Theology of suffering assignment
Theology of suffering assignment
It Is a false sense of safety, or goodness, that these means provide. They do not give an answer, a reason, or a purpose. Another, more philosophical or knowledgable, response to the suffering Is that of an Athelstlc worldview. It Is difficult, though, to generalize this rellglon because the only doctrine Is that there Is no God, or gods. The rest of the Ideology Is on a person to person basis. The reason why they are Interjected, In this paper, with a group of theistic rellglons Is because most Atheists believe that If there were a God, or gods, e would destroy evil.
Epicurus said “ Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he Is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he Is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? that is proof enough that there is no God, or gods. So what do they do with suffering? They Just believe that it is a part of life. They do not find any supernatural value, or lack thereof, in it. They accept it, and if they can, better themselves by it. Obviously, they try to avoid it as much as they can. Self-preservation is natural human process, but no other actions are taken.
Well, they believe that a person will cease suffering. Although, as previously stated, if a person is living, then they are suffering. This is shown in the Buddhist’s first noble truth. Islam’s response to the suffering in the world is a bit different than that of those previously stated though. They answer it by saying that their God, Allah, is sovereign. Meaning that if he wanted to end suffering, he would; but he doesn’t, so he must have a reason for it. They trust Allah and say that he is above their understanding but is fair, wise, and knowing.
They do not say that he is completely good like the Christians describe their God. This could be their way of explaining why there is evil in the world. That Allah created it. Their response to this, as well as suffering, is that Allah is above their understanding. It is difficult for any theologian to break through will get is that Allah is sovereign, fair, and has a purpose in what he is doing. This is a simple, and unsatisfying, answer to a big question. Christianity differs from the first few world-views but closely resembles that of Islam.
They believe that until Christ’s death on the cross for the forgiveness of people’s sins, an atonement for them, man has been enslaved to sin. They say that Christ sets them free from the bondage of sin, but there is still suffering though, even when there is freedom from sin. Why? Because God has a purpose for it. C. S Lewis tates in his book, The Problem of Pain, “ Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world. ” Lewis describes pain as a means that God brings His children nearer to Him.
To awaken them to draw them close. Throughout the Bible, it makes mention to Christians to tell them how and why they are to deal with sufferings. In Romans 5: 3-5, it states “… but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, Sand hope does not put us to shame, een given to us. ” In this chapter, Paul is writing to the Romans promising that there will be sufferings that come upon the Christians, but they need to endure them and actually rejoice in them.
This is where it seems that Christianity has a flaw, but later in the book of Romans, Paul speaks more of the promises in 8: 18, “ And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 ITO him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. ” This answers the previous question of the suffering from the death of a loved one. That this world is only temporary and a future glory will be shown to those who have and keep the faith.
This, though, does not answer the fact that your loved one may be in Hell. With this question, Jesus states in the Sermon on the Mount that people should not be the judges of their own kind’s salvation. God is ultimately Just, good, and nobody knows specifically who will be saved and condemned. It is not up to people, and that is why God tells people not to Judge. They are not Him. They are not the Judge. But this verse in Romans 8, gives hope to Christian when they receive their promise of suffering, that it is nothing compared to the insurmountable goodness that is to be revealed to them.
They understand that it is a part of life like the simpleton, Atheist, and Islamist, but they are the only ones that are able to give an account for why, and are they only ones to find a purpose in it. And unlike the Buddhist, they do not view it as a curse, but a blessing. They do not ignore it after they have reached a high spiritual point in their lives. On the contrary, when a Christian grows, they receive more gladness and Joy from their sufferings. You can see this in Paul’s ministry as he is stoned, shipwrecked, and imprisoned; also in the apostles lives when they are beaten nearly to death and come out rejoicing.
People go through their lives looking for ways to avoid pain, get past sufferings, but never seem able to do so. It is a part of the natural order of the world, and impossible to bypass. It is inevitable. So people can turn to things, to opiates, to knowledge, to acceptance, to arrogance, or to ignorance but nothing can give an answer that Christianity can. It gives a reason why, a way to respond, and a hope for it to cease like no other capable religion, or means, can; because the God of the Christians is sovereign, good, Just, omnipotent, and gives His children a means to understand the world He created.