A cruel theology

Posted on December 4, 2009 by elizabeth

When my mother was fighting breast cancer someone told me, "Well, at least we know this is God's will."

In other words, God ordained my mother's cancer.

I have trouble with a theology that says God ordains evil. I guess I just don't believe God works that way.

To me, it seems inconsistent with His nature.

Isn't it a better explanation to say that evil exists, period? Evil has been unleashed on this world and sometimes we are blindsided by it.

Evil happens. And there is no reason why. At least, there are no reasons that make sense to us now.

Perhaps what most terrifies us is the thought that we are not in control–that despite doing everything in our power to insure a successful outcome, bad things still happen.

Lots of Christians like to say that God doesn't make mistakes. I believe that insofar as we don't involve God in our own frightful amalgam of human stupidity, bad choices, sin and a host of variables outside our control.

I guess I just don't see the point of trying to fit every single tragedy into a nice, tidy little explanation. Sometimes there is grief and loss that defies any explanation whatsoever.

In the face of that kind of grief, the best kind of explanation is silence.

Isn't it more honest for us to say we don't know exactly why these things happen? 

It's inexplicable. And so is the baffling, amazing grace of God that can break through even the darkest human tragedy and shine the light of Hope for all to see.

p.s. please join me tomorrow for the Saturday Evening Blog Post. I'm looking forward to reading your submissions.

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  • http://www.goldfishandclowns.com/ Jerry

    Sometimes the only available prayer is “O God, You are God. I don’t understand this. I certainly don’t like it. But I’m going to trust You that one day, on earth or in heaven, I’ll understand. May I never forget Your love shines throughout.”

  • http://www.thisrestlessheart.com/ Kelly Langner Sauer

    I just don’t see the point of trying to fit every single tragedy into a nice, tidy little explanation. Sometimes there is grief and loss that defies any explanation whatsoever.

    Job knew this. It wasn’t about him. God allowed his suffering, the senseless loss, yet He held Satan back. And God revealed Himself to Job in it. He doesn’t always. He doesn’t have to.

    A brave post. Reconciling His sovereignty with our limited understanding just boxes Him. Let Him be big enough for our real pain. We don’t have a clue about His higher ways.

  • http://www.JanetOber.com Janet Oberholtzer

    Amen, Amen and Amen!
    And I’m not even a preacher and I never use three amens in a row – but you, my new best friend, have nailed it with this post!

    Totally agree with this …
    “I have trouble with a theology that says God ordains evil. I guess I just don’t believe God works that way.”

    Many times when I say this, I find I stand alone with this belief. So happy to find you!

  • http://theextraordinaryordinary.blogspot.com Heather of the EO

    Bebo Norman has a song about a woman dying of cancer and part of the lyrics are,
    “It was her time
    that’s a useless line
    a fallen world
    took her life
    But the God
    that sometimes
    can’t be found
    will wrap himself around you”

    I’ve always loved that song for exactly the reasons you’ve expressed here.

  • Beth Davies-Stofka

    I’m a Christian who went through breast cancer, and I heard this kind of stuff, too. Either it was “God’s will,” or somehow it was my fault. But I didn’t see cancer as an evil. It’s just a matter of cells doing cancer things instead of non-cancer things. Thinking cancer is evil is like thinking that a four-leaf clover is evil — I just don’t see it. I am, however, thankful that we have ways to fight it. I’m grateful to be a survivor.

  • http://www.conversiondiary.com/ Jennifer (Conversion Diary)

    Great post. I highly recommend the book 10 Prayers God Always Says Yes To: http://tinyurl.com/ycxg4cl It talks a lot about how it is *not* (has never been) orthodox Christian theology that God instigates evil (it would be contrary to his all-good nature), but that it *is* true that he can bring good out of every single situation, even the most terrible ones.

  • http://www.elizabethesther.com Elizabeth Esther

    BETH: yes! “It’s just a matter of cells doing cancer things instead of non-cancer things.”

    Those words are like a glass of cold water down a parched throat. Thank you!

    I am really horrified and saddened when Christians say the tragedies that befall us are our own fault. Sometimes I think the fallacy lies in try to wrongly attribute causality; ie. cancer as punishment vs. cancer as “cells doing cancer things instead of non-cancer things.”

    And I’m so glad you survived! ((hugs))

  • http://jesusneedsnewpr.blogspot.com mpt

    Thank you for this. It’s timely, at least, my gut tells me you meant for it to be timely. Either way, I agree with you 100 percent.

    And uh, I foresee a bit of blog suffering in your future. :)

  • http://becomingthekindofwomaniwantmydaughtertobe.wordpress.com Alisa

    I absolutely agree, I just can’t help thinking it’s a bit more complex than that.

    Job HATED everything that happened to him, yet he said to his wife “shall we accept good from God and not adversity?” Then it says right after, “In all this Job did not sin with his lips”.

    God obviously did not perpetrate evil onto Job. Satan did that. But God ALLOWED IT. Gave Satan permission. Every time I read that part I go, “God!! What are You doing?!? Why are you standing there holding the door open for evil to walk right through into a life???”

    I don’t fully understand it, and I think anyone that says they do is ignoring one facet or another to leave out any part that might complicate their nice, neat explanation.

    What I do know is that I’m really glad the Book of Job is in the Bible, as sadistic as that seems. But I know that I’m so grateful for the insights it provides into God and how He interacts with us and how He does NOT consider it sin to HATE the evil things that happen to us, so long as we don’t hate Him; though it seems He plays an indirect role in the calamity’s existence in our life.

    All I can figure is that God knows more than I do and He’s got something up His sleeve for our good and His glory (as cliche as that sounds, please don’t think I’m trying to provide pat answers here!). I just know that when I’m going through a yucky situation, I’m praying, “Please Lord, help me get every bit of growth out of this I can and please extract every bit of glory You can from it so that not one ounce of pain is in vain!”

  • http://ayoungmomsmusings.blogspot.com/ Young Mom

    Amen! Pre-destinational theology (many reformed groups) actively believe in this God. (Look up T.U.L.I.P. or “The Canons of Dordt” online)
    After 7 years of school to train to be a minister, it was in Apologetics class learning how to “defend” this belief when my hubby knew that he would not be able to remain reformed.

  • http://medicalmom.blogspot.com Cassidy

    Amen! I think you might just be my new best friend. I have a long history of miscarrige and I after each one I’ve heard “It was God’s will” at least a hundred times. The other favorites are “You’re young you can try again” or “God must be punishing you for something” or “You already have other kids, it’s not like you need more”

    I don’t think God decides “well, I think that person should have cancer” or “hmm, they did tell a lie when they were 5 years old, I think cancer is a fitting punishment”.. how can people say we have a loving and just God and then think he would wish these things on people or use them as punishments or something.

  • http://hoperoadblog.com Anna

    I have struggled with this “cruel theology” myself for years. In a way, I too wanted to deny God’s sovereignty over evil and suffering… but I couldn’t get away from Scripture. The God of Scripture is clearly a God who ordains suffering and allows evil, though He is not the author of evil. Isaiah 53 tells me that it was His will to put His Son to death. I am glad that He is infinitely wiser and greater than I am, to know how to bring good out of what man intends for evil.

    I don’t want to hijack this comment thread or create unnecessary controversy, but after reading your post I did just want to reply once. :)

  • http://steppinheavenward.blogspot.com/ Renee

    Amen!

  • http://jens_page.blogspot.com Jen @ The Short Years

    I completely agree with you.

  • http://www.elizabethesther.com Elizabeth Esther

    ANNA: You are always welcome to disagree with me. You have done so quite kindly and I know it takes courage to speak up. I commend you for that. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. ((hugs))

  • http://www.elizabethesther.com Elizabeth Esther

    ALISA: I think you may have answered your own question. Isn’t there a difference between God allowing something to happen and ordaining it to happen?

    The truth is, pain and suffering are the realities of this world.

    We have a high view of ourselves if when we suffer grief and loss, we ask: “WHY, me, God?”

    What we should be asking is “Why NOT me, God?”

    Just some thoughts. Thanks for sharing yours.

  • DeborahL

    Great comments!

    You are absolutely right – sometimes we just don’t know why tragic things are allowed. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8. I have to remind myself sometimes, who is ultimately in control – even when life seems bleak. My dad died of cancer when I was 15. There were “well-meaning” Christians who actually told my mom and dad that there must be some sin in his life that needs to be dealt with – and that was why he wasn’t being healed. (Sigh…)

    Good post!

  • A Reader

    I don’t think evil “just” exists. It’s something we have to deal with due to our collective sinful nature. Pain and suffering and evil happenings are all due to the fact that we are fallen creature and while I don’t think that your mom or my aunt or my pastor and his wife had cancer for personal sins, I think it’s more result of general sin. Our bodies don’t function perfectly because nothing about us is perfect. In heaven where we no longer are sinful and our bodies are made new – there is no more sorrow and suffering either.

  • http://www.heidijowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com Heidi Jo

    you didn’t even touch the whole line of believers that feel that you can name it and claim it. so, if you are sick with cancer…you must not have as strong of faith as someone without.

    either way….i agree. evil exists. suffering exists. and God is God through it all. and if we are blessed we learn something profound in the journey.

  • http://heart-and-home.net Ashleigh (Heart and Home)

    Exactly. There is a gaping difference between God “allowing” something or redeeming evil for our good (isn’t that what He’s all about?) and saying that He has ordained it. The sad thing is that many people just don’t know what they actually believe about such a topic and spout off cliches that mean nothing and make them feel better. The ones who do know what they believe and still say that, well… I just disagree. :D

  • http://notfinishedyet.wordpress.com Emily

    I agree with A Reader. All evil and suffering and pain in the world is a direct or indirect result of sin’s presence in the world. Not only do all people actively and passively sin every day, but we (as well as God’s entire creation) experience the effects of sin in our lives every day, too.

    That’s where God’s promise in Romans 8:28 to make everything work out for our eternal good is so precious. We can be sure that while God didn’t ordain that bad things happen to us, and while God allows us to feel sin’s effects in this world, we also trust that God’s going to bring about blessings through the difficult times, when we turn to him in faith.

    I know that for Christians who believe in a God who is first and foremost “sovereign,” then the question of suffering becomes a difficult one. As a Confessional Lutheran (not ELCA!), I believe in a God whose first and foremost attribute is that he is our Savior. A loving Savior God, who came to earth at Christmas to not only live a life free of active and passive deeds of sin, but who simultaneously experienced all the same effects of sin that we do every day — that kind of God understands suffering, and he weeps with us when we suffer. But that God also knows that great good can come out of evil and sickness, with the ultimate good coming out of evil being his innocent death on the cross.

    Our focus as Christians has to always be on getting ourselves and as many other people as possible to heaven, and we have to expect that there will be problems and suffering as long as we continue to live on earth. It’s not about our “Best Life Now” like Joel Osteen says. It’s about our “Best Life Then” — in heaven. That’s what makes heaven so wonderful. Not only will we never sin, but neither will we experience any effects of sin that aren’t our “fault.”

    Good topic!

    ~ Emily

  • http://www.blessedisthekingdom.com Fr. Christian Mathis

    I agree wholeheartedly. God never wills evil upon us, but only good. In fact, many times God seems to work to create something of value and good through what can only be seen from our perspective as unexplained suffering.

    Thanks for the post!

  • Michelle Hart

    Great, great post! By this time, I’m thinking you are a fly on the walls of my brain and heart…thanks again for expressing precisely what I’m going through at this time in my life.

  • http://redeemed.kansasbob.com Kansas Bob

    I think that comment your friend made is just another example of religious lipstick. http://redeemed.kansasbob.com/2009/05/religious-lipstick.html

  • http://reconditecogitations.blogspot.com CW Seper

    After mom was informed of her liver cancer, she was put through a battery of tests that did nothing but torment her. Basically the doctor wanted to find out where the cancer started because liver cancer almost always starts somewhere else first. Her liver was so bad that she was only given six months to live at best even with chemo. Eventually mom had enough. Why go through these tests if I’m just going to die anyway she thought? More importantly, she refused chemo. She figured it would just prolong her agony and she was ready to go home (as in Heaven). She ended up dying in six weeks instead of six months. But she went peacefully with all her family around her. She never once took any morphine either. She never had any pain. There was a woman from her church, however, a good friend who completely abandoned her because of mom’s refusal to take chemo. This woman believes it’s every human’s responsibility to live as long as possible no matter what condition we are in or how much pain we may feel. Forget about letting nature take its course. I guess it never dawned on her that this could be God’s way of bringing someone home. But I’ll never forget how that self-righteous woman abandoned her friend over something that was really none of her affair anyway. Fundamentalism–you can have it.

  • r. job

    As someone who has to live with a disease that had left me incapacitated for a significant period of time (with the real possibility of subsquent recurrences) and who has even undergone cancer treatment, I rejoice and take comfort in the fact that though I may not understand or enjoy my circumstances, God, who lovingly gave his Son for me, has his gracious purposes for my suffering. I know that it is his will and he is accomplishing good through it. I just don’t know what it is, just as Job never understood why he suffered. The whole point of the book of Job is that we don’t understand and can’t understand God’s ways. We must humble ourselves before God’s infinite wisdom.

    You can’t have things both ways. God is either totally in control or not at all.
    At the same time, because he mysteriously accomplishes his decrees through the free actions of responsible individuals, God is not in any way the author of sin.

    We often forget that all we deserve, as sinners who have rebelled against God, is immediate eternal condemnation. Anything short of that is grace. Those who have put their trust in Christ (who, according to Acts 4:23-28 suffered because it was God’s will, cf. Is. 53:10 = it pleased the Lord to bruise him) have the confidence that the sovereign God who has decreed their suffering has a glorious purpose for their good and his glory. After all, he is more interested in our holiness (which will bring lasting joy)than in our happiness.

    Sorry for the long post, but the loving sovereignty of God lies at the heart of who God is and must be acknowledged by his creatures.

  • http://www.minthegap.com MInTheGap

    I think that people find comfort knowing that God is in the pain we go through. However, I don’t know that it’s right to say that God caused it. In the case of Job, we know that God permitted Satan to do all sorts of things to the man to prove him.

    We know that God has directed countries to judge other countries, and that He has ordered taking captives and destruction of whole cities.

    His holiness demands justice from sinners.

    And yet His mercy and love abound and we are all here because of these things.

    I would think it’s more appropriate to say that my sin caused my malady than to say that God caused it. God created everything good, and I chose to sin.

    That we must suffer pain because of this does not mean that it’s His fault.

    The promises are what to cling to:
    - that God uses all things for good for those that love Him.
    - that He will not tempt us above that we are able.
    - that He will never leave us or forsake us.
    - that He knows all things.
    - that if we die we go to be with Him.

    There’s is much to hope in, and much yet to come. :)