Theology of Suffering

1. Jesus resisted and eliminated suffering.

Unlike what I have been taught in the past, Jesus resisted and eliminated suffering. To me, this means that he does not want us to suffer, just as he did not want to suffer. I remember being taught in the past that when someone was going through a hard time, they should “offer it up to Jesus.” But considering that Jesus did not particularly enjoy suffering, it seems that he would not want us to suffer, much less offer our suffering for him.

2. Jesus rejected suffering as punishment for sin.

To me, this means that God does not cause us to suffer, and is suffering with us through the process. A lot of times it is easy to ask “Where is God?” when something bad or unexplainable happens to a person, but Jesus teaches that no one is punished for their actions with things that cause them to suffer.

3. Jesus trusted a compassionate, present God.

To me, this means that God is always willing to forgive my sins and wants me to live a happy life. It also means that God suffers with me in the bad times, just as he celebrates with me in the good times. God is willing to forgive me before I am even ready to ask for forgiveness, and is present through my life.

A Theology of Atonement/Ransom and A Theology of Incarnation

There are two traditional interpretations of Jesus’ suffering, A Theology of Atonement/Random and A Theology of Incarnation. A Theology of Atonement/Random refers to the belief that sacrifices were a method of reconciliation for sins. It also refers to the belief that sins require atonement, although a sufficient amount can never be offered. A Theology of Incarnation is the belief that God created humans in his image, and we are meant to share in life and love with God. This idea also suggests that God is not angry and does not want to punish us, but is gracious and loving.

I prefer the Theology of Incarnation view, because it makes me more hopeful. The idea that God loves everyone indefinitely, does not punish us, and created us in a holy image. This is my view on religion, because to me it should be something that comforts us instead of scares us.