Making Sense Out of Suffering – Review
For many people, the problem of suffering is one of the greatest difficulties of Christianity. If God is all-powerful and all-loving, how can there be suffering?
That is one of the questions that Harold Kushner wrote about in his classic from many years ago, When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Peter Kreeft, in his Making Sense Out of Suffering, replies to Kushner’s conclusions and attempts to find a way forward.
There are some good things about this book. Kreeft doesn’t attempt to “solve” the problem of suffering. Rather he attempts to look at different aspects of the human experience for clues about suffering.
We may not be able to get all the answers about why God allows suffering, but we can talk about it. This is based in what the Bible says. The Bible doesn’t give a clear answer as to why God allows suffering but it acknowledges both the goodness of God and the presence of suffering.
Kreeft has a unique style of writing. In this book he sometimes breaks out into dialogue (with himself). This style isn’t for everyone and I don’t really connect with it, but some people will appreciate it.
If you are looking for the definitive answer as to why God allows suffering, you won’t find it here. But you will find some thoughtful reflection on the topic that may help you on your own journey.
