This thesis explores the role of lament and praise in the respective theological approaches of Walter Brueggemann and David Ford for the purpose of examining how Christian faith transforms human response to suffering. The first three chapters trace Brueggemann’s engagement with Israel’s lament psalms, beginning with his observation that their typical dual form mirrors the collective shape of Israel’s psalter as well as all biblical faith. Influential interactions with sociology eventually lead Brueggemann to propose faith not simply as response to God’s faithfulness, but rather through rhetorical tension maintained between conflicts perceived in aspects of scripture such as praise and lament. We critique this view of irresolvable textual tension for leaving Brueggemann with an unresolved understanding of divine fidelity which obscures biblical expectation that God will respond faithfully to human lament. The fourth and fifth chapters concern David Ford’s consistent engagement with praise and subsequently, Christian joy. His early collaborative scholarship proposes praise as the result of faith in who God is through the suffering person and work of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, continued ethical concerns lead Ford to identify Christian faith as an inextricable relationship between joy and responsibility resulting from “facing” Christ’s life and suffering death. We critique Ford for failing to clarify how such “facing” is made possible through who God is in Christ, rendering faith merely the result of human expression of Christ’s example, and thus obscuring any real reason for praise amidst suffering. Beyond a synthesis of Brueggemann and Ford’s respective approaches to lament and praise, the final chapter argues that a trinitarian approach to Christ’s atonement is necessary to propose how God confronts both suffering and sin thereby producing faithful human response amidst persistent evil. We conclude by arguing that a trinitarian understanding of praise cannot be proposed apart from either who God is in Christ’s atonement or how the atoning Christ is humanly faithful in lament.

Submitted by Biblioteca Central (biblioteca@unicap.br) on 2018-09-13T17:10:19Z No. of bitstreams: 2 eugenio_pacelli_correia_aguiar.pdf: 968162 bytes, checksum: 4ad62427eb3234abb375d8c85294ea72 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-13T17:10:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 eugenio_pacelli_correia_aguiar.pdf: 968162 bytes, checksum: 4ad62427eb3234abb375d8c85294ea72 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-07-26 / Facing the reality of suffering in this world, we question ourselves about the relationship between a benign God and human suffering. How to conciliate God with suffering? Where is God in suffering? In order to reflect on this problem, we use the work The Crucified God by the German theologist, Jürgen Moltmann, as reference. We will start by clarifying the biographical aspect of Moltmann’s theology. Next, we will contextualize and present the essential content of the work The Crucified God. We will conclude by discussing the acceptance of the work and its contribution to the problem of ‘God and human suffering’. Moltmann has revolutionized the concept of God by seriously viewing Jesus’ cross as a trinitarian event. There is a change from an ‘apathetic god’, incapable of suffering, to a ‘sympathetic God’, capable of suffering out of His fullness, that is, His love. Jesus’ cross reveals that suffering is in God because He is the Trinity and gets involved with man and his history. On Jesus’ Cross, God reveals Himself as a crucified God, a close and merciful God, Lord of life and the strength in the fight against all kinds of violence, death and suffering. / Diante do sofrimento como realidade presente no mundo nos perguntamos qual é a relação entre um Deus bondoso e o sofrimento humano. Como conciliar Deus e o sofrimento? Onde está Deus no sofrimento? Para refletir sobre esta problemática tomamos como referência a obra O Deus crucificado do teólogo alemão Jürgen Moltmann. Começaremos explicitando o caráter biográfico da teologia de Moltmann. Contextualizaremos e apresentaremos o conteúdo fundamental da obra O Deus crucificado. E concluiremos tratando da recepção da obra e seu aporte sobre a problemática “Deus e o sofrimento humano”. Moltmann revoluciona o conceito de Deus ao levar a sério a cruz de Jesus como evento trinitário. Passa de um “deus apático”, incapaz de sofrer, para o “Deus simpático” que é capaz de sofrer a partir da plenitude do seu ser, isto é, do seu amor. A cruz de Jesus revela que o sofrimento está em Deus porque Ele é Trindade e se envolve com o homem e sua história. Na cruz de Jesus Deus se revela como um Deus crucificado, um Deus próximo e misericordioso, Senhor da vida e força na luta contra toda forma de violência, morte e sofrimento.

Evil and suffering are a constant reality of this world and major catastrophes and issues such as swine flu and bird flu gain enormous relief funding, media coverage and frantic government action, yet HIV/AIDS, a cause of immeasurable suffering after years of being in the public spotlight receded into the background. This study grapples with evil and suffering in the light of creation, reconciliation, renewal and consummation from the viewpoint of a diversity of cultures and religions, with a particular focus on HIV/AIDS. The cluster of sin, evil and suffering are reflected upon and this revolves around five angles: firstly, multicultural and multi-religious sense making God-human-world approaches; secondly, the mystery of the simultaneity of the close connection and radical otherness of: God, being human and the natural world; thirdly, the full Gospel of God’s grand acts of creation, reconciliation, renewal and consummation; fourthly, different approaches towards texts, theories, natural processes and human doings; and fifthly, the multidimensionality of God, human beings and the natural world. In the thesis the origin of evil and suffering is discussed, which leads to a discussion of dualist views, amongst others, Zoroastrianism and its influence on modern monotheistic religions. Moreover, the response of the major faith groups towards evil and suffering are discussed and consensibly negotiated with the purpose of achieving better co-operation between faith groups in their tackling of HIV/AIDS. An attempt at establishing the outlines of a theology of HIV/AIDS is considered as well as the role, value and enhancement of faith counseling. Modern and postmodern views of evil and suffering are touched upon especially regarding the close proximity of God, humanity and the natural world to the sufferer. Despite significant differences in the various faith systems, sufficient commonality around respect for human beings is found to exist. Finally, in terms of consensible negotiation of portions of the various scriptures a way forward is envisaged that undergirds the notion of solidarity in support of HIV/AIDS sufferers in various faith systems. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / D.Th. (Systematic Theology)

Evil and suffering are a constant reality of this world and major catastrophes and issues such as swine flu and bird flu gain enormous relief funding, media coverage and frantic government action, yet HIV/AIDS, a cause of immeasurable suffering after years of being in the public spotlight receded into the background. This study grapples with evil and suffering in the light of creation, reconciliation, renewal and consummation from the viewpoint of a diversity of cultures and religions, with a particular focus on HIV/AIDS. The cluster of sin, evil and suffering are reflected upon and this revolves around five angles: firstly, multicultural and multi-religious sense making God-human-world approaches; secondly, the mystery of the simultaneity of the close connection and radical otherness of: God, being human and the natural world; thirdly, the full Gospel of God’s grand acts of creation, reconciliation, renewal and consummation; fourthly, different approaches towards texts, theories, natural processes and human doings; and fifthly, the multidimensionality of God, human beings and the natural world. In the thesis the origin of evil and suffering is discussed, which leads to a discussion of dualist views, amongst others, Zoroastrianism and its influence on modern monotheistic religions. Moreover, the response of the major faith groups towards evil and suffering are discussed and consensibly negotiated with the purpose of achieving better co-operation between faith groups in their tackling of HIV/AIDS. An attempt at establishing the outlines of a theology of HIV/AIDS is considered as well as the role, value and enhancement of faith counseling. Modern and postmodern views of evil and suffering are touched upon especially regarding the close proximity of God, humanity and the natural world to the sufferer. Despite significant differences in the various faith systems, sufficient commonality around respect for human beings is found to exist. Finally, in terms of consensible negotiation of portions of the various scriptures a way forward is envisaged that undergirds the notion of solidarity in support of HIV/AIDS sufferers in various faith systems. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / D.Th. (Systematic Theology)

Most current studies of suffering are based upon an existential approach which focuses on suffering itself. Theodicy has mainly been concerned with people's attitudes and communication within themselves and with others about religious symbols and ideas. Particularly, this study examines the Korean attitude to suffering using its cultural dimension in a contextual hermeneutics. The researcher was interested in two notions: personal identity in its cultural dimension and the hermeneutics of suffering. The research questions addressed were as follows. a) How to define Korean personhood? b) What is cultural identity? c) How do people create personal identity? d) How does a person cope with suffering? The chief findings were as follows. a) A study of Korean self-understanding can be accomplished by exploring their lifeworld to describe and understand this people's language for daily communication, popular cuJtural myths, and spirituality. b) Cultural identity in this thesis means indigenous Korean self-understanding using the socio-cultural framework in its own terms and ideas. This self-knowledge mediates history, culture, and language. c) Personal identity is constructed by a narrative identity. d) Suffering can be coped with by communication with and through oneself, others, and God. / Practical Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

Most current studies of suffering are based upon an existential approach which focuses on suffering itself. Theodicy has mainly been concerned with people's attitudes and communication within themselves and with others about religious symbols and ideas. Particularly, this study examines the Korean attitude to suffering using its cultural dimension in a contextual hermeneutics. The researcher was interested in two notions: personal identity in its cultural dimension and the hermeneutics of suffering. The research questions addressed were as follows. a) How to define Korean personhood? b) What is cultural identity? c) How do people create personal identity? d) How does a person cope with suffering? The chief findings were as follows. a) A study of Korean self-understanding can be accomplished by exploring their lifeworld to describe and understand this people's language for daily communication, popular cultural myths, and spirituality. b) Cultural identity in this thesis means indigenous Korean self-understanding using the socio-cultural framework in its own terms and ideas. This self-knowledge mediates history, culture, and language. c) Personal identity is constructed by a narrative identity. d) Suffering can be coped with by communication with and through oneself, others, and God. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / Th.D. (Practical Theology)

The problem of universal oppression has caused Gutierrez, Cone and Moltmann to advocate that God is orchestrating an historical programme of liberation from socio-economic, racial and political suffering. They feel that God's liberating actions can be seen in the Abrahamic promise, the exodus and the Christ-event. Moltmann, especially, has emphasized both the trinitarian identification with human pain and the influence of the freedom of the future upon the suffering of the present. According to our theologians, Jesus Christ identified with us, and died the death of a substitutionary victim. Through the resurrection, Jesus Christ overcame the problem of suffering and death, and inaugurated the New Age. The cross and resurrection were the focal point of God's liberating activity. Liberation, or freedom, from sin and suffering is now possible, at least proleptically. We are to understand the atonement as having been liberative rather than forensic or legal, although judgement is not ignored. Both the perpetrators of injustice and their victims are called upon to identify with, and struggle for, freedom, with the help of the liberating Christ. We agree with our theologians that God has historically indicated his desire for justice and freedom. The magnitude of evil and suffering still existing, however, forces us to abandon the idea that God is progressively liberating history. Nevertheless, we affirm the idea that the Trinity has absorbed human suffering into its own story through the incarnate Son. Jesus identified with suffering in a four-fold way, namely: its existence, the judgement of it, the overcoming of it, and the need to oppose it. This comprehensive identification gives Christ the right to demand the doing of justice, because the greatest injustice in history has happened to him. The atonement was forensic, rendering all people accountable to Christ; but it was also liberative, validating the struggle against oppression. Furthermore, at his second coming, Christ will be vindicated in whatever judgement he will exact upon the perpetrators of injustice or oppression. For today the resurrection still gives hope and faith to those who suffer and to those who identify with them / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / Th.D. (Systematic Theology)

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2000 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation is a theological-ethical study of suffering and God in relation to the war in Sudan. It examines historical, political, socio-economic and religious factors behind one of the longest wars of Africa. Over the last forty years, Sudan, the largest country in Africa has intermittently been at war with itself. This bitter conflict, pitting the predominantly Moslem north against Christian and animist south, has devastated communities, families as well as basic socio-economic infrastructure and has turned this potentially rich land into one of the most impoverished and heavily indebted countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. From 1983 to the present, this war of attrition has claimed nearly two million lives and displaced double that figure of people from their homes, scattering them all over the globe. But in the midst of this human catastrophe, the church has grown enormously. It has one of the fastest growth rates in Africa today. In its struggle with faith and the reality of suffering, the church in Sudan variedly interprets its predicament if only to make sense of this sordid experience. In that regard, it interprets suffering as divine judgement and as a direct result of a cosmic conflict between God and the forces of evil. At the same time, the church pleads with God for his intervention and deliverance. Thus, the image of God as Judge-Deliverer largely dominates the theology and worship of the suffering church in the war-torn country. This seems to be the major theme of more than 1 500 Bor Dinka new songs, composed in the war. To place the suffering of the church in Sudan in the larger context of Christian theology, this dissertation briefly looks at the problem of evil and suffering in 'classical theology', examining the thought of Augustine, Luther and Calvin as well as the paradigm shift in the optimism of the Enlightenment. Similarly, this dissertation takes a brieW look at 'alternative theodicies' that followed the collapse of the fine edifice of the Age of Reason and the dereliction of the world wars and natural disasters. In this category is to be found the dialectic theology of Karl Barth and Ji.irgen Moltmann. The praxis of Liberation Theology is also briefly explored as a response to suffering. GC Berkouwer's 'believing theodicy' is examined as a theological and Biblical critique of the whole project of theodicy as a wrongheaded enterprise vainly trying to justify the ways of God to man instead of the reverse. The African traditional view of suffering and evil is explored as a sharp contrast to the Western view. Looking at the Scripture, this work identifies five ways the Bible addresses the problem of evil and suffering. In the Bible, suffering may come as a punishment for sin or as a disciplinary measure from God or as a test of faith or faithfulness or as a price of choosing to follow Jesus or simply as innocent as in the case of Job. Admitting to the apparent mystery and insolubility of the problem of evil, this dissertation, finally, proposes the cross, community, character and hope as the only viable framework of transcending and transforming suffering. It argues in that regard that the incarnation is the distinctively Christian answer to the problem of evil and suffering in which that transcending and transforming can be effected. Within the framework of the cross, community, character and hope suffering can be transcended and transformed into the highest good possible in this life. The cross reminds those who suffer that God has done and will do something about suffering and that he does not abandon us in suffering. The community absorbs suffering and helps the victim through the ordeal. Character is formed and toughened as the sufferer chooses to respond appropriately to suffering. Hope tells us that suffering shall be ultimately overcome and a new order of things shall be ushered in, thus spurring us on to participate in the present as we anticipate that bright future. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif is 'n teologies-etiese studie van lyding en God in verhouding tot die oorlog in Soedan. Dit ondersoek die historiese, politiese, sosio-ekonomiese en godsdienstige faktore agter een van die langdurigste oorloe in Afrika. Soedan, die grootste land in Afrika, is oor die afgelope veertig jaar ononderbroke in oorlog met sigself gewikkel. Hierdie bittere konflik, waarin die hoofsaaklik Moslem Noorde die Christen en animistiese Suidelike deel van die land teenstaan, het gemeenskappe en gesinne verwoes, sowel as die basiese sosio-ekonomiese infrastruktuur, en het sodoende hierdie potensieel ryk land omskep in een van die armoedigste lande, met een van die swaarste skuldelaste, in Afrika benede die Sahara. Vanaf 1983 tot op hede het hierdie uitputtingsoorlog amper twee miljoen lewens geeis, terwyl dit tweemaal sovee! mense van hul tuistes verplaas en hul wereldwyd versprei het. Ter midde van hierdie menslike katastrofe het kerklidmaatskap ontsaglik toegeneem. Die groeitempo is inderdaad tans een van die hoogstes in Afrika. In sy worsteling met die geloof en die realiteit van lyding interpreteer die kerk in Soedan sy toestand op 'n verskeidenheid van wyses, in 'n poging om sodoende van hierdie haglike omstandighede sin te maak. Lyding word interpreteer as die strafgerig van God, en as 'n direkte gevolg van die kosmiese konflik tussen God en die bose magte. Gelyktydig pleit die kerk met God vir sy ingryping en verlossing. Die siening van God as Regter- Verlosser is dus oorheersend in die teologie en aanbidding van die lydende kerk in 'n oorloggeteisterde land. Dit blyk die hooftema te wees van die meer as 1 500 Bor Dinka liedere wat ontstaan het gedurende die oorlog. Om die Iyding van die kerk in Soedan binne die groter konteks van die Christelike Teologie te plaas, word die probleem van die bose en Iyding in die klassieke teologie in hierdie proefskrif kortliks behandel. Die denke van Augustinus, Luther en Calvyn, sowel as die paradigmaverskuiwing wat gepaard gegaan het met die optimisme van die Verligting, word ondersoek. Hierdie proefskrif beskou ook kortliks die alternatiewe godslere wat gevolg het op die ineenstorting van die agttiende eeu se "Age of Reason" asook die verwaarlosing and ontwrigting van die wereldoorloe en verskeie natuurrampe. In hierdie kategorie vind ons die dialektiese teologie van Karl Barth en Jurgen Moltmann. Die praktyk van die Bevrydingsteologie word ook kortliks ondersoek as reaksie op Iyding. GC Berkouwer se 'believing theodicy' word ondersoek as teologiese en Bybelse kritiek op die hele projek van godsleer as 'n aweregse onderneming wat vergeefs probeer om die werkwyse van God te regverdig vir die mens, in plaas van die teenoorgestelde. Die tradisionele Africa-siening van lyding en die bose word ook ondersoek, as skerp kontras met die Westerse siening. Vanuit die Skrif, identifiseer hierdie studie vyf wyses waarop die probleem van die bose en lyding in die Bybel aangespreek word. In die Bybel is lyding In straf vir sonde, In tugmaatreel van God, In toets van geloof oftrou of die prys wat geeis word vir die keuse om Jesus te volg. Andersins, kan die mens heeltemal onskuldig wees, soos in die geval van Job. Hierdie proefskrif erken dat die probleem van die bose raaiselagtig en skynbaar onoplosbaar is. Die kruis, die gemeenskap, karakter, en hoop word uiteindelik voorgestel as die enigste gangbare raamwerk vir die transendering en transformasie van lyding. Daar word geredeneer dat in hierdie verband die opstanding die kenmerkende Christel ike antwoord op die probleeem van die bose en lyding bied, waarbinne hierdie transendering en transformasie kan geskied. Binne die raamwerk van die kruis, die gemeenskap, karakter en hoop, kan die mens lyding transendeer en dit transformeer tot die hoogste moontlike goed in hierdie lewe. Die kruis herinner die lydendes dat God reeds iets gedoen het, en nog sal doen omtrent lyding, en dat Hy ons nie in ons lyding sal verlaat nie. Die gemeenskap absorbeer lyding, en help die slagoffer deur die beproewing. Karakter word gevorm en geslyp soos die lydende kies om op geskikte wyse te reageer op die lyding. Die hoop verkondig die uiteindelike oorwinning oor lyding, en die begin van In nuwe bedeling; dus word ons aangespoor om deel te neem aan die aksie van die hede terwyl ons op daardie helder toekoms wag.

Most current studies of suffering are based upon an existential approach which focuses on suffering itself. Theodicy has mainly been concerned with people's attitudes and communication within themselves and with others about religious symbols and ideas. Particularly, this study examines the Korean attitude to suffering using its cultural dimension in a contextual hermeneutics. The researcher was interested in two notions: personal identity in its cultural dimension and the hermeneutics of suffering. The research questions addressed were as follows. a) How to define Korean personhood? b) What is cultural identity? c) How do people create personal identity? d) How does a person cope with suffering? The chief findings were as follows. a) A study of Korean self-understanding can be accomplished by exploring their lifeworld to describe and understand this people's language for daily communication, popular cuJtural myths, and spirituality. b) Cultural identity in this thesis means indigenous Korean self-understanding using the socio-cultural framework in its own terms and ideas. This self-knowledge mediates history, culture, and language. c) Personal identity is constructed by a narrative identity. d) Suffering can be coped with by communication with and through oneself, others, and God. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

Most current studies of suffering are based upon an existential approach which focuses on suffering itself. Theodicy has mainly been concerned with people's attitudes and communication within themselves and with others about religious symbols and ideas. Particularly, this study examines the Korean attitude to suffering using its cultural dimension in a contextual hermeneutics. The researcher was interested in two notions: personal identity in its cultural dimension and the hermeneutics of suffering. The research questions addressed were as follows. a) How to define Korean personhood? b) What is cultural identity? c) How do people create personal identity? d) How does a person cope with suffering? The chief findings were as follows. a) A study of Korean self-understanding can be accomplished by exploring their lifeworld to describe and understand this people's language for daily communication, popular cultural myths, and spirituality. b) Cultural identity in this thesis means indigenous Korean self-understanding using the socio-cultural framework in its own terms and ideas. This self-knowledge mediates history, culture, and language. c) Personal identity is constructed by a narrative identity. d) Suffering can be coped with by communication with and through oneself, others, and God. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / Th.D. (Practical Theology)