Why Is There Suffering?
Pick Your Own Theological Expedition
- Theology
- Philosophy
- Publisher: Zondervan Reflective (Zondervan)
- Published: 2021
FritzSearch.com earns a commission on purchases made through Bookshop.org links.
Publisher's Description
Your journey begins. The road before you is smooth and straight. You walk for some time, recalling your experiences that call into question the deep realities of life. Up ahead, you can see the road branching in three directions... In Why Is There Suffering? you, reader, control the route you take through its "choose-your-own-path" chapters, asking questions and exploring different theological possibilities on the big topics of: God's existence God's nature The nature of suffering Evil Pain Final destiny Taking an intentionally light-hearted approach to a heavy topic this book presents an illustrative introduction to the problem of suffering and the most commonly offered responses to it. Along the road, you'll face multiple possibilities regarding suffering and its theological explanations, and you'll make choices about which one you find most plausible, skipping to that section of the book. Each decision you make leads to further complexities and new choices that reveal how theological beliefs lead to certain conclusions. This book does not offer final answers. Instead, it introduces the "theological" possibilities—both Christian and non-Christian—that you can explore and wrestle with to make informed decisions about your beliefs and clearly see the road you've taken to reach such beliefs. You are, of course, in control of the paths you take through these pages. You decide which explanations work. You can always go back and see what would change if you'd taken a different path. And, who knows...you may find that certain pathways resonate with your experiences in ways you didn't expect.
Endorsements (5)
“Bethany Sollereder has written a hospitable book, with a light touch. Although an admirably well-informed guide, she allows the visitor to wander at will through many mansions housing one of the most difficult problems to confront thoughtful humanity. Enter, and enjoy finding your own route forward.”
“stuck” when it comes to that most profound of questions: accounting for the goodness of God and the existence of suffering. In this highly readable book, Bethany Sollereder offers a lifeline. The reader makes choices after each short chapter about the most helpful next step, and the book constitutes a personalised journey of “reappraisal” of one’s beliefs about human and divine agency. Sollereder leads us skilfully through key issues of providence, evil, suffering, divine intervention, and judgment with elegant and accessible prose, and with frequent references to familiar stories and sources. Instead of shutting down debate by attempting to produce a single theological explanation, Sollereder offers a refreshing openness that encourages the pilgrim reader to grow in understanding and in faith. This book will excite and encourage those who are not satisfied with trite answers, and I would recommend it to first-year theology students as well as interested church members.”
“The problem of suffering has been an eternal riddle that has left people puzzled and perplexed for centuries. What I love about this book is its approach to this riddle. It is truly an expedition, and the author knows the terrain inside and out. It reads like a field journal written by a deeply informed guide. If you are looking for an excellent book about how to think about this problem, you need look no further. You have found it.”
“Bethany Sollereder has combined her considerable learning with her passion for theological adventure to produce a book that will help, delight, and provoke many readers. Accessibly written, it will stimulate church study-group discussions, and it also will provide solace for many Christians who have thought some of these thoughts but not known how to connect them up. This is a highly original approach to introducing laypeople to theological reasoning, and I recommend it thoroughly.”
“Bethany Sollereder is one of the leading scholars within the ongoing debates around the nature of theodicy and how best we should respond to the problem of evil. In this creative and deeply thoughtful book, she presents us with a new, challenging, and deeply promising approach to how best to think about theodicy. This book will not only make an excellent contribution to the field but will also move us on in important directions.”
See something wrong on this page? Report a problem