Search

Suffering is an inescapable part of life. As Christians it is difficult to comprehend that a God who is both omnipotent and benevolent could allow his people to endure such agony. This raises the issue of how Christians should respond to suffering. To answer the question this paper will firstly reflect on the aspects of isolation caused by suffering in the book of Job, paying particular attention to chapers 2, 3, 29, 30 and 31. Secondly, it will consider Job's response to isolation caused by suffering, with particular attention to his lament and Job 42:7-17, and use this as a paradigm of how Christians should respond to God, our own thoughts and emotions, and others during times of suffering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropology's approach to answering the question of the role of suffering in our lives is limited to empirical data and at best describes an individual's capability to endure it and make sense of it. Levinas was at odds to find meaning in suffering once it had exceeded certain proportions. Various cultures demonstrate greater and lesser capacities for integrating corporate suffering when it has crossed a significant threshold (e.g. Israeli Holocaust survivors, Canadian-Cambodian Khmer Rouge survivors, and their descendants). What is the role of ritual and productive suffering in revealing meaning in suffering? Some examples are drawn from the experiences of pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago de Compostella. Drawing from Dr. Eleonore Stump's exploration of second-person narratives and relationships, a Christian philosophical-theological response is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christian theology has constantly taken an interest in the question of suffering. I want to do so once more in the hope that my approach will help to deepen this reflection. My hypothesis concerns the identification of God with all victims of injustice and violence. I believe that developing this approach can benefit the theology of the God presented in Judaeo-Christian revelation. To this end this article looks at some contemporary theologies, European and Latin American. At the end I shall try to indicate some ways forward for reflection on this important theological question today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on German theologist Martin Luther's theology of the cross in the Bremen Church Order (BCO) of 1534. Topics discussed include Luther's reference to the suffering and cross of Jesus Christ; the BCO, which states that the evangelical preacher condemns human righteousness, glory and wisdom, and bears witness to Jesus Christ; and BCO's chapter "About the Cross" which states that Christians may expect "Cross and Suffering" as part of the revelation of Jesus Christ.

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]

The article focuses on transformative suffering in terms of cultivation and exercise of virtues including edification and potentially transformative (PT) theologies. Topics discussed include claims in common to edificationism and PT theologies such as intrinsically negative character of suffering regardless of positive edifying potential, suffering being potentially edifying or transformative, and positive potential of suffering being contingent upon sufferers' response to suffering.

The unusual flow of thought in Psalm 22 (description of suffering, description of deliverance, global acknowledgment of Yhwh as king) has long been recognized, as have its lexical and thematic similarities to the servant passages in Deutero-Isaiah. In this essay, 1 argue that Psalm 22 has been edited in light of how Trito-Isaiah develops themes from Deutero-Isaiah--in particular, in light of its emphasis on a social group called the "offspring" or "servants." Psalm 22 functions paradigmatically for those who suffer righteously and who self-identify as the "servants." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

Forgiveness and hope are arguably key concepts in Christian theology, yet little has been written exploring the connections between these two words. For those who have experienced suffering inflicted by others, forgiveness and hope are important. This article draws together the reflections of Christians who have supported trauma survivors and the theology of Moltmann to re-examine the notion of forgiveness and hope in Christian theology. By so doing, the article proposes an alternative way of looking at the offering of forgiveness and explores why forgiveness is ultimately an act of hope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a theology based on the Christian-Buddhist perspective of the suffering of Ludu in Myanmar. The author explains the meaning and significance of Ludu and Dukkha as understood in Myanmar. Dukkha is further explored by taking into account the Buddhist and Christian views, the two forms of dukkha, and other concepts attached to it like sin and kamma.

The following is a panel discussion between four theologians about their recent theological work at the intersection of trauma and Christian theology. This conversation highlights the ways in which current (or recent) studies in trauma have impacted and reshaped the classic questions of Christian faith: Where is God in the suffering? Does God will suffering? [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.

Copyright of Teología y Vida is the property of Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Facultad de Teologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Blaise Pascal once said, 'Knowing Jesus Christ strikes the balance [for theology] because he shows us both God and our wretchedness'. Indeed, the majesty of Christ is that in him the despair of wretchedness and the hope of God are held together. Theology often does not reflect this balance, leading towards either anthropocentrism or nihilism. The ubuntu theology of Desmond Tutu does, however, by proclaiming the inherent interconnectedness of humankind. Tested by the context of South African apartheid, this notion called 'ubuntu' counters segregation and violence with reconciliation and justice. It refuses to execute retribution upon transgressors, instead committing itself to re-membering the disinherited of Christ's inclusive body. Forgiveness is the only future for this body and, though it remains an aporia in the context of radical evils such as apartheid, it is the only way to achieve justice without economising balance. That is, only forgiveness can realise ubuntu because it progresses forward toward justice not backward toward vengeance. Ubuntu is the prophetic balance of a divine gift that transforms the wretchedness of human atrocities. It represents Tutu's attempt to realise the way of God in his context, an attempt from which all theologising can benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]