In the past couple of weeks, two readers reached out to me asking if I had ever written anything about how theology about suffering is misused in coercive ways within the Church.
Thank you, Paul for your always insightful and compassionate work. It is a gift to me and to the church. (I am saving this message ā there is a lot of stuff here that I hope to include in a book proposal Iām working on over the next year!)
A theology of suffering that ends up decreasing compassion and solidarity, instead of increasing it, isn't the Gospel of suffering. JPII names exactly this in Salvifici Doloris: one reason suffering exists in the world is so that more love can be released into it, not less. He grounds the true Christian attitude toward suffering in the parable of the Good Samaritan ā and that attitude, in the end, is Christ's own. He is the true Good Samaritan.
I am tired of the idea that suffering is somehow good. I'm seeing more and more though that at least in the US it's likely not even Catholic theology, rather deeply anti-Catholic rhetoric enmeshed in overall Catholic culture from "Dr" Dobson and his ilk. My theory is that much of that jived with the heavy-handed Baltimore Catechism which enforced rules over discernment. It's easy to tell others to suffer.
Wonderful! I am reading The Odyssey this summer in preparation for the movie, and Fr. Edgelord's (perfect way to refer to him) view of suffering is more aligned with the pagan Greek gods debating whether Odysseus has been through enough awful stuff to deserve help, as opposed to anything in Scripture. Many years ago, I read in a magazine an argument for why Christians should read Homer, and the writer said, "Reading these, you see why the gospel was such good news to the Greeks." But there is no good news in how this priest has framed things. The ways in which God chooses to use a broken world for our ultimate good are often murky, but suffering in itself is not a good thing.
I almost used Fr. Pagan instead of Fr. Edgelord because of this! In college I read Chesterton's "Everlasting Man" and he made the point that pre-Judeo-Christian religious practice was fundamentally transactional. I do X and Y expecting the deity to do Z. (I ultimately chose not to use Fr. Pagan because the pagans I know in real life actually have a healthier spirituality than this priest.)
Whenever I hear another say "thathorriblethingthathappenedtome" must have been God's will, I literally shudder in reaction to the lie. One that is ingrained deeply, and definitely, most certainly not part of God's will for us. Learning the truth of personal freedoms, the permissiveness of God's will and the real and holy things that please God are a part of the spiritual life that one must enter with great awe and wonder. Thank you for opening the door!
āWhat is more, caught up as we are with our own needs, the sight of a person who is suffering disturbs us. It makes us uneasy, since we have no time to waste on other peopleās problems.ā -Pope Leo
I have been reading NT Wright's commentaries and books for the last few years. (Some mornings I am amazed at what I'm learning, and other mornings my brain falls out. š«ŖIt's a lot to absorb.) But this, this post resonated powerfully šwith the book I just finished, How God Became King. Thank you for writing this about suffering. ā¤ļø I feel like part of my brain got up from the floor and fitted itself back into place. š And my heart said, "Oh, yes." š
The substitution theology and his suffering aspect was used to justify abuse in some communities (for example in France : benedictines of Montmartre, a report was published in january)
Imagine God does not want us to suffer, but lets us suffer anyway. Why? Youāll hear immediately that the suffering is not pointless. Thereās a reason he permits it. So, we are left in this incoherent situation. God does not want us to endure something which He has a good reason to let us endure. These are the contortions you have to go through if you insist that God does not want us to suffer. If he really did not want us to suffer, heād do what I do when my son falls down. I prevent as much suffering as I can. In His case, thatās all suffering. Or maybe thereās that good reason to allow itā¦.. and round we go again.
Thank you, Paul for your always insightful and compassionate work. It is a gift to me and to the church. (I am saving this message ā there is a lot of stuff here that I hope to include in a book proposal Iām working on over the next year!)
A theology of suffering that ends up decreasing compassion and solidarity, instead of increasing it, isn't the Gospel of suffering. JPII names exactly this in Salvifici Doloris: one reason suffering exists in the world is so that more love can be released into it, not less. He grounds the true Christian attitude toward suffering in the parable of the Good Samaritan ā and that attitude, in the end, is Christ's own. He is the true Good Samaritan.
I am tired of the idea that suffering is somehow good. I'm seeing more and more though that at least in the US it's likely not even Catholic theology, rather deeply anti-Catholic rhetoric enmeshed in overall Catholic culture from "Dr" Dobson and his ilk. My theory is that much of that jived with the heavy-handed Baltimore Catechism which enforced rules over discernment. It's easy to tell others to suffer.
Wonderful! I am reading The Odyssey this summer in preparation for the movie, and Fr. Edgelord's (perfect way to refer to him) view of suffering is more aligned with the pagan Greek gods debating whether Odysseus has been through enough awful stuff to deserve help, as opposed to anything in Scripture. Many years ago, I read in a magazine an argument for why Christians should read Homer, and the writer said, "Reading these, you see why the gospel was such good news to the Greeks." But there is no good news in how this priest has framed things. The ways in which God chooses to use a broken world for our ultimate good are often murky, but suffering in itself is not a good thing.
I almost used Fr. Pagan instead of Fr. Edgelord because of this! In college I read Chesterton's "Everlasting Man" and he made the point that pre-Judeo-Christian religious practice was fundamentally transactional. I do X and Y expecting the deity to do Z. (I ultimately chose not to use Fr. Pagan because the pagans I know in real life actually have a healthier spirituality than this priest.)
Indeed, Paul! Indeed!!
Whenever I hear another say "thathorriblethingthathappenedtome" must have been God's will, I literally shudder in reaction to the lie. One that is ingrained deeply, and definitely, most certainly not part of God's will for us. Learning the truth of personal freedoms, the permissiveness of God's will and the real and holy things that please God are a part of the spiritual life that one must enter with great awe and wonder. Thank you for opening the door!
Great Job on this article! You nailed it! š
āWhat is more, caught up as we are with our own needs, the sight of a person who is suffering disturbs us. It makes us uneasy, since we have no time to waste on other peopleās problems.ā -Pope Leo
I have been reading NT Wright's commentaries and books for the last few years. (Some mornings I am amazed at what I'm learning, and other mornings my brain falls out. š«ŖIt's a lot to absorb.) But this, this post resonated powerfully šwith the book I just finished, How God Became King. Thank you for writing this about suffering. ā¤ļø I feel like part of my brain got up from the floor and fitted itself back into place. š And my heart said, "Oh, yes." š
Thank you, Paul. This gives me so much to think and pray over. What a gift.
The substitution theology and his suffering aspect was used to justify abuse in some communities (for example in France : benedictines of Montmartre, a report was published in january)
Thank you for sharing this excellent piece on the meaning and purpose of suffering.
Imagine God does not want us to suffer, but lets us suffer anyway. Why? Youāll hear immediately that the suffering is not pointless. Thereās a reason he permits it. So, we are left in this incoherent situation. God does not want us to endure something which He has a good reason to let us endure. These are the contortions you have to go through if you insist that God does not want us to suffer. If he really did not want us to suffer, heād do what I do when my son falls down. I prevent as much suffering as I can. In His case, thatās all suffering. Or maybe thereās that good reason to allow itā¦.. and round we go again.
A must share for Catholics to see.
Beautiful. Thank you.