To gain some additional insights into theodicy or questions about God and human suffering, I want to share a review of the book God & Human Suffering: An Exercise in the Theology of the Cross By Douglas John Hall.  Douglas John Hall is a professor of Christian Theology at McGill University and has written numerous books.  I have considered various positions on the topic and he has put forth some ideas that are worthy of consideration and go at least some of the way towards an answer to the question.

     As Douglas John Hall begins to lay out his perspective on God and Human suffering, he begins with what seems to be two concrete views or horizons.  The first is that suffering is real and the second, is that suffering is not the last word.  In between these two points he writes,”is a profound tension” that is difficult to both articulate and to live within as humans.  From this vantage point he takes a look at creation both what was intended by God the creator, and what went wrong.  In the process of this he explains two facets of suffering that occur and how God intervenes to redeem or set right the situation.  He then considers the church, its role in the redemptive plan, and finally brings hope by affirming that though this is what we experience as people, it is ultimately not our end.  These are the basic points expressed within Hall’s theodicy.

     To begin to discuss the fact that suffering is real, Hall leans back upon the tradition of the Prophets, or the tradition of Jerusalem.  Using human experience recorded through the prophets and the apostles he expresses that biblical faith does not ignore the fact of suffering, in fact it expresses the reality of human suffering.  Though our suffering is real, he gives two reasons or perhaps two types of suffering.  The differentiation being that one type or experience of suffering was intended and the other not.  One as part of the goodness of creation and the other suffering that is harmful.  One that is essential to our development as humans and the other that constitutes something like the “cursed” state after the fall.  The demarcation between the two comes when there “ceases to be life”.  To support this argument Hall gives examples of tensions that were inherent from the beginning of creation.  These tensions were there for our good.  They were there to allow us the opportunity to develop to the fullest as humans. He calls this “suffering as becoming”.

     After the fall, the other aspect of suffering comes into existence “suffering as burden”.  Humans had the opportunity for choice, to make decisions as to how they would respond to the inherent conditions of creations existence.  Hall says that the outcome of these decisions was no set for them.  In other words, God did not interfere to make sure they only went one way.  We in effect chose not to trust the creator and set into motion pain, tragedy and death.

     For Hall however, God sets about to redeem his creature and at the same time limits how he is going to intervene.  The all powerful and all loving, God, does not opt to use power in a conventional sense, but for Hall, sets about to redeem us from within.  Jesus, God incarnate comes into the world to redeem and transform the broken world.  For Hall the only power that can address suffering humanity is the power of love, and that is a power made perfect in weakness.  It is this redemption from within that will bring about radical change in our world.  Hall calls this the “theology of the Cross”.

     For Hall the church, participates in this redemption from within.  He writes, “the church is a vital part of God’s response to human suffering.  As we identify ourselves with Christ, the church also identifies itself with the suffering world.  Hall writes, “the object, rather, is to identify oneself with the suffering that is already there in one’s world, to let oneself be led by the love of Christ into solidarity with those who suffer, and to accept the consequences of this solidarity in the belief–joyful belief– that in this way God is still at work in the world, making a conquest of sin and suffering from within.

     Now that I have basically expressed the points that Hall is making regarding his theodicy, how does this sit with me?  In a general sense I can buy into the position that Hall is making.  The fact that suffering is real can be readily supported by human experience both in our current situation and by that which has been witnessed to and documented by the prophets and the apostles. The concept of “suffering as becoming”, certainly makes logical sense and can be shown in scripture.  That God would want his creation to grow and develop as people and in particular in relationship with him is also readily apparent.  As to the “fall” as “suffering as burden”, I can also buy into that concept as that has been with me for as long as I can remember.  Scripture too, continues with the story in the grand narrative and through time we can see that this is so.  That our choice as humans put into motion this suffering I can accept, with the exception of horrific and extreme natural tragedy.  I can believe that our freedom to choose another way, versus to trust the creator, put into motion suffering as a consequence of that sin.  I also can believe that this sin can grow exponentially as it works through systems and structures within our world.  I just don’t believe that Hall addresses all of suffering in this regard, it does not answer all of the question for me.

   Douglas John Halls book was both thoughtful and helpful.  He put forth arguments that in some way may answer the theodicy question.  Of course most arguments to this question have limits as we only “see in a glass darkly” at this time.

     As we wrestle with this question, perhaps our position changes through time. Or based upon what we are exposed to we opt not to examine the question of theodicy to this extent.  But all of us do in one way or another have a perspective about God and human suffering.  How does what Douglas John Hall expresses as an answer sit with you?

Picture: Homeless, by Who.log.Why

     And I saw the river over which every soul must pass to reach the kingdom of heaven and the name of that river was suffering– and I saw the boat which carries souls across the river and the name of that boat was love.

            St. John of the Cross, b. 1542

     Suffering takes many forms in the lives of us as individuals and within our world.  None of us are immune to its effects.  Some of us may experience what seems to be greater suffering, but the degree to which we are touched by it or ravaged by its impact each one of us uniquely bears.  This being said, it still remains common to all.

     The suffering that we endure as humans, raises many questions.  In fact most of us going through suffering at some point ask the question why?  Our equilibrium is off.  We are experiencing change and pain.  None of which we desire to be going through.  By seeking the answer, we are looking for anything that we can grab onto to salve our pain.  In our desire to cope with it we even compare our suffering to another.  Many times we believe that there is some sort of lesson for us to learn or perhaps for others to learn who are observing our suffering and our response. 

     As people of faith, believers in God and Christ Jesus, we base some of our questions on what we believe about God and God’s care for us.  We consider his power, his love, his sovereignty and yet wonder why we are going through this.  At different points we wrestle within, questioning all the while why he doesn’t fix it or remove it from us.  Why did he allow it at all?

     I believe that at any given point we have a set of pattens of belief based upon what we have been taught, learned, or experienced about who God is.  It is these beliefs that make up part of how we wrestle with the subject of God and human suffering.  Though we have these beliefs, when we are deep in suffering these very propositions get challenged.  In the process of our suffering some of them may even change, though our faith remain intact and seemingly strengthened.

     In a recent entry, we took a look at Gerald Sittser’s book, A Grace Disguised.  This is a prime example of one mans attempt to answer such questions in a time of suffering.  Tomorrow we will consider another example that tries to answer the same question. 

Have you come to an answer to this question for yourself?  Would you be willing to share it?

Picture:  Suffering-Peace, by gaijin21mensou