Theology in a Suffering World

Theology in a Suffering World PDF Author: Christopher Southgate
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108652190
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
In this book, Christopher Southgate proposes a new way of understanding the glory of God in Christian theology, based on glory as sign. Working from the roots of the concept in the Hebrew Bible, Theology in a Suffering World: Glory and Longing shows that 'glory' is not necessarily about beauty or radiance, but is better understood as a sign of the unknowable depths of God. Southgate goes on to show how John and Paul transform the concept of glory in the light of the cross. He then explores where glory may be discerned in the natural world, including in situations of pain and suffering. In turn glory is explored in the poetry of R. S. Thomas and the writings of the Jewish mystic Etty Hillesum. Finally, the book considers what it might mean for Christians to be 'transformed from one degree of glory to another': that might mean becoming a sign of the great sign of God that is Christ, and conforming their longing to God's longing for the Kingdom to come.

Theology in a Suffering World

Theology in a Suffering World PDF Author: Christopher Southgate
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108652190
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages :

Get Book

Book Description
In this book, Christopher Southgate proposes a new way of understanding the glory of God in Christian theology, based on glory as sign. Working from the roots of the concept in the Hebrew Bible, Theology in a Suffering World: Glory and Longing shows that 'glory' is not necessarily about beauty or radiance, but is better understood as a sign of the unknowable depths of God. Southgate goes on to show how John and Paul transform the concept of glory in the light of the cross. He then explores where glory may be discerned in the natural world, including in situations of pain and suffering. In turn glory is explored in the poetry of R. S. Thomas and the writings of the Jewish mystic Etty Hillesum. Finally, the book considers what it might mean for Christians to be 'transformed from one degree of glory to another': that might mean becoming a sign of the great sign of God that is Christ, and conforming their longing to God's longing for the Kingdom to come.

The Cross in Our Context

The Cross in Our Context PDF Author: Douglas John Hall
Publisher: Fortress Press
ISBN: 9781451407167
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 292

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Book Description
In this small gem of theological reflection, North America's foremost "theologian of the cross" offers a profound and compelling contemplation on the relevance of the church's most fundamental confession. Hall ponders what confessing Jesus as crucified means in today's context, one that is postmodern, pluralistic, multicultural, and in some respects post-Christian. A digest of his monumental trilogy, this book lays out in brief compass the heart of Hall's theology of the cross, contrasting it sharply with the theology of established Christianity, showing how it reframes classical Christology and soteriology, and drawing the implications for what it means to be human, for Christian ethics, and for the church.

Suffering in the World

Suffering in the World PDF Author: Augustin Kassa, S.M.A.
Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 1644925826
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 166

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Book Description
The undeniable reality of suffering in the world often leaves humanity perplexed about its source. The struggle to make sense of pain usually leaves people wondering what they have done to merit the agony of suffering. It is hence not bizarre to hear a person in suffering ask, "What wrong have I done to be suffering this much?" "Why is God punishing me?" It is not uncommon to hear some people like Edward Schillebeecks exempt God from any responsibility in the suffering of humanity. Shillebbeeckx unequivocally suggests that God is not responsible for the suffering of humanity just as he wasn't responsible for the suffering of his Son more than two thousand years ago. In his words, "[N]o one should ascribe to God what has, in fact, been done to Jesus by the history of human injustice." But how can a tragic event like the death of the Son of God and, by extension, suffering in the world be laid solely on the shoulders of humanity? Doesn't putting the responsibility of pain and suffering in the world on humanity rob God of his all-powerful nature? To avoid this quandary vis-à-vis the nature of God, classical theologians like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas proposed the principle of the two evils, that is, evil-suffered and evil-done. They also maintained that while God may not be responsible for pain and suffering in the world, he certainly does permit or allow it for a greater good. If God only permits or allows suffering, what do we make of Marthe Robin's experience that suggests that the Risen Lord, God the Son, appeared to her, asking her, "Do you want to be like me?" And upon the question made her live the suffering and pain and carry the wounds of the Crucified Lord. According to her, she was "the little victim of the Lord."

The Theology of Suffering and Death

The Theology of Suffering and Death PDF Author: Natalie Kertes Weaver
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0415781086
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 136

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Book Description
This book introduces the spiritual and theological issues raised by suffering and dying. It relates theology to practical issues of caregiving and provides a 'toolbox' for thinking about suffering and death in a creative and supportive way.

From Suffering to God

From Suffering to God PDF Author: Santiago Sia
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 0230379311
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 213

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Book Description
'A splendid book! The authors give a moving account of a tragic aspect of our present human world. It is a scholarly, learned account.' - Charles Hartshorne, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin Does the reality of suffering disclose anything about God's nature? The authors address this fundamental question by reflecting on some theistic responses to the challenge of suffering. Taking seriously the persistence of theistic belief despite widespread suffering, they focus on the practical ways some believers deal with suffering: by 'suffering with those in affliction' and 'working for the liberation of those who are opposed.' They then investigate the possibility of describing God as 'co-sufferer' and 'liberator.' In their exploration they turn to literature, theology and philosophy and offer an interesting interpretation of the relationship between these disciplines. Part I contains literary and descriptive reflections on the experiences of certain theists faced with the reality of suffering. The authors present and analyse the concerns, fears and hopes expressed in the book of Job and selected poems by Hopkins, Vaughan, Donne and Herbert. They then try to show that an important challenge that needs to be investigated and met, given the presence of so much suffering in the world, is discovering the kind of God in whom we can credibly continue to believe. This question is developed theologically and philosophically in Part II. In developing some answers, the authors turn to Latin American liberation theology and Charles Hartshorne's process philosophy and offer a new synthesis of these two schools of thought. Their exploration is an interesting illustration of how literature, theology and philosophy can throw some light on an area of common concern.

Suffering

Suffering PDF Author: Arthur Chute McGill
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
ISBN: 9780664244484
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 140

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Book Description
How can an omnipotent God allow suffering and violence to pervade the world? The author approaches this disturbing question by examining the concept of power. At opposing ends of a spectrum lie two powers--demonic power that is violent, destructive, and dominative, and the power of God that is creative, totally open, self-giving, and expansive. Through consideration of power, McGill provides reflections on the nature of God's inner life in the Trinity and concludes that "service" characterizes God's relationship to the world, not "domination." Combining the scholarship and clarity that characterizes the greatest theological writing of our times, "Suffering" addresses the need for renewed faith in the almighty powerfulness of God's self communication and self-giving until the time "when the pretenses of demonic power are swept away."

Christ Crucified in a Suffering World

Christ Crucified in a Suffering World PDF Author: Nathan D. Hieb
Publisher: Fortress Press
ISBN: 1451469829
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 269

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Book Description
What is the connection between Christian doctrine and concrete social action? This question marks the often unarticulated divide between systematic theology and liberation theology, each often emphasizing one primarily or formally over the other. Examining the work of Karl Barth, T. F. Torrance, and Jon Sobrino, here Nathan Hieb contests this bifurcation, specifically around the nodal points of the crucifixion, or the doctrine of atonement, and the context of suffering. This book is an innovative study that bridges the boundaries of method, doctrine, and praxis, creating a strong theological and action-oriented relationship between systematic and liberation theology.

The Promise of Despair

The Promise of Despair PDF Author: Andrew Root
Publisher: Abingdon Press
ISBN: 1426724861
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 210

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Book Description
Where is God present in the world? What hope does the church offer to folks who are struggling with death and despair in their many forms, from broken relationships to lost jobs to the seeming lack of meaning in our late-modern context? Some answer these questions by pointing to churches that have had success in growing their worship services and ministries. But Andrew Root invites us to answer the questions from a different angle. Rather than place primary focus on creating a successful church, he asks the church to open its eyes to the suffering and hopelessness of the world, to identify with and embrace it, because it is precisely in the world’s suffering that God is found. Using Luther’s theology of the cross as a lens, Root shows how the church’s willingness to become weak for the world’s sake results in a refocusing of Christian living and ministry, which he examines through the categories of discipleship, authentic hope, community, justice, and resurrection. Thus, as with the other books in the Living Theology series, this book brings theology to bear on life in suggestive and provocative ways, encouraging readers to think theologically about their specific contexts.

The Reformation of Suffering

The Reformation of Suffering PDF Author: Ronald K. Rittgers
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199795126
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 592

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Book Description
Protestant reformers sought to effect a radical change in the way their contemporaries understood and coped with the suffering of body and soul that were so prominent in the early modern period. The reformers did so because they believed that many traditional approaches to suffering were not sufficiently Christian--that is, they thought these approaches were unbiblical. The Reformation of Suffering examines the Protestant reformation of suffering and shows how it was a central part of the larger Protestant effort to reform church and society. Despite its importance, no other text has directly examined this reformation of suffering. This book investigates the history of Christian reflection on suffering and consolation in the Latin West and places the Protestant reformation campaign within this larger context, paying close attention to important continuities and discontinuities between Catholic and Protestant traditions. Focusing especially on Wittenberg Christianity, The Reformation of Suffering examines the genesis of Protestant doctrines of suffering among the leading reformers and then traces the transmission of these doctrines from the reformers to the common clergy. It also examines the reception of these ideas by lay people. The text underscores the importance of consolation in early modern Protestantism and seeks to challenge a scholarly trend that has emphasized the themes of discipline and control in Wittenberg Christianity. It shows how Protestant clergymen and burghers could be remarkably creative and resourceful as they sought to convey solace to one another in the midst of suffering and misfortune. The Protestant reformation of suffering had a profound impact on church and society in the early modern period and contributed significantly to the shape of the modern world.

The Creative Suffering of the Triune God

The Creative Suffering of the Triune God PDF Author: Gloria L. Schaab
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190450096
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
The global reality of suffering and death has always demanded an authentic theological response and impelled debate concerning Gods relationship to suffering, as well as the conceivability of the suffering of God. The scope and impact of this suffering in the last century have driven this debate to an acute pitch, demanding to know how one can speak rightly of God in view of the suffering that is inherent and inflicted in the cosmos. While in former ages, some looked to an omnipotent and impassible deus ex machina in answer to this question, many contemporary theologians have revised their understanding of God in relation to the world. With these theologians, Gloria Schaab proposes that a viable response to cosmic suffering is the recognition that the triune Christian God participates in the very sufferings of the cosmos itself. She sets her argument within theology and science dialogue and specifically within the work of scientist-theologian Arthur Peacocke. Informed by the understandings of evolutionary science, grounded within a panentheistic paradigm of the God-world relationship, and rooted within the Christian theological tradition, this work contends that the understanding of the Triune God as intimately involved with the suffering of the cosmos is viable and efficacious in view of the suffering of the cosmos and its creatures. It develops a female procreative model of the creative suffering of the Triune God, an ecological ethics based on the midwife model of care, and a pastoral model of threefold differentiation of suffering in God as steps toward Christian praxis in response to the mystery of God within the pain, suffering, and death of cosmic existence and human experience.