Fall Book Club
Week 3
When in Rome………
As we entered Chapter 3, it didn’t take long for Kreeft to challenge Rabbi Kushner’s interpretation of the Book of Job. This seems to have struck a nerve for some of our readers. That’s great! This only means we are engaging the text, which will hopefully help us on our own personal quests for understanding and meaning in our suffering. (Looking forward to the conversation about this on discussion night)!
Speaking on the mystery of evil in Chapter 4, Kreeft opens up to us the meaning of “mystery”, ending with the definition, we, the church, are most familiar with: “A mystery of faith is a truth we couldn’t possibly come to know by our own reason and experience, but which God has revealed to us”. In other words, He is Light in our darkness! Whether on purpose or not, a light does shine in the center of this chapter’s “7 Clues from the Philosophers”. This light is a very popular verse of Scripture, “All things work together, for the good to those who love God.” (Rom 8:28). Is it possible that an even wider view of this scripture, Romans 8: 18-39, may be a centering light which illuminates each philosophical clue?
In Chapters 5 and 6 we will leave the deep waters of philosophy and land on the creative gardens of the writers and the poets for more clues. From there, we begin the ascent, seeking the higher ground of the Prophets. The clues are converging! The journey continues…….
For further reflection: Read, pray, and meditate on John 1:1-9
Read, pray, and meditate on Romans 8:18-39
What spoke to you most in these passages?
Do you find these words comforting? Hopeful? Enlightening?
Fall Book Club
Week 2
Fall Back, Spring Forward
Looking back on chapters 1 and 2, we were introduced to the problems of suffering and evil by examples of illness, disease, and end-of-life issues. Kreeft then presented “Ten Easy Answers” which, in theory, explain evil. However, each one of these answers is put to the test and falls short. We are posed with a very powerful question in these chapters, “How can an all-powerful and all-loving God allow the innocent to suffer?” My questions for all of us are: How does this sit within our hearts? How does this impact our faith?
Springing forward to chapters 3 and 4, Kreeft will explain that evil isn’t so much a problem, as a mystery. The meaning of mystery will then follow. Engaging us once again with his bantering “Reader to Author” dialog, he will guide us away from the failed 10 easy answers. Do you like this writing style? Do you relate to the reader? We will then be led to clues from great philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Whether a fan of philosophy or not, it’s about to get interesting! We’re heading for deep waters! So, fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride!
Spoiler alert: Kreeft challenges Rabbi Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People, on his interpretation of the Book of Job. (I told you it was going to get interesting!)
Deacon JT
Fall Book Club
Week 1
Welcome to our fall book club. This season we will be journeying with the ever-philosophical Peter Kreeft in his book Making Sense Out of Suffering. In his own words, Peter shares that his book “is for anyone who has ever wept and wondered.” After experiencing his own personal struggles, this book details his honest pursuit of making sense out of suffering, pain, and evil. Yet, this is not just a book about suffering, but a book about God in suffering. Through this book, he is our guide, and he invites us to join him on the journey.
As we embark on our voyage heading into chapters one and two, let’s join Peter with open hearts and minds. In doing so, hopefully, we will find some comfort and understanding with our own personal hardships. There is only one question necessary to reflect on as we begin, a one-word question, which echoes again and again in our hearts………… Why?
Deacon JT