With Joyful Acceptance, Maybe

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Description: In a world where advertisements lead us to hope for a life free from suffering, facing the reality of suffering can be a particular challenge. Yet the reality of suffering is one that we all face in the course of our lives. While Christianity often has the reputation of a tradition that promotes the idea that all suffering is good for you and makes you a better person, there is, in fact, much more variety and nuance to the tradition. While there are those who advocate a wholesale acceptance, there are others who question the source of suffering and call for it to be fought against. This book delves into the world of five theologians--Gregory the Great, Julian of Norwich, Jeremy Taylor, C. S. Lewis and Ivone Gebara--to understand their perspectives and draw on their approaches as a way of understanding what Christian responses to suffering look like. This book constructs a contemporary theology that affirms the importance of the call to combat unjust suffering through acts of love and mercy, while also affirming that acceptance of the reality of endemic suffering, found in all five theologians, can provide us with opportunities to grow spiritually, live more faithfully and to experience the blessings in the midst of suffering that are a foretaste of heavenly bliss. Endorsements: "What does human suffering mean in light of theological claims about God's sovereignty and goodness? How ought humans to respond to suffering? Surveying the perspectives put forth by five different voices spanning fifteen centuries, James offers an astute comparison of their theological implications and a compelling model for blending those voices in a way that embraces both the depths of human grief and the trustworthiness of a God who loves, suffers with, and redeems us." --Jessica Bratt, Chaplain, Children's Hospital of Boston "In this superb work, Molly Field James takes on a mighty task in bringing together diverse theological reflections, representing a wide spectrum of perspectives and historical seasons, in consideration of human suffering. She not only attends faithfully to the thinking of the theologians considered, but she brings them into conversation with each other. Her theological reflections are seasoned with her own experience as a pediatric cancer patient and her pastoral ministry as a priest of the Episcopal Church. Her work is accessible to people of any theological background." --Chilton Knudsen, Bishop of Maine About the Contributor(s): Molly Field James is a cancer survivor, wife, mother, Episcopal priest, and professor who lives and works in Connecticut. She holds a doctorate in Theology from the University of Exeter, UK, and a Masters of Divinity from Yale Divinity School. In addition to parish and Diocesan work, she teaches Ethics and Pastoral Care at Hartford Seminary and the University of St. Joseph in Hartford, Connecticut.