Customer Reviews

Suffering

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I have used Dorothee Soelle's text, 'Thinking About God', as a text in the introduction to theology class at my seminary; in this volume, 'Suffering', Soelle explores in more depth and detail a concept that is central to the biblical witness, but which is often misunderstood and overlooked in our modern society. Written against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, a time of great suffering that was vividly portrayed in homes around the world (and not too dissimilar to today's world, as history seems to be repeating itself with earnest predictability), Soelle sought answers to timeless questions.

In her introduction, Soelle highlights two key questions. These arise out of the idea of suffering as being inherent in personal experience as well as the biblical texts - one need only look at the title of a book such as 'Lamentations' to know that there is suffering behind the words; similarly, many psalms dealing with issues of pain, anguish and suffering. Soelle's key questions are these: 'What are the causes of suffering, and how can these conditions be eliminated?' and 'What is the meaning of suffering and under what conditions can it make us more human?'

Soelle looks at concrete causes of suffering - both in physical and social situations. Some suffering is physical, some is psychological, and some is spiritual. Soelle quotes Simone Weil's idea of affliction, which deals with physical, psychological and social suffering. 'Affliction is ridiculous,' Weil states, and goes further to state that despising the afflicted seems to be a natural impulse. Thus it becomes all the more important for us to be in solidarity with those suffering. However, 'gratuitous solidarity with the afflicted changes nothing,' Soelle states, arguing for a much more empathetic response.

Soelle looks at three phases of suffering - the first in isolation, where one is mute ('like a lamb who is mute before its shearers'); the second is lamenting (expressive and communicative); the third is changing and active behaviour. Thomas Muntzer worked past a church that seemed to have a mute and isolated God to one who was active in hearing the laments of the people - 'Thomas Muntzer will pray to no mute God, but only to a God who speaks.'

One key element for suffering is this - in our own experience, 'suffering makes one more sensitive to the pain in the world.' However, this is not where the meaning necessarily comes from in the midst of experience. As Soelle states, 'we can remain the people we were before or we can change.' Again, drawing on Muntzer, Soelle sees suffering more than believing as a way to God. One must bear the cross, and taste the bitterness. Soelle sees both Judaism and Christianity having a common thread in being religions familiar with slavery - indeed, the image of the cross is an image of suffering, but not just of suffering, but of slave suffering. God understands our suffering and is in active solidarity and communication with us in the midst of this condition.

Soelle is a tough read, not just from the theological concepts, but also from the emotions she elicits. She draws powerfully from the experiences of Chilean workers who revolted in the early part of the century, from letters written by concentration camp victims, and from other pieces that draw suffering in context of modern day, inescapable examples.

'God has no other hands but own own,' Soelle writes, urging her readers to engage the world in a liberating praxis, one in which suffering can be reduced and overcome, not with platitudes or tenuous meanings, but with direct love and freedom from God.

Dorothee Soelle is not for those looking for a quick fix to the problem of human suffering. No other writer in the Christian tradition writes this nakedly about this subject. One would almost think she is a Buddhist. She uses biblical, theological and mystical material in her book. She engages concrete social and personal suffering. She address the problem of theodicy (the question of why God allows suffering.) This book is recommended for those who wish to take a deep and serious look at the most pressing issue in human existence. I recommend it without reservation, but caution the reader to expect to have to work to get the sense of this book. It is a hard read, but well worth the effort.

Not light reading and not for a developing or mind. You must be firm in your faith to get through and frankly I see no value in this book for faithful answers to suffering. Perhaps a good read for those in that deep world of philosophy, but for a common peasant like me, didnt like it.

Apparently something is wrong with Amazon, the reviews showing up here are for two different books... the reviews referencing homosexuality are not about this book! Weird mixup.