Suffering and the Goodness of God

Theology in Community #1

by Christopher W. Morgan (Editor)

Suffering and the Goodness of God presents biblical truths concerning suffering and challenges believers to promote justice and to emulate God's grace as they minister to others. Famine. Sickness. Terrorist Attacks. Natural disasters. Each day horrific scenes of suffering are streamed before us through television, the Internet, and newspapers. Believers are taught that God is good, and they believe this truth. Yet when they are faced with suffering and hardships, the one question believers most often asked is, Why? Suffering and the Goodness of God brings insight to many contemporary concerns of suffering by outlining Old and New Testament truths and tackling difficult questions concerning God's sovereignty, human freedom, and the nature of evil. Suffering and the Goodness of God offers believers biblical truths concerning suffering and then challenges them to promote justice in the harsh, unsure world around them and to emulate God's grace as they minister to those who are suffering. Part of the Theology in Community series.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Counselling, Spirituality

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 22, 2008

Reviews

[John Sagherian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read “Suffering and the Goodness of God” edited by Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson, and found it very helpful, encouraging and thought-provoking. Even though there are different writers in the book, there is a smooth continuity from one chapter to the next. It addresses evil and combines theory, philosophy and theology; it’s Biblical and includes personal testimonies without giving pat answers. If you are suffering, or know someone who is, or even if you just listen to World News and wonder where God is, I highly recommend this book.

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a seemingly odd choice of book for me to choose and read; so
much so, I think I should give you some reason as to why I have it in
my possession. A friend of mine studied theology and had, just this
year, his PhD conferred. Being the agnostic I am, I often hit him up
with theological questions because theology and spirituality interest
me no end. Anyway, we were, one evening, talking about people
suffering and a benevolent God. Later, he tapped on my door and gave
me this book to read.

That particular evening, I was questioning that a benevolent God could
possible condemn anyone/thing to an eternity of hell. I still question
that. Suffering and the Goodness of God, did little to answer that
question. Instead, its focus was the justification of suffering on
earth.

Suffering on earth is of little consequence to God. As far as I can
figure, he is more interested in salvation. Why he screws with Job, or
even enters into discourse with Satan, does not seem consistent with
an omnipotent being; he knew the result long before the actions were
undertaken. The misery of Job served God no purpose other than to
offer humans a lesson. That lesson, or lessons in Yardbrough's (The
author of Ch 1 of this book) case, is what the book was trying to
teach/help us, the reader, come to grips with as we mortals suffer in
this world. However, Job and lessons like his fit neatly into the
sociological theorists of, particularly, Marx and Weber.

Both Weber and Marx espoused the idea that capitalism revelled in the
spirit of Christianity. I am fairly sure (without putting any research
into it what-so-ever) that Judaism and to a lesser extent Islam could
fit into that basket. Weber's Protestant work ethic called for
Christian soldiers to stoically trudge on through the face of
seemingly adversity because toil is the domain of Christianity.
Yardbrough's, 'theses' smacked of perseverance through suffering.
Yardbrough presented 11 theses. Here are some of the titles of his
theses:
Thesis 5: Suffering Creates Teachable Moments for Gospel Reception
Thesis 6: Suffering Will Bring Glory to God in the Lives of Believers
Subjected to It
Thesis 7: Suffering Is the Price of Much Fruitful Ministry
Thesis 10: Suffering Unites Us with Other Sinners We Seek to Serve
Thesis 11: Suffering Establishes True Fellowship among Christians
In his conclusion, Yardbrough offers the following colourful imagery:
'Suffering is a bracing slap in the face that drives God's people
again and again to clarify and purify the fundamental terms of their
acknowledgement and worship of their God' (p.44). That had me
reaching straight for my camelhair undershirt. It also eluded to the
Marxist possibility of the 'opium of the masses' quip.

Weber and Marxist theory of religion are different; Weber's theory
empowers the middle classes while Marx (who would have guessed) saw
religion as yet another tool of the ruling classes to undermine and
control the proletariat. My point here is, when man puts his
intellectual prowess into action, all manner of possibilities can
become plausible and justifiable.

I do not believe in an interventionist God. Just as he doesn't
intervene when the Croc cruelly takes a boy, nor does he care one iota
when a footballer runs onto the pitch and makes the sign of the cross
on grand final day. He clearly doesn't seem to care if I win lotto!

I just can't come at the philosophy behind this book; well the little
I read. For my mind, the suffering on earth is both created and borne
by its inhabitants. What's more, I am quite partial to the Giai
theory.

What I want to know is how the Christian, benevolent, God could (even
if he can be jealous and angry) condemn anyone to eternity of Hell? I
am a mere man, filled to the brim with shittyness; but even I would
probably forgive Hitler after a couple of Trillion years. Actually, he
is a bad example, because he was convinced he was doing God's work in
the name of Christ; but you get my drift- delete Hitler and make it
Genghis Khan. This book did in no way answer that question, but just
perpetuated the idea that the Christians should continue to bear the
burden of misery. Take the suffering of this world so that you may be
enriched in the Kingdom of Heaven just, to continue Yardbrough's
metaphor, smacks of servitude to the established hierarchy. The only real suffering in this book, is reading it.u

[John Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an important subject for Christians and the editors have included reliable authors and theologians to address the question, "If God is good, why is there suffering?" As in the case of most edited works (I would guess) some chapters are better than others. I was most impressed with Robert Yarbrough's chapter on the 11 Theses about suffering and the goodness of God, and John Feinberg's chapter in which he walks the reader through the experience of his wife's terminal, hereditary illness. The rest is good basic stuff that looks at the relevant biblical texts.

[Mark A Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The age-old question of how a good God can allow suffering is addressed by several authors in this compilation. The root of all suffering is explored, as is the way suffering is categorized and dealt with in Scripture. The final chapters, written from lessons learned in personal suffering, were of great value. Although this book can be a bit academic at times, it is a helpful resource for those desiring to give thought to this question.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I obtained this book because of the endorsement of Ravi Zacharias. He called it, "the best book on God and suffering."

Most of the book is pretty academic, but the last essay was the best one. It's written by a pastor whose wife has a terminal disease. It's so much more helpful than the rest of the book, but I think it delivers a broad spectrum of treatment on the subject.

The book deals with evil and just non-evil suffering.

I'd recommend this book due to the last two essays.

[Kaden Classen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty good, but it tried to be too many things at once. Some chapters are academic, some popular-level. Some biblical theology, others poetry. This book seems to be geared more toward the person currently in suffering. Which is fine and needed, but it wasn't what I expected. I was left wanting for a true theology of suffering.

[Levi Friesen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good survey of suffering throughout the biblical text. Appreciate the reflective chapters that end the book. Frame's chapter (with a little tri-perspectivalism snuck in right at the end) on the Problem of Evil was really good and helpful in the way he cuts through a lot of the cliches and idioms that are unhelpfully employed by many.

[Joost Nixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with most multi-author books, this one is good in spots, great in others, and in some spots--dry-toasty. What is coming through, though, is how suffering really is a huge part of walking with Christ. And yet, the things Americans think count as suffering really is embarrassing in light of what our people have suffered elsewhere.

[Brian Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting information. Would have liked to see some of the concepts explored more - at times the reference to & acceptance of historical doctrine is used in place of this, which is dissapointing.