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Katrina Diploma
TH141-Q
Suffering God: Compassion Poured Out
If tere is a God! ten "# is tere suffering in te "orld$ Is God! "o is said to %e te
&reator of e'er#ting tat is! also te autor of suffering$ (nd "ile umans are affli&ted "it
suffering! is God merel# a deta&ed o%ser'er$ Or "orse! is He a%sent$ Tese are )ust some of
te *uestions tat are &onstantl# %eing as+ed in te sear& for a fit %et"een te idea of God as
an e,isting! &ompassionate and omnipotent %eing and te e,perien&e of uman suffering- (s
rational %eings! it is onl# natural for us to see+ for logi&al e,planations tat "ill )ustif# our %eliefs!
and more importantl#! our fait- Te +ind of fait tat is %eing taugt to us! after all! is a .fait
see+ing understanding-/ Tis! o%'iousl#! does not e,empt te idea of an almigt# God d"elling
in te midst of a suffering "orld-
In Suffering God: Compassion Poured Out 011123! autor 4li5a%et 6onson attempted
to spea+ a%out God and suffering in te same language 7 someting tat most teologi&al
&ommentators &ons&iousl# tr# to a'oid %e&ause of te negati'e &onnotation on te latter-
6onson! o"e'er! used te notion and e,perien&e of suffering! spe&ifi&all#! te different forms
of suffering tat "omen endure! to glean insigt into te m#ster# of God- In er feminist
refle&tion! se &allenged te idea of an apati& God 7 te image of a God "o does not suffer
7 te produ&t of &lassi&al patriar&al teism! and argued tat God! in fa&t! suffers "it us-
An Apathic God
Perfe&tion is intrinsi& in te idea of God- Tis means tat God is ne&essaril# perfe&t- In
te language of S&olasti&ism 0see Summa Teologiae! Part I-(! Se&tion 8ff-3! God is te
9nmo'ed :o'er 0te initial mo'er! "i& is unmo'ed3; te 9n&aused Cause 0te first &ause!
"i& is un&aused3; and te Actus Purus 0te one %eing "itout potentialit#3- Suffering! on te
oter and! guses fort from punisment of sin! from finitude and imperfe&tion! "i& are all
rooted to .a defi&ien&# in one<s %eing/ 06onson! 1112! p- 24=3! &ara&teristi& of all &reated
%eings- >ereas God! in His %eing! is te igest and most perfe&t! God is not su%)e&t to
suffering- ?rom tis! "e arri'e at te idea of an impassi%le God! tat is! an apati& God-
4t#mologi&all# deri'ed .from te Gree+ a-patheia meaning no patos or suffering/ 06onson!
1112! p- 24@3! God seems to &ease to %e te Aeing "e %elie'e God to %e 7 te Di'ine "o
suffers "it us! sares our pains and feels our sorro"s- God appears to a'e %e&ome deta&ed
from us in our e,perien&es of suffering- God is )ust tere! "at&ing 7 a mere spe&tator 7 "om
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.Camus %itterl# depi&ts "en e sa#s tat God is li+e an eternal %#stander "it is %a&+ turned
to te "oe of te "orld/ 06onson! 1112! p- 24B3-
:oreo'er! God as an omnipotent %eing .is traditionall# interpreted to mean tat God is
ultimatel# in &ontrol of "ate'er appens so tat noting o&&urs apart from te di'ine "ill/
06onson! 1112! p- 24@3- Does tis mean tat God "ills suffering$ If not! does it mean tat God
&annot stop suffering from appening$ If God is reall# omnipotent! ten surel# e &an! %ut "e
see suffering all around us- If God &an stop suffering and #et tere is suffering in te "orld! does
tis mean tat God permits suffering to appen for "ate'er di'ine reason$ 6onson 011123
points out tat to .punis "rongdoing! to test &ara&ter! to edu&ate or form personalit#! or to
%ring fort a greater good --- are te religious reasons traditionall# gi'en to te anguised
*uestion! "#$/ 0pp- 24@-24B3- Tus! "ate'er forms of suffering &ome to torment man+ind! all
of tese are ultimatel# designed ad majorem Dei gloriam- Tis ma+es us tin+ "eter "ars!
famines! te re&ent &emi&al atta&+ in Ci%#a! and te Dam%o &onfli&t! among oters all ser'e
God<s glor#- It appears tat te# do not seem to! %ut ma#%e tis is )ust an opinion &oming from
te limited perspe&ti'e of finite %eings and tat in God<s perspe&ti'e! e'er#ting "ill fall into teir
proper pla&es in te greater s&eme of tings in His time- Still! one &an rigtl# argue tat .tere
is in our istor# a %ar%arous e,&ess of suffering! a 'iolen&e and destru&ti'eness so intense in
*ualit# and e,tensi'eness in s&ope tat it &an onl# %e named genuine e'il --- Tere is suffering!
in oter "ords! tat does not simpl# punis or test or edu&ate or "or+ a greater good- Instead! it
destro#s/ 06onson! 1112! pp- 24B-2413- Te realit# of te e,isten&e of suffering tat does not
.ser'e/ an# good purpose and te idea tat God "illingl# allo"s tis to appen "as totall#
una&&epta%le- Tis ad led to a .re'olution/ of sorts to find intelle&tuall# satisf#ing and
religiousl# a&&epta%le )ustifi&ations tat "ould marr# te idea of te impassi%le! omnipotent God
"it te realit# of suffering- Ci%eration teolog#! for instan&e! "as %orn from .te po'ert# of te
great ma)orit# of te Catin (meri&an population and te understanding tat te realit# of miser#
"as due to a profound so&ial in)usti&e! togeter "it te understanding tat tis "as &ontrar# to
te prea&ing of te life-+ingdom/ 0D"#er! 1114! p- E4B3- It is a +ind of teolog# tat is .not onl#
of and about, %ut also for li%eration/ 0Aal&and and Gorospe! 1111! p- 13 7 li%eration from a
teolog# saped %# patriar&al domination and &ontrol-
6e"is S&riptures e,perts! Protestant tin+ers! Catoli& apologists! pilosopers and
teologians ali+e tried to pro'ide ade*uate e,planations to te notion of a suffering God- Aut te
%ottom-line for all tese intelle&tuals is tat te .di'ine &apa&it# for suffering is a most
&ara&teristi& e,pression of di'ine freedom a&ti'e in te po"er of lo'e/ 06onson! 1112! p- 2E13-
Tis means tat te suffering God is an impassi%le! omnipotent God "o suffers 7 a God "o
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suffers in a di'ine "a#- Tis no'el treatment of te &lassi&al idea of impassi%ilit# .points to te
dar+ m#ster# of God- F(ndG te "a# is open for &reati'e respea+ing in ligt of toda#<s religious
sensi%ilities/ 06onson! 1112! p- 2E23- (nd in response to tis! te feminist perspe&ti'e la#s
do"n a num%er of intelle&tuall# stimulating ideas on te ta%le of dis&ourse-
The Suffering God
Hie"ed from te lenses of feminism and li%eration teolog#! 6onsonIs theological
reflection points to te notion of an apati& God! "i& is te fruit of a male-dominated &ulture-
?or men in a dominant position! freedom as &ome to mean %eing in &ontrol!
e,isting self-&ontained and self-dire&ted! apart from entanglements "it oters ---
te affirmation of di'ine freedom produ&es language a%out God as te
*uintessential ma&o man! unmo'ed and unfeeling in te fa&e of uman
suffering- 06onson! 1112! p- 2E23
?or te longest time! "e a'e gotten used to address God as ?ater! Cord! or King 7 all of "i&
point to a po"erful male leader! a patriar& or te alpa male- Tese titles e,ude "it
impressions of strengt! &ontrol and deta&ment- >e en&ounter prases in teologi&al literature
su& as .trem%le %efore te Cord/! .&o"er at te sound of His name/! and .+neel or %o" do"n
%efore Him/! among oters! "i& are all &ara&teristi& of an autorit# ig a%o'e and far from
is su%)e&ts! fearsome in all is migt and glor#- >e feel a%out God te "a# "e felt "en "e
"ere little +ids! ta+ing reprimand from our faters 0or at least from .traditional/ faters3 7 "e fear
te sound of is 'oi&e; "e are una%le to loo+ straigt in is e#es; "e desire to ide from is
penetrating ga5e; and at times "e &o"er and trem%le- Jet despite tese! "e lo'e! respe&t! loo+
up to im and "e run to im "en "e are do"n! urting! and "ounded- >e %elie'e im to %e
al"a#s in &ontrol! "e rarel# or ne'er see im &r#! e )ust pi&+s us up! elps us stand! and "ipes
our tears a"a#- He tells us to learn from our mista+es- (nd our spirits are uplifted! "e are app#
and satisfied- (s "e gro" up! "e tin+ and as+ oursel'es! .Could our faters a'e pre'ented
tose urtful tings tat appened to us in te past or did e allo" us to go troug tem for us
to <learn< from our e,perien&es$/ >e usuall# ear our moters tell us not to do tis or to a'oid
doing tat! %ut "e rarel# ear tose "ords from our faters- Te# are )ust tere! "at&ing
silentl#- Aut ten! times a'e &anged- :odern-da# faters are more 'o&al! more proa&ti'e! and
more empati& toda# "en it &omes to teir &ildren- >at modern-da# &ildren are loo+ing for
in teir faters is similar to "at modern-da# %elie'ers are tr#ing to find in teir God-
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?eminist teolog# )udges tat te attri%ute of impassi%ilit#! e'en "en posed as
te eti&al ideal of freedom! is found "anting "en &ompared "it te trut
dis&erned in te li'ed e,perien&e &ara&teristi& of "omen- Self-&ontainment and
te a%sen&e of relationsip are not ne&essaril# te igest perfe&tions %ut signif#
la&+- ?urtermore! te attri%ute of omnipoten&e! modeled on te po"er of an
a%solute monar&! refle&ts patriar&al preferen&e for domination and &ontrol-
06onson! 1112! pp- 2E2-2E83
?or tis reason! a different approa& on te &on&ept of God is demanded- :an# a'e
responded %# pro'iding an image of God "o is po"erless! affli&ted! and %urdened %# sorro"!
in oter "ords! a suffering God- (s portra#ed %# "at appened to 6esus on is Passion! God
understands our pains and He e'en "illingl# puts tem on His soulders troug te &ross for
us- Aut at te end of te dar+ tunnel of suffering! tere is ligt! tat is! te ligt of resurre&tion-
Someo"! tis en&ourages us to endure suffering %e&ause God suffers "it us and tere "ill
surel# &ome a time "en "e "ill %e resurre&ted to a ne" life 7 a life of e'erlasting appiness-
(nd tis is te +ind of ideal "idel# prea&ed to man# different ecclesiae around te "orld toda#-
Statements a%out .God<s po"er tat is "ea+ness!/ &laims a%out te ?ater<s lo'e
so"n in 6esus< a%andonment on te &ross! assertions tat God "as ne'er great
as in umiliation! ne'er so glorious as in self-surrender! and ne'er so po"erful as
"en impotent - su& temes a%ound in &urrent reformulations of impassi%ilit#
and omnipoten&e- 06onson! 1112! p- 2E83
Tis reformulation of te notion of God as an almigt# %eing "ose strengt lies in "ea+ness is
a dou%le-edged s"ord- On te one and! it dra"s God nearer to te faitful espe&iall# to tose
"o are "ea+ and elpless- Aut on te oter and! it migt glorif# suffering and %e detrimental
to all tose "o suffer! espe&iall# to "omen "o! trougout te &ourse of istor#! are
&onstantl# oppressed! dis&riminated! a%used and made to endure suffering in &ountless "a#s-
Tis migt de'elop into a &on'enient e,&use to turn a %lind e#e to te sufferings of "omen! "o
in teir elplessness are for&ed to old on to ollo" "ords su& as .it is "en I am "ea+ tat I
am strong/ and as a &onse*uen&e remain silent to teir sufferings assured tat te# sare in te
sufferings of God- .In te long run te antidote to an impassi%le! omnipotent God is neiter te
re'erse image of a 'i&timi5ed! elpless one nor silen&e on te "ole su%)e&t- >at is needed is
to step de&isi'el# out of te andro&entri& s#stem of po"er-o'er 'ersus 'i&timi5ation and tin+ in
oter &ategories a%out po"er! pain! and teir deep inter"ea'ing in uman e,perien&e/
06onson! 1112! p- 2E43- ?or tis reason! 6onson identified four distin&t e,perien&es of
suffering endured %# "omen tat sed ligt into te m#ster# of God! namel#! %irt! )usti&e and
anger! grief! and degradation- Tis approa& agrees "it te scientific social analysis aspe&t of
E
Ci%eration teolog#! "i& .is neiter merel# a&ademi& nor 'alue-free %ut must e,pose and
&onfront te oppressi'e s#stems tat are responsi%le for te suffering of te poor as "ell as te
ideologies used to legitimi5e teir miser#/ 0Aal&and and Gorospe! 1111! p- 13- In doing so!
6onson tried to so" tat ea& of tese e,perien&es tr# to &ontri%ute to te understanding of
te m#ster# of God using te sufferings e,perien&ed %# "omen as an anal#ti& tool-
Te first t"o of tese e,perien&es! namel#! %irt and rigteous anger for )usti&e! are
seen to %e &reati'e in te sense tat te# result to ne" life 7 te life a ne"%orn &ild and te
.ne"/ life of tose to "om )usti&e are gi'en- In &ild%irt! "omen during la%or up until te %a%#
is deli'ered e,perien&e a great deal of pain unimagina%le to men "o do not and peraps "ill
ne'er e,perien&e it- Ho"e'er! unli+e oter forms of suffering! te pain e,perien&ed in %irt
%rings alongside "it it te e,perien&e of immeasura%le )o#- Smiles of ne" moters upon first
la#ing teir e#es on teir ne"%orns! often &aptured in timeless potos! offer a glimpse of te )o#
and lo'e felt %# moters as te# %eold a "ondrous &reation-
In a "a# uni*ue to alf of te uman ra&e! "omen la%or in %earing and %irting
ea& ne" generation! a suffering "i& &an %e "o'en round "it a strong sense
of &reati'e po"er and )o# --- tis e,perien&e of la%or and deli'er# offers a super%
metapor for Sopia-God<s struggle to %irt a ne" people! e'en a ne" ea'en
and a ne" eart --- Intense suffering as an ingredient in intense &reati'e po"er
mar+s te dept of di'ine in'ol'ement in te pro&ess- 06onson! 1112! p- 2EE3
(s intense as te &reati'e suffering "omen e,perien&e during &ild%irt is te suffering te#
e,perien&e "ene'er te# stand up for )usti&e- In standing for "at is rigt! "omen go ead to
ead against s#stems "i& are mostl# esta%lised and operated %# men of po"er- (s a result!
te# are often atta&+ed! and in a lot of instan&es! +idnapped! raped! tortured! 'iolated or e'en
+illed- Ho"e'er! "omen endure tese +inds of 'iolen&e to stand up time and again for &auses
tat te# %elie'e "ill! in te long run! &ontri%ute to te %etterment of so&iet#-
>omen suffer "en te# &oose to a&t in situations great or small to %ring a%out
te %etterment of uman life troug te pursuit of uman rigts! ealing! )usti&e!
and pea&e- Tis e,perien&e too %etra#s an admi,ture of &reati'e po"er and pain!
for te a&tion %eing ta+en fa&es off "it antagonisti& stru&tures of sin! "i& are
not de&onstru&ted "itout fier&e struggle- 06onson! 1112! p- 2E=3
>en "omen stand for rigteousness and )usti&e! intense anger surges from "itin teir
persons- .( passion tat often a&&ompanies a&tion on %ealf of )usti&e is rigteous "rat ---
>en "omen a"a+en to te ra'ages "rea+ed upon tem and tose te# lo'e %# un)ust
patriar&al s#stems! te# t#pi&all# get angr# --- Su& anger is itself a mode of suffering/
=
06onson! 1112! p- 2E@3- :u& li+e "en a moter reprimands er &ild for a sin &ommitted or
more 'i'idl# "en a moter gets angr# at someone "o as urt er &ild! se feels a mi,ture
of anger and pain tat "ill onl# %e pa&ified "en te "rongdoing as %een re&tified- Su& form
of suffering is dire&ted to"ards a positi'e! &reati'e output 7 tat of progressi'e &ange and
rene"al- Tus! "e see tat in %ot instan&es! &ild%irt and rigteous "rat! God so"s is
&reati'e po"er amidst te realit# of intense suffering and pain-
:ean"ile! te last t"o forms of suffering tat "omen e,perien&e! namel#! grief and
degradation! are te dire&t opposite of te former t"o- Te# do not pa'e te "a# to ne" life! %ut
instead! te# destro#- Grief oftentimes results from a feeling of loss! or more pre&isel#! an
irrepla&ea%le loss! su& as te deat of a %elo'ed- In multitudes of instan&es! ."omen<s
e,perien&e identifies te most fundamental e'il to %e te penomenologi&al &onditions of pain!
separation! and elplessness- >en tese &onditions affe&t people "itin te &ir&le of "omen<s
affe&tion! %oundless anguis ensues/ 06onson! 1112! p- 2E13- Tis +ind of suffering does not
lead to an# &reati'e results- 9nli+e men "o are more in&lined to .%e alone!/ "omen are %#
nature relational- Due to tis nature! te# are more 'ulnera%le to grie'e due to loss!
elplessness or seeing teir lo'ed ones in pain- Tis e,perien&e of "omen "o grie'es o'er te
affli&tions endured %# a %elo'ed! toug not &reati'e! points to te di'ine e,perien&e of God
grie'ing o'er te sufferings of .His/ %elo'ed &ildren- .(s imago Dei te# point to te m#ster# of
di'ine sorro"! of an unimagina%le &ompassionate God "o suffers "it %elo'ed &reation/
06onson! 1112! p- 2=K3-
Ho"e'er! more tan te e,perien&e of grief tat ma+es "omen suffer from "itin!
anoter form of suffering tat is gra'er tan te rest lea'es "omen totall# destro#ed! ollo" and
"asted- .In teir o"n person "omen e,perien&e suffering tat #ields no dis&erni%le good %ut
rater 'iolates and destro#s all uman dignit# and e'en life itself --- su& a situation is named
affli&tion/ 06onson! 1112! p- 2=13- (ffli&tion or degradation ma# %e seen as a logi&al impli&ation
of "omen li'ing in te "orld of men- >en te Creator imposed upon te daugters of 4'e to
%e su%)e&ts of te autorit# of te sons of (dam! te gates of affli&tion "as "idel# opened-
Conse*uentl#! trougout istor#! "omen are %attered! a%used! raped! 'iolated and murdered
out of atred! dis&rimination! or at times! simpl# out of "im- 4'en toda#! "e ear in te ne"s
elpless "omen e,perien&ing affli&tion and! sadl#! "it so&iet#<s permission- Tis in&ludes raped
"omen in (fganistan for&ed to marr# teir atta&+ers or girls aging from B to 12 in Jemen "o
are made to "ed older men! "o are in teir 8K<s or 4K<s- Coo+ing at su& images of "omen
ma+es us "onder "eter tese images are still &reated in te image of God- (pparentl#! in
feminist tougt! te ans"er is #es- .Do tese and all te 'iolated "omen of te "orld offer #et
@
anoter s#m%ol of te suffering God$ I tin+ tat te# do- cce homo: in an unspea+a%le "a#
te# are images of te &ru&ified/ 06onson! 1112! p- 2=83- Te image of 6esus suffering on te
&ross is an image of a God %ot grie'ing for te sins of man and affli&ted %# te so-&alled
po"ers of te "orld- In imager# of te &ross! "e see tat God .parti&ipates in te suffering of te
"orld and o'er&omes! in&on&ei'a%l#! from "itin troug te po"er of lo'e/ 06onson! 1112! p-
2=83-
(t tis point! "e ma# glean from our dis&ussion te idea of lo'e! an essentiall# relational
&on&ept! ser'ing as te root of suffering tat "omen e,perien&e: lo'e for a ne" life; lo'e for a
umane life; lo'e for a suffering %elo'ed; and lo'e in relation to te &ross- Ho"e'er! it ma# %e
interesting to note tat unli+e te teolog# of li%erationIs fundamental choice of liberation and a
nonpreferential option for the poor! te e,perien&es des&ri%ed %# 6onson en&ompasses all
tose "o a'e te &apa&it# for lo'e! ri& and poor ali+e %e&ause in a sense! e'er#one is ri& in
one ting and poor in anoter- Hie"ed from tis perspe&ti'e! all are ri& and poor at te same
time- ?rom tese instan&es! 6onson 011123 dra"s a lin+ %et"een te suffering of "omen and
te image of te suffering God-
Does lo'e entail suffering in God$ In te &lassi&al tradition "it its apati& ideal!
te ans"er is o%'iousl# no- Co'e is purel# a matter of te "ill; to lo'e is to "ill te
good of te one lo'ed --- Aut as a&tuall# li'ed! and paradigmati&all# so in te ligt
of "omen<s e,perien&e! lo'e in&ludes an openness to te ones lo'ed! a
'ulnera%ilit# to teir e,perien&e! a solidarit# "it teir "ell-%eing! so tat one
re)oi&es "it teir )o#s and grie'es "it teir sorro"s- Tis is not a dispensa%le
aspe&t of lo'e %ut %elongs to lo'e<s 'er# essen&e --- In te ligt of te feminist
pri5ing of mutualit# as a moral e,&ellen&e! lo'e does entail suffering in God-
06onson! 1112! pp- 2=E-2==3
In ligt of te feminist refle&tion! it appears tat suffering does not entail an imperfe&tion in God
%ut! *uite on te &ontrar#! asserts te perfe&tion of God "o is a%le to relate and %e one "it
His &reations troug te e,perien&e of suffering- Tis purification, reinterpretation, and
re!itali"ation of Christian doctrine and practices in ligt of te 6onsonIs feminist refle&tion and
&onsistent "it te metods of te teolog# of li%eration someo" pro'ide a &learer pi&ture on
te m#ster# of te impassi%le! omnipotent God 'is-L-'is te realit# of suffering- .Tis is one "a#
te s#m%ol of a suffering God &an elp: %# signaling tat te m#ster# of God is ere in solidarit#
"it tose "o suffer --- te presen&e of di'ine &ompassion as &ompanion to te pain
transforms suffering! not mitigating its e'il %ut %ringing an ine,pli&a%le &onsolation and &omfort/
06onson! 1112! p- 2=@3- It ma# #et %e a m#ster# "# tere is suffering in te "orld and su&
m#ster# ma# %e un'eiled troug di'ine re'elation at a later time! %ut "at is important at tis
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moment is tat "e are not alone in te e,perien&e of suffering- >e a'e God "it us! %# our
side! in total &ommunion "it .His/ Cur& "o suffers- (nd tat! gi'es us ope-
A Communion of Sufferers
It is said tat appiness sared is appiness dou%led "ile sorro" sared is sorro"
al'ed- Tis is espe&iall# real "en suffering is sared among a &ommunion of sufferers-
.Communion %e&omes a profound sour&e of energ# for te ealing of suffering- Kno"ing tat
"e are not a%andoned ma+es all te differen&e/ 06onson! 1112! p- 2=@3- Te orthopra#is
0&orre&t pra&ti&e3 of %elie'ing troug fait tat "e are not alone in our sufferings someo"
opens a "ell of ope "itin our souls- >en "e a'e someone "o &an understand us! "o
sares our pains and sorro"s! "o a&&ompanies us in our sufferings! "e %egin to a'e a
sour&e of strengt- >en "e +no" tat "e are not alone in te sufferings tat "e e,perien&e!
"e %e&ome stronger %e&ause someo" "e see a glimmer of ope tat in our sared pains!
someda# e'er#ting "ill turn out fine- (nd tis feeling is espe&iall# magnified "en "e reali5e
tat God is "it us in our sufferings! tat in His di'init#! God suffers "it us- Tus! despite te
seeming impossi%ilit# of finding a fit %et"een te e,isten&e of suffering in a "orld "ere God
e,ists! tal+s a%out a suffering God is not futile %e&ause .su& dis&ourse fa&ilitates te pra,is of
ope/ 06onson! 1112! p- 2@13 for it is troug ope tat "e gater te &ourage to resist
oppression! stand up and mo'e for"ard-
(s a final note! te pro%lem &on&erning te e,isten&e of an impassi%le! omnipotent God
amidst te suffering "orld ad gi'en %irt to a mo'ement of ateism "i& as gro"n o'er te
past &ouple of &enturies- In ligt of li%eration teolog#Is presumed .priori and basic faith-
commitment to God in te person of 6esus Crist FasG M an a%solute Fand non-negotia%leG
re*uirement/ 0Aal&and and Gorospe! 1111! p- 83! it seems tat for ateists! su& a presumed
re*uirement for a teolog# of li%eration &annot appl#- Instead! "e a'e to find anoter "a#
around- In order for us to li%erate tem from te %ondage of un%elief! poorness in fait and
suffering due to ignoran&e! peraps a solid step tat &an %e ta+en to"ards te discernment and
formulation of moral imperati!es for concrete action is to find "a#s to so" tem o" a feminist
anal#sis of suffering ma# sed a %rigt ligt on te m#ster# of God! ta+ing our &ue from
6onsonIs "or+- Troug tis! "e migt %e a%le to finall# a'e te &an&e to lead tem!
sufferers mu& li+e us! %a&+ to God- (fter all! te .aim of te teolog# of li%eration is to %e te
language a%out God! and to %e tis in te &ommunion of te &ur&- It is an effort to ma+e te
>ord of life present in a "orld of oppression! in)usti&e! and deat/ 0D"#er! 1114! p- EE83-
1
References:
(*uinas! Tomas! St- Summa Teologiae 0ST3- Trans- ?aters of te 4nglis Domini&an
Pro'in&e- >estminster: Cristian Classi&s- 11B1-
Aal&and! (- and Gorospe! H-N-! S6- .Ci%eration Teolog# >itin te Pilippine Conte,t toda# 0(
S#ntesis3-/ In Aal&and! (-! S6 and Gorospe! H-N-! S6! eds-! $heology of %iberation for
$oday&s 'ilipino Christian- Que5on Cit#: (teneo de :anila 9ni'ersit# Press! 1111-
D"#er! 6-! ed- $he (e) Dictionary of Catholic Social $hought- :innesota: Citurgi&al Press!
1114-
6onson! 4- .Suffering God: Compassion Poured Out-/ In She *ho +s: $he ,ystery of God in
'eminist $heological Discourse! 24=-2E@- Oe" Jor+: Crossroad! 1112-

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