DOCSLIB.ORG

A Theology of Suffering for Spiritual Formation David Russell Beach [email protected]

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Theology of Suffering for Spiritual Formation David Russell Beach Dbeach15@Georgefox.Edu Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations 1-1-2018 Following the Man of Sorrows: A Theology of Suffering for Spiritual Formation David Russell Beach [email protected] This research is a product of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at George Fox University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Beach, David Russell, "Following the Man of Sorrows: A Theology of Suffering for Spiritual Formation" (2018). Doctor of Ministry. 281. http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/281 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Ministry by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY FOLLOWING THE MAN OF SORROWS: A THEOLOGY OF SUFFERING FOR SPIRITUAL FORMATION A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY DAVID RUSSELL BEACH PORTLAND, OREGON MARCH 2018 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of David Beach has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on February 16, 2018 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Spiritual Formation. Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Michael Gama, DMin Secondary Advisor: Tricia Gates Brown, PhD Lead Mentor: MaryKate Morse, PhD Biblical References: All biblical references are taken from the 2011 New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted. At times, other translations are preferred over the 2011 NIV for more nuanced gender-inclusive language, especially passages considered by this writer to be referring to all of humanity when a masculine term/metaphor/case ending is used in the original. Exceptions are made to this preference when a term or metaphor is considered part of the revelation and manifestation of the second person of the trinity, who is variously revealed as Son, Son of man, Lord, Prince, King, and so on. Statement of Gender-Inclusiveness: Translation presents a complex and multi-faceted challenge for every language and culture, even those of the original languages. In this paper, preference is given to a construct of humanity that hopes to include equally every culture, every tribe, every nation, and all variations of human personality, attributes, and gender. Therefore, a beginning point for this paper will be that men and women, equally and together, are created in the image of God and called to spiritual formation into the image of God in the person of Jesus Christ. Even when masculine terms and metaphors referring to Christ as “Son” or “Man” are retained, as in the title of the paper, they are retained for revelatory reasons and not to exclude in any way daughters or women nor to elevate in any way sons or men. Some directly quoted source material may not utilize preferred gender-inclusive language. Even though the original language may be retained in these quotations (e.g. “man” rather than humanity, people, or person), it is the opinion of this author that the spirit and meaning of the original material is in keeping with the statements above. iii Copyright © 2018 by David R. Beach All rights reserved. iv Dedicated to The walking wounded, comrades of the valley, who think they are alone and yet are not. Those in wilderness experiences, exiles, and victims: may you all rise up, like the Man of Sorrows, as wounded healers who will comfort and care for the least of these— Christ’s living body. And to God who has “reconciled [us] by Christ’s physical body through death.” May we all fill up in [our] flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of [Christ’s] body, which is the church. [We] have become its servant[s] by the commission God gave [us] to present […] the word of God in its fullness—[…] the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in [us], the hope of glory. […] He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end [we] strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in [us]. Col. 1:22-29 v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am most grateful to my wife, Cynthia, without whose patience and encouraging words this work would never have been attempted. My appreciation also to my parents, Richard and Eileen Beach, for giving me a good foundation, a love of the Word, and for the Living Word. My special thanks to my good friend, study buddy, and reader John Raymond, who so graciously and generously gave his time and affection. Special thanks, too, to my Dissertation Advisor and friend, Michael Gama, whose kind and insightful feedback added to the depth and breadth of this dissertation. For my friend and reader, Tom Zook, I am glad and grateful, mostly for being able to call you friend. I am grateful for Nicholas Wolterstorff, my consultant par excellence, who graciously agreed to meet and discuss a theology of suffering. Thank you, Nick, for freeing me to pursue what is necessary, while leaving aside the non-essentials. Much gratitude also to MaryKate Morse, a wise and kind Mentor and Spiritual Director for a great group of people who make up LSF1—you are the best. For my editor, Rochelle Deans, bless you and thank you for your attention to the details and the larger picture. For Impact Church of Lowell, Michigan, who so generously gave resources, time, and facilities to explore ideas—thank you. A special remembrance goes out to Sharon Sabados whose words 25 years ago became a doorway to spiritual formation. And finally, to Elmer Graham, whose prophetic words thirty-some years ago planted a dream in my heart of doctoral studies: may the Man of Sorrows continue to be your comfort as you now enjoy Christ’s presence face to face. vi “Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand…. I have been bent and broken, but—I hope—into a better shape.” —Charles Dickens, Great Expectations Pietà (after Delacroix), Vincent van Gogh, 1889 Source: Van Gogh Museum, accessed November 26, 2017, https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/collection/s0168V1962 vii Contents Figures................................................................................................................................ xi Abstract ............................................................................................................................. xii CHAPTER 1: GETTING ACQUAINTED ........................................................................ 1 Introduction: Toward a Theology of Suffering for Spiritual Formation .........................1 The Intersection of Via Dolorosa and Imago ...................................................................5 Preliminary Questions ....................................................................................................10 Toward a Blueprint for a Construct ...............................................................................12 A Theology of Suffering: A Review of Three Approaches ...........................................19 Impassibility, Theodicy, and Suffering ..........................................................................24 Suffering and Spiritual Formation .................................................................................26 Suffering: Toward a Definition ..................................................................................26 Spiritual: Toward a Definition ...................................................................................27 Spiritual Formation: Toward a Definition ................................................................28 Suffering: A Filtering Question for Discipleship ..........................................................31 A Brief Introduction to Remaining Chapters .................................................................35 CHAPTER 2: EXPLORING THE TEXTS ..................................................................... 37 Introduction: Toward a Theology of Suffering for Spiritual Formation .......................38 Part I: A Theology of Suffering .....................................................................................38 Part II: The Role of Suffering in the Bible ....................................................................41 The OT and Suffering .................................................................................................41 Suffering in the NT .....................................................................................................50 Suffering and the Disciples. .......................................................................................52 Conclusion .....................................................................................................................55 CHAPTER 3: MULTIPLICITY ...................................................................................... 56 Introduction: Toward a Theology of Suffering for Spiritual Formation ......................56 Part I: The Incarnation and its Implications ...................................................................58 Part II: Toward a Framework for Understanding: A Five-Type Taxonomy of Relational Postures Toward Suffering ...........................................................................59
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Theodicy: an Overview
    1 Theodicy: An Overview Introduction All of us struggle at one time or another in life with why evil happens to someone, either ourselves, our family, our friends, our nation, or perhaps some particularly disturbing instance in the news—a child raped, a school shooting, genocide in another country, a terrorist bombing. The following material is meant to give an overview of the discussion of this issue as it takes place in several circles, especially that of the Christian church. I. The Problem of Evil Defined Three terms, "the problem of evil," "theodicy," and "defense" are important to our discussion. The first two are often used as synonyms, but strictly speaking the problem of evil is the larger issue of which theodicy is a subset because one can have a secular problem of evil. Evil is understood as a problem when we seek to explain why it exists (Unde malum?) and what its relationship is to the world as a whole. Indeed, something might be considered evil when it calls into question our basic trust in the order and structure of our world. Peter Berger in particular has argued that explanations of evil are necessary for social structures to stay themselves against chaotic forces. It follows, then, that such an explanation has an impact on the whole person. As David Blumenthal observes, a good theodicy is one that has three characteristics: 1. "[I]t should leave one with one’s sense of reality intact." (It tells the truth about reality.) 2. "[I]t should leave one empowered within the intellectual-moral system in which one lives." (Namely, it should not deny God’s basic power or goodness.) 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Isaiah Prophesies About a Suffering Servant
    SESSION FIVE Isaiah Prophesies About a Suffering Servant SESSION SUMMARY Hundreds of years before Christ was born, Isaiah prophesied about a mysterious Servant who would be rejected and despised, and bring salvation through His suffering. The early Christians believed this prophecy was made about Jesus and His life and work. As those who benefit from the service and suffering of Jesus, we now embrace a life of suffering and service on behalf of others. SCRIPTURE Isaiah 52:13–53:12 46 Leader Guide / Session 5 THE POINT Salvation comes through the suffering of God’s chosen servant. INTRO/STARTER 5-10 MINUTES Option 1 Rising to a massive 29,035 feet, Mount Everest holds the undisputed position of being the highest point on earth, rising 5½ miles above sea level. Standing on top of the majestic mountain makes climbers feel like they are on top of the world, with one foot in China and the other in Tibet. With winds exceeding 100 miles per hour and temperatures of -76 degrees Fahrenheit, even those who glimpse the unrivaled beauty of Everest’s summit cannot do so for long. There is simply more beauty than any single person can appreciate surrounding this majestic treasure of the East.1 Ascending from the pages of the Old Testament, Isaiah 53 stands as a spiritual Mount Everest pointing to the glory of Christ and the hope of eternal salvation. As we journey up this mountain, we encounter a prophetic picture all of us can appreciate, but none of us can exhaust. Despite being written 700 years before Jesus died on Golgotha’s hill, these verses position the reader at the foot of the cross and expound on the gospel by showing us the truth of substitutionary atonement.
    [Show full text]
  • 6-3 Fretheim.Pdf
    Word & World 6/3 (1986) Copyright © 1986 by Word & World, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN. All rights reserved. page 256 The Color of God: Israel’s God-Talk and Life Experience TERENCE E. FRETHEIM Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota How can we speak meaningfully and responsibly of God in an increasingly complex and secularized world? Has our everyday experience taken on such a mundane character that, for a great many people within and without the church, traditional talk about God no longer seems pertinent? Or, to put the question another way: Has much of our traditional talk about God become so unrelated to the everyday experiences of people that it is empty or stifling or obscure? If our God is not dead, has our God-talk become a dead language, or at least a foreign language? Most people in our churches continue to use God-language. But what meaning does it have for them? Talk about God often seems to be used and heard as a formality, neither evoking much conviction nor having much impact on the way people live; it is like water off a duck’s back. As a result, there seems commonly to be a lack of a sense of the reality of God among Christians, however much the work of the church or the person of Jesus remains central in their lives. God seems not to be the living, vigorous presence experienced by many of our forebears. How is one to explain this? At the heart of the matter, it appears to be a disjunction between (traditional) language and (modern) experience.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 1 the Trinity in the Theology of Jürgen Moltmann
    Our Cries in His Cry: Suffering and The Crucified God By Mick Stringer A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Theology The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Western Australia 2002 Contents Abstract................................................................................................................ iii Declaration of Authorship ................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements.............................................................................................. v Introduction.......................................................................................................... 1 1 Moltmann in Context: Biographical and Methodological Issues................... 9 Biographical Issues ..................................................................................... 10 Contextual Issues ........................................................................................ 13 Theological Method .................................................................................... 15 2 The Trinity and The Crucified God................................................................ 23 The Tradition............................................................................................... 25 Divine Suffering.......................................................................................... 29 The Rise of a ‘New Orthodoxy’.................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Divine Presence Theology Versus Name Theology in Deuteronomy.”
    Andrews University Seminary Studies, Vol. 55, No. 1, 3. Copyright © 2017 Andrews University Seminary Studies. RETRACTION FOR PLAGIARISM: ROBERTO OURO, “DIVINE PRESENCE THEOLOGY VERSUS NAME THEOLOGY IN DEUTERONOMY.” The editors of Andrews University Seminary Studies retract the following article by Roberto Ouro because of plagiarism: “Divine Presence Theology versus Name Theology in Deuteronomy” AUSS 52.1 (2014): 5–29. This article is retracted because the author plagiarized substantial portions from another work, misrepresenting the argumentation of the article as original work. This retraction has no bearing on the validity of the sources from which the article draws. 3 Andrews University Seminary Studies, Vol. 52, No. 1., 5-29. Copyright © 2014 Andrews University Press. DIVINE PRESENCE THEOLOGY VERSUS NAME THEOLOGY IN DEUTERONOMY ROBERTO OURO Adventist School of Theology Valencia, Spain Introduction Name Theology has long been understood by biblical scholars to be evidence of a paradigm shift within the Israelite theology of Divine Presence. This paradigm shift involves a supposed evolution in Israelite religion away from the anthropomorphic and immanent images of the deity, as found in Divine Presence Theology, toward a more abstract, demythologized, and transcendent one, as in Name Theology. According to Name Theology, the book of Deuteronomy is identifi ed as the transition point in the shift from the “older and more popular idea” that God lives in the temple with the idea that he is actually only hypostatically present in the temple. This new understanding theologically differentiates between “Jahweh on the one hand and his name on the other.”1 The residual effect of Name Theology is acutely evident in its immanence–to-transcendence scheme.
    [Show full text]
  • Understanding God Images and God Concepts: Towards a Pastoral Hermeneutics of the God Attachment Experience
    Page 1 of 14 Original Research Understanding God images and God concepts: Towards a pastoral hermeneutics of the God attachment experience Author: The author looks at the God image experience as an attachment relationship experience with 1 Victor Counted God. Hence, arguing that the God image experience is borne originally out of a parent–child Affiliation: attachment contagion, in such a way that God is often represented in either secure or insecure 1Department of Practical attachment patterns. The article points out that insecure God images often develop head-to- Theology and Missiology, head with God concepts in a believer’s emotional experience of God. On the other hand, the Stellenbosch University, author describes God concepts as indicators of a religious faith and metaphorical standards for South Africa regulating insecure attachment patterns. The goals of this article, however, is to highlight the Correspondence to: relationship between God images and God concepts, and to provide a hermeneutical process Victor Counted for interpreting and surviving the God image experience. Email: Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Given that most scholars within the [email protected] discipline of Practical Theology discuss the subject of God images from cultural and theological Postal address: perspectives, this article has discussed God images from an attachment perspective, which is a 14 Weindenhof Street popular framework in psychology of religion. This is rare. The study is therefore interdisciplinary Stellenbosch, Western Cape, in this regards. The article further helps the reader to understand the intrapsychic process of the South Africa God image experience, and thus provides us with hermeneutical answers for dealing with the Dates: God image experience from methodologies grounded in Practical Theology and pastoral care.
    [Show full text]
  • A Critical Reflection on the Doctrine of the Trinity in Jürgen Moltmann's
    A Critical Reflection On The Doctrine Of The Trinity In Jürgen Moltmann’s The Crucified God With Relation To Human Suffering And Pain By: Nomsa Patricia Mnguni-Motsoko Student Number: 28658982 A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Magister Artium ( Theology) In the FACULTY OF THEOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF DOGMATICS AND CHRISTIAN ETHICS UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA October 2017 Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Johan Buitendag Co-Supervisor: Dr. Kobus Labuschagne 1 Study Contents Chapter 1: Introduction …………………………………………………………....3 o 1.1 Background and Relevance…………………………………………..3 o 1.2 Problem Statement…………………………………………………….4 o 1.3 Hypothesis and Expected Outcome………………………………….7 o 1.4 Methodology…………………………………………………………….8 Chapter 2: Summary of Chapters………………………………………………..11 o 2.1: Pain of Humans (Chapter 3) ………………………………………..11 o 2.2: Pain of God (Chapter 4) …………………………………………….12 o 2.3: God's Manifestation in Jesus - The Trinity (Chapter 5) ………….14 o 2.4: The Future: The Kingdom and the future (Chapter 6) ……………16 o 2.5: Conclusion (Chapter 7) ……………………………………………...18 Chapter 3: Pain of Humans……………………………………………………….19 o 3.1: The problem of human suffering…………………………………….19 o 3.2: Human suffering and evil…………………………………………….22 o 3.3: Two examples of human suffering involving society on a macro scale…………………………………………………………………………26 . 3.3.1: Poverty……………………………………………………….26 . 3.3.2: War: Firestorm………………………………………………36 o 3.4: Social, political and economic reflection on suffering…………....44 o 3.5: Theological reflection on suffering…………………………………..48
    [Show full text]
  • Pain-And-Suffering-New-Testament.Pdf
    Pain And Suffering New Testament Walloon Bryon always cicatrises his chunk if Maynard is Korean or encouraging suitably. Naphthalic and Herbyprofessorial indoctrinate Adlai barrel vaingloriously? while ammoniated Shelden castaways her potassa threefold and indict vitalistically. Generally suffering is mental capacity which may or right not include physical pain expression is intense suffering The Biblical contexts suggest some answers to the. He has done, pain and qoheleth, pain and suffering new testament provide many. But He didn't free us from trouble suffering pain and trials. Experience pain of new and pain suffering new testament. Prosperity Suffering and Righteousness in the Wisdom. Check your sufferings of different ways that he went along and supernaturally fruitful. The squat Of Christ And The Suffering Of God. Is new testament where is unable to our love for? S Or hell God doesn't The Bible does not have him but many responses to suffering orgfinding-god-amid-pain-and-suffering 25 Jan 2020 Bad choices. Those who believe privacy and love the God feed the Bible and sweet who trust not. Roughly one day in community as threats, and pain suffering brought with? But swift is the unanimous praise of every writer of factory New Testament. Salvifici Doloris February 11 194 John Paul II vaticanva. 15 Bible Verses About himself and Suffering Important Scriptures. How can together tell the difference between his pain and numeric pain? This trigger does not minimize the nothing we experienceit simply puts it render an eternal. Causes of Nerve Pain worse How to depress Nerve Pain WebMD. For us eternal weight of sufferings, we must be.
    [Show full text]
  • Thomas Aquinas, Human Suffering, and The
    Theological Studies 52 (1991) NOTE THOMAS AQUINAS, HUMAN SUFFERING, AND THE UNCHANGING GOD OF LOVE Of the many questions that may arise when one tries to speak of God in the face of human suffering, there is one that not only plumbs the depths of our theology, but also touches the heart of our human experi­ ence. That question is posed in all its starkness by Elie Wiesel in his account of the hanging of two men and a young boy in a Nazi concentra­ tion camp which he and all the other prisoners were forced to witness: All eyes were on the child "Where is God? Where is He?" someone behind me asked The two adults were no longer alive But the third rope was still moving: being so light, the child was still alive For more than half an hour he stayed there, struggling between life and death, dying in slow agony under our eyes Behind me, I heard the same man asking: "Where is God now?"1 Where is God in relation to human suffering? How close is God to us in our suffering? How close is our suffering to God? Even to ask the question is to step into a realm beyond our human comprehension. We believe in a God who is light and love, strength and joy and peace. Yet each day in so many places in our world, in so many ways in our lives, we witness the reality of human suffering. To speak of the God of power and love in the face of suffering is inevitably to speak of a mystery.
    [Show full text]
  • To Say Something—About God, Evil, and Suffering TERENCE E
    Word & World Volume XIX, Number 4 Fall 1999 To Say Something—About God, Evil, and Suffering TERENCE E. FRETHEIM Luther Seminary St. Paul, Minnesota ACED WITH THE REALITIES OF SUFFERING AND EVIL, CHRISTIANS CAN SAY SOME- thing, but they cannot say everything or even as much as they might like to say.1 They cannot “explain” suffering or “resolve” the problem of evil or provide “an- swers” to these issues or develop an airtight “theodicy.” Such words are sometimes used to characterize or caricature efforts to say something, often as a distraction from pursuing the questions or as a way of shutting down the conversation. In re- sponse, the Bible does give its readers some room to speak between silence and “ex- planation,” though it does not propose a single place to stand in that room, as if pastoral discernment were not needed. The Bible, not least the Old Testament, knows of the experience of suffering and evil at both individual and communal levels, and speaks about those realities in forthright terms (e.g., the laments). The Bible also dares to connect God with both suffering and evil and invites its readers into a conversation about the nature of that connection (e.g., divine judgment). Generally, biblical texts bring various an- gles of vision to bear on the complexity of the realities of suffering and evil and God’s relationship thereto. At the least, biblical perspectives can rule out several overarching “explana- tions.” To know of these can be pastorally and theologically helpful, though this (continued on page 346) 1Paul Sponheim and I have taught an interdisciplinary course on this topic for several years, and these brief articles reflect some of the concerns addressed in that course.
    [Show full text]
  • The Secret to Living the High Life the Story of Scripture
    McLean Bible Church Dr. David Platt May 26, 2019 The Secret to Living the High Life The Story of Scripture – Part 16 If you have a Bible—and I hope you do—let me invite you to open with me to 1 Kings 2. It’s good to be together around God’s Word on this Memorial Day weekend. As a church, we honor those who have given their lives defending and promoting freedoms like we enjoy right now. We do not take this freedom to worship for granted. We also honor those across our church who are giving their lives and families on a day in and day out basis toward that end. That leads in a sense to what I want us to think about today in God’s Word. The title of our study is “The Secret to Living the High Life,” which is a reference to a phrase we use to describe experiencing the best life possible—“the good life.” That’s what everybody wants, right? I want to show you in God’s Word today that this desire to experience the good life is good. It’s from God. The desire to experience life to the full is a God-given desire and a God-given promise. Jesus said in John 10:10 (NIV), “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” While messages like we heard last week about sacrifice for the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth might make you think Christianity is only about sacrifice as an end in itself, that’s not true.
    [Show full text]
  • The Developing Role of Suffering in Salvation History DARREL AMUNDSEN
    The Developing Role of Suffering in Salvation History DARREL AMUNDSEN Introduction The thesis to be advanced in this paper is that an accurate understanding and profitable appreciation of the place of suffering in the lives of God's people must be tempered by an awareness that the role of suffering has developed and matured in the unfolding of salvation history. Before attempting to demonstrate the validity of this thesis, it is essen­ tial to articulate some principles of revelation that are fundamental to a biblically correct approach to the subject of suffering. These foundational principles in whose light suffering (as well as its correlates, healing and comfort) must be seen are: Mankind and all nature have fallen from their original Edenic, ideal state. All conditions of human life are thus abnormal in respect to that ideal. God is sovereign. His providential care can be seen generally in human history and more par­ ticularly in the history of His people. Fallen man is desperately in need of salvation. Salvation requires suffering-a vicarious and substitutionary suffering. Salvation's ultimate realization is eschatological. A new heaven and a new earth-in which nature itself will be redeemed-is the ideal to which healing and comfort have final reference. Suffering is not in itself a moral evil. Suffering a material evil, not a moral evil The Bible does not approach the subject of evil philosophically in order to justify God to man. Rather, evil's beginning is connected with the fall. The fall was caused by sin, and sin in turn was the cause of suffering.
    [Show full text]