tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post574053962071953423..comments2023-11-03T11:37:04.473+00:00Comments on nothing new under the sun: Wolterstorff on the meaning of sufferingbyron smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17938334606675769903noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-59976422819589330102007-05-31T02:09:00.000+01:002007-05-31T02:09:00.000+01:00Well if the Messiah is the one through whom the wo...Well if the Messiah is the one through whom the world was created then I think that ultimately all evil is a reaction to him. Those who rebel against him may not even know that they are doing so. However, if his is the death for sin then all evil is directed towards him.<BR/><BR/>I don't know what Augustine's line is and having waxed lyrical as I have I am also conscious of having a different Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-85095162938496646182007-05-30T08:33:00.000+01:002007-05-30T08:33:00.000+01:00Yes - and nicely put. However, is opposition to Go...Yes - and nicely put. However, is opposition to God's Messiah the explanation for all suffering and evil? Do you take Augustine's line and explain 'natural' evils as the result of demonic forces?byron smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17938334606675769903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-46203307577884506362007-05-30T08:09:00.000+01:002007-05-30T08:09:00.000+01:00Well in line with the next post, to speak of expla...Well in line with the next post, to speak of explanation is not to sing a vacuous "all's well that ends well" or even that the ends justifies the means.<BR/><BR/>By explain I mean grounding the phenomenon of evil which is inextricably bound to suffering in the darkness of Good Friday. The blackened sky, the battered and bloodied Messiah, the mocking calls, the gawking crowds, the weeping women (Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-36871323312399824422007-05-30T06:17:00.000+01:002007-05-30T06:17:00.000+01:00Mik - yeah, you're convincing me. We'll see whethe...Mik - yeah, you're convincing me. We'll see whether the next post has a similar response (although since it is expressing a similar point to this one, people might get bored).<BR/><BR/>Cyberpastor:<BR/><I>Certainly we do not have to bear the burden of the inexplicable but what is hope beyond a "grin and bear it stoicism' if we do not articulate the triumph of God's Messiah in suffering?</I><BR/>Ibyron smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17938334606675769903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-56544160001255469352007-05-30T05:41:00.000+01:002007-05-30T05:41:00.000+01:00Wow B - 8 comments already... It seems you're back...Wow B - 8 comments already... It seems you're back on everyone's safe terrain.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-69083761878770220472007-05-30T02:47:00.000+01:002007-05-30T02:47:00.000+01:00If I may have another go...Certainly we do not hav...If I may have another go...<BR/><BR/>Certainly we do not have to bear the burden of the inexplicable but what is hope beyond a "grin and bear it stoicism' if we do not articulate the triumph of God's Messiah in suffering?<BR/><BR/>Once we have arrived at the cross we are given an account of hope that explains suffering at least in essence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-6015772891375387052007-05-30T00:20:00.000+01:002007-05-30T00:20:00.000+01:00Yes, and further to this, giv[ing] an account for ...Yes, and further to this, <I>giv[ing] an account for the hope that we have</I> is perhaps not explaining suffering at all, but rather explaining why we, together, <I>protest, groan, learn to endure</I>?Drewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03148452877425621293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-88618170349958430802007-05-29T18:45:00.000+01:002007-05-29T18:45:00.000+01:00Cyberpastor: you are right that we need to be able...Cyberpastor: you are right that we need to be able to give a reason for the hope we have, but that's not the same as being able to "explain suffering". Rather, it is to explain how we can retain hope in the face of unexplainable suffering.John Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11074559601919298190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-14586537741616939552007-05-29T16:21:00.000+01:002007-05-29T16:21:00.000+01:00Wolterstorff's little book is an absolute gem. I g...Wolterstorff's little book is an absolute gem. I gave it as gifts to several friends this past christmas, because I think he hit the nail on the head.Aric Clarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15241157655075444268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-17292428085060816672007-05-29T15:45:00.000+01:002007-05-29T15:45:00.000+01:00Stephen King's Cort expressed much the same thing ...Stephen King's Cort expressed much the same thing when he told Roland and friends "Why is a crooked letter which can't be made straight"Benjamin Adyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325520894212279303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-88314604203871618552007-05-29T12:42:00.000+01:002007-05-29T12:42:00.000+01:00Our job is not to explain all suffering.This is a ...<I>Our job is not to explain all suffering.</I><BR/><BR/>This is a good insight.Chedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04008363735281618528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-27855329571409603552007-05-29T11:37:00.000+01:002007-05-29T11:37:00.000+01:00And yet, we still need to give an account for the ...And yet, we still need to give an account for the hope that we have. If this is to be more than "blind trust" it must necessitate some reflection or meditation which is hard to keep away from explanation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28189019.post-17657965571151210292007-05-29T10:10:00.000+01:002007-05-29T10:10:00.000+01:00Ah yes: it is a theologian's temptation, isn't it?...Ah yes: it is a theologian's temptation, isn't it? Explanation can be a death by a thousand cuts...michael jensenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15379361601019023165noreply@blogger.com