Human Identity and Suffering

Human Identity and Suffering : 

Human Identity and Suffering Christadelphian Presentation

Suffering : 

Suffering To what extent is human identity – what it is to be human – bound up with suffering?

Image of God : 

Image of God If we are made in the image of God, is human suffering part of what it is to be an image of God?

God : 

God Does God suffer? If he does suffer, is this intrinsic to his nature?

Personhood : 

Personhood How much is suffering part of our life as personal creatures? Can a creature be a “person” without experiencing suffering? If God is a person, is the experience of suffering intrinsic to God being a person?

Common Ground : 

Common Ground If God does not experience suffering, is his personhood not then just too different from our personhood so that we have nothing in common?

Angels : 

Angels Man is created in the image and likeness of the angels – so perhaps our questions should be addressed in an angelic context? But angels themselves are the image of Yahweh, so as an “image” themselves – does the person they image suffer?

The Problem of Suffering : 

The Problem of Suffering If God is a person, and if suffering is intrinsic to being a person, then there is no problem of suffering as that has been traditionally conceived. If we want, as creatures, to be persons, we must take on board some suffering.

Propositions : 

Propositions To be is to do… Plato To do is to be… Jean Paul Sartre Do be do be do… Scooby-Doo

Proposal : 

Proposal To be a person is to be capable of suffering. As “angels” governing the kingdom, we will sometimes suffer. As “angels” creating worlds after the millennium, we will sometimes suffer. We work out our personhood in experience that involves suffering.

Some Evidence : 

Some Evidence God suffers disappointment – Ezek 20 God is long-suffering Num 14:18, Rms 9:22 God is compassionate Psa 86:15 God is forbearing Rms 3:25

Whatever You Want : 

Whatever You Want Do we want a God for all eternity who is intrinsically a God of Forbearance, a God of Compassion and a God of Patience? If we want our God to be of this kind, then we are saying we want our God to be capable of suffering.

What is Suffering? : 

What is Suffering? Physical Suffering Emotional Suffering Spiritual Suffering

Physical Suffering : 

Physical Suffering Disease, illness Caused by natural disaster Caused by natural environment Caused by human behaviours Pain, fatigue Bodily decay Death and dying

Emotional Suffering : 

Emotional Suffering Stress Distress Unhappiness Grief Fear and Terror Social Rejection and Prejudice Melancholy Compassion Forbearance Disappointment Patience

Spiritual Suffering : 

Spiritual Suffering Moral Uncertainty Doubt Guilt Moral Opposition Opposition to One’s Faith Hostile World to spiritual values Offence

The Suffering of Jesus : 

The Suffering of Jesus There is no Biblical evidence to suggest that God physically suffers. Jesus has physically suffered But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Hebs 2:9-10

The Suffering of God : 

The Suffering of God God suffers emotionally if he “suffers” the things we do, or if he is compassionate towards us. God suffers spiritually if he experiences spiritual opposition from us – if we choose to go our own way and reject him.

The Kingdom of God : 

The Kingdom of God In the kingdom, the resurrected state has no associated physical suffering. But spiritual suffering or emotional suffering may continue for the saints as long as there is a mortal population.

Angelic Opposition : 

Angelic Opposition Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. Daniel 10:12-14

Explaining Suffering : 

Explaining Suffering Theory Practise

Specific Explanations : 

Specific Explanations Narrative Stories Stories about Origins The Fall Ways of Providence “Sin” and Punishment Philosophical Theories Counterpart Theories (Virtues) Consequence Theories (Free Will)

The Fall : 

The Fall Much human suffering is due to sin and the origin of sin is explained by the Fall.

Ways of Providence : 

Ways of Providence Discipline Punishment Retribution Disciplinary Instruction Test Warning

Examples : 

Examples “How happy is the one whom God reproves; therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” Job 5:17 “Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves” Job 11:6

Counterpart Theories : 

Counterpart Theories Without the existence of certain kinds of evil, certain goods would either not be appreciated or practised. In order for someone to understand goodness he has to understand its opposite – evil. Without evils like misery, you could not have goods like sympathy.

Consequence Theories : 

Consequence Theories “A world containing creatures who are significantly free (and freely perform more good than evil actions) is more valuable, all else being equal, than a world containing no free creatures at all. Now God can create free creatures, but he can’t cause or determine them to do only what is right. For if he does so, then they aren’t significantly free after all; they do not do what is right freely. To create creatures capable of moral good, therefore, he must create creatures capable of moral evil; and he can’t give these creatures the freedom to perform evil and at the same time prevent them from doing so.”

Conclusion : 

Conclusion Suffering is basic to human identity. Free will explains a great deal of human suffering but it is not the most basic explanation. The way God has created the world explains some kinds of suffering, but this physical suffering is local to our world.