Guided Analysis: Suffering
Address the following questions, responding to each one directly below the question. Your total word count (including all questions and answers combined) should be between 900-1150 words. Include a reference page.
1. Describe a time when you experienced a significant period of suffering. How did you deal with that experience? How did you find comfort in the midst of suffering?
2. Briefly summarize the problem of evil and suffering. Cite and reference the topic overview and/or Chapter 9 in the textbook.
3. Briefly summarize the Christian worldviews response to the problem of evil and suffering. Cite and reference the topic overview and/or Chapter 9 in the textbook.
4. Imagine that a close friend has just suffered through a great personal loss (death of a loved one, natural disaster, disease, job loss, divorce, or a broken relationship) and your friend asks you why God would let such a terrible thing happen. How would you respond to your friend?
5. According to Chapter 7 in the textbook, how might the problem of evil and suffering lead one to the conclusion that moral absolutes exist?
reference
Chapter 7
Conclusion
Critics of Christianity often state that Christianity was devised to control peoples lives. This could not be more untrue. First, Jesus, his twelve apostles, as well as Mark, Luke, James, and Paul were all pursued, persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, and all but one were horrendously murdered for their beliefs. What control over others did they gain? None. Similarly, early Christian clergy strongly committed to faithfulness to their spouse or even lifetime chastity and to personal poverty. What did this alleged control gain? Nothing. Rather, the far more likely scenario is that these brave Christians risked everything in order to proclaim freedom. That is what absolute truth and absolute morality does. They bring freedom.
Living in the wisdom of absolutes implies that people ought to study and analyze truth and discover universal principles of this existence. It implies that people ought to learn and do their best to follow absolute morals while living in grace. Most of all, a defined reality implies that there is a harmony that can be found by living within the absolute truth of this existence and within moral absolutes. That harmony offers an indescribable freedom.
Chapter Review
Main Ideas
Beliefs about the source of knowledge and the nature of truth affects how people see themselves, others, life, the world, and God. The Christian worldview invites people to a life of study, reason, and experience.
Truth is determined by evidence, reason, and experience. Spiritual, biblical, or religious evidence ought to be considered as part of that evidence. Universal truth, or absolute truth recognizes empirical evidence, patterns of experience, and reason.
Beliefs about the nature of morality affect how people see the world, themselves, others, life, the world, and the nature of God. People must discover their beliefs, challenge them, and realize how they affect their worldview.
Universal morality or absolute morality, does not dismiss personal morality or societal morality, but recognizes a universal thread running through them. The universal human sense of injustice and the existence of this standard implies a standard maker.
Chapter 9
Conclusion
In a persons life and suffering, experiential obstacles to wisdom quickly arise, including the need to understand suffering, discover what is fair, be delivered from suffering, understand where God is in all of it, and trust that he can provide healing, love and fulfillment in this present world.
The experiential obstacles to wisdom are not impossible to overcome. Yet, to overcome such obstacles requires serious reflection upon what the Bible has to say about suffering, the goodness of God, his presence with people amidst their suffering, and faith that God will keep his word and bring those who trust him unto eternal life with him. Chapter 10 will examine emotional obstacles to wisdom and the ways in which Jesus helps people to overcome the feelings and responses that might threaten their faith and their continued pursuit of godly wisdom.
Chapter Review
Main Ideas
In a persons life and suffering, people are often concerned with fairness, but God has offered each person more than what is fair. Human beings do not deserve to live life in the first place: it is a gift.
Suffering will come to every person in this fallen world no matter who they are. Even Jesus suffered. However, suffering also gives persons a chance to surrender to God and trust in his goodness, just as Jesus did, by accepting the life and death of Jesus in their place, and trusting that God will be revealed as good in the end. Further, if they will allow him, amidst the struggles of this present life God will shape those who trust Jesus into true children in his likeness, persons made ready for eternal life with him.
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