God of grace; (2) affirming purpose for nature even if we cannot see purpose in nature; (3) employing the theology of the cross to discern divine compassion in the natural world; and (4) relying on the divine promise of new creation. Among other things, John Haught's blueprint has located the pedestals on which these pillars will stand. For this groundwork, Haught deserves thanks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theology of God in the scholarship of John Haught exemplifies rigor, resourcefulness, and creativity in response to ever-evolving worldviews. Haught presents insightful and plausible ways in which to speak about the mystery of God in a variety of contexts while remaining steadfastly grounded in the Christian tradition. This essay explores Haught's proposals through three of his selected lenses-human experience, the informed universe, and evolutionary cosmology-and highlights two areas for further theological development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bi-lingual speech "El problema del dolor/The Problem of Pain," by Christian N. K. Anderson, delivered at the Linda Vista Third Branch of San Diego, California on June 15, 2010 is presented. In it the nature of suffering, adversity and its religious aspects are addressed. The meaning and redemptive nature of several forms of suffering are mentioned including solitude, sickness, and poverty.

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Since the dawn of history, humans have tried to intuit its existence based on different worldviews. Depending on this worldview, they have interpreted the status as an inherent consequence of the existential principles adopted. The interpretation of suffering is not a topic unrelated to this reality. In relation to the development of a "theology of suffering", some has reacted and interpreted the action of God based on assumptions foreign to the Scriptures. This paper is a response to this problem. We propose, as a textual basis in search of biblical hermeneutic principles, the Pauline discourse of Romans 8. We will review the discursive use of the conjunction γάρ, which operates as a linguistic standard in the elucidation of theological content. From the conclusions drawn from discourse analysis, we will elaborate some theological proposals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christianity, although a worldwide religious tradition, is counted as a minority in the People's Republic of China (PRC), both by the Christians themselves and by non-believers. "House churches" in the PRC, being illegal and thus underground, are the "minority in a minority." Based on two years of participant-observation, I give a description of the beliefs and rituals of an immigrant workers' Protestant house church system in Beijing. Belief in the Christian God's ability to provide relief from suffering by performing earthly miracles and by bringing the faithful to eternal life in heaven are the main attractions drawing people to the house churches. I argue that the way the believers value and emphasize miracles performed by the Christian God is derived primarily from an orientation found in the Chinese popular religious tradition. Additionally, glorification of suffering in Christianity gives the believers inner strength to face the trials of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paul Draper argues that the central issue in the debate over the problem of suffering is not whether the theist can offer a probable explanation of suffering, but whether theism or naturalism can give a better explanation for the facts regarding the distribution of pain as we find them. He likewise maintains a comparison of relative probabilities considering the facts of suffering; atheological naturalism is to be preferred. This essay proceeds in two phases: (a) It will be argued that mainstream positions in naturalistic philosophy of mind make it difficult to take pain as anything but epiphenomenal and therefore not subject to evolutionary explanation. While the distribution of suffering is a difficulty for the theist, the naturalist has equal difficulty explaining the fact that there is any suffering at all in the first place. Thus, the facts of suffering offer no advantage to the atheist. (b) Phenomenologists suggest that there is an intrinsic connection between animal life, pain, and normativity (including a summum bonum). The mere occurrence of life and normativity are, at least prima facie, more likely on the assumption of theism than atheism, so the theist may have a probabilistic advantage relative to the atheist. Phases (a) and (b) together support the overall conclusion that the facts of pain as we find them in the world (including that there is any pain at all) are at least as great, if not greater, a challenge for the atheist as they are the theist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A speech by Pope Benedict XVI is presented, delivered at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, Israel, on May 15, 2009. Pope Benedict XVI reflects on the meaning of Jesus Christ's crucifixion and Christian suffering and offers words of encouragement for the Christian church in the Holy Land.

A prayer of Pope Benedict XVI is presented, spoken May 12, 2009, at the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) in Jerusalem, Israel, which addresses human suffering, faith in God and peace in the Middle East.