Meaning Of Suffering Flashcards
What is the definition of Suffering
Suffering is the endurance of pain, harm or hardship, and is a inevitable part of the human condition
Basic outline of points on the reason of suffering
- Suffering is inevitable
- God gave us a free will through creation, he did wanted us to have autonomy and freely choose him
- Moral Evil is a consequence for the greater good of free will
- Moral Evil is not caused by God, he permits it because of his love for us
Q - Moral Evil as a consequence for the greater good of Free will, as moral evil was created when humans could choose to turn away from God as a result of free will
“(moral) evil is the abuse of freedom” (CCC1735)
Q - 1. Suffering is inevitable
“God makes it rain on just and unjust” (Matt 5:45)
Q - 2. God gave us a free will, because he wanted us to have autonomy and choose him out of own choice and volition
“created mankind in his own image” and likeness (Gen 1:27)
Q - Moral is not caused by God, he rather permits it out of his love for us
“respect(s) the freedom of his creatures” (CCC 311)
“did not “cause… moral evil” (CCC 311)
Basic Outline of how the Catholic Christian tradition helps adherents to understand suffering
- Why it happens (main points of reason for suffering, inevitable, free will etc.)
- Suffering is inevitable, faith and belief will not take it away or make it less
- God can bring providence and goodness from the consequences of evil
- Builds relationship with God
- Redemptive suffering
- provide opportunities to show love others
Q (Adherents) - Why does suffering happen
- “created mankind in his own image” and likeness, giving us a free will to choose good out of our own love and volition (Gen 1:27)
- not “cause moral evil”, rather “respect(s) the freedom of his creatures” (CCC 311)
- “moral evil is the abuse of freedom” (1735)
Q(Adherents) - Suffering is inevitable so faith and belief will not shield or lessen it
” God makes it rain on the just and unjust” (Matt 5:45)
Q(Adherents) - Suffering builds the relationship with God
“The lord is close to the broken hearted” (Psalm 34:18)
Q(Adherents) - Redemptive suffering
“become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ” (Pope John Paull 2nd)
Q(Adherents) - Provides opportunities to love others
- “least of these” (Matt 25:40) - preferential option for the poor
- go and be “disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19), help those in suffering by sharing the goodness of the God such as through the good news of the Gospel so they too can understand suffering
