Why Do We Suffer and Where Is God When We Do? - Paperback

by Valerie G. Rempel (Author)

Cancer, hurricanes, hunger, suicide: suffering is the most profound challenge to faith that many people will face.

Valerie G. Rempel leads readers into a gentle meditation on the many questions surrounding why we suffer. How can God be all-loving and all-powerful? Why don't prayers seem to work? Is pain always redemptive? And what do the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus reveal about suffering? We may not find answers to all our questions, but we can lean into the God big enough to absorb all of them.

Front Jacket

Cancer, hurricanes, hunger, suicide: suffering is the most profound challenge to faith that many people will face.

Valerie G. Rempel leads readers into a gentle meditation on the many questions surrounding why we suffer. How can God be all-loving and all-powerful? Why don't prayers seem to work? Is pain always redemptive? And what do the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus reveal about suffering? We may not find answers to all our questions, but we can lean into the God big enough to absorb all of them.

The Jesus Way: Small Books of Radical Faith delve into big questions about God's work in the world. These concise, practical books are deeply rooted in Anabaptist theology. Crafted by a diverse community of internationally renowned scholars, pastors, and practitioners, The Jesus Way series helps readers deepen their faith in Christ and enliven their witness.

• Accessible Jesus-centered theology from an Anabaptist perspective
• Designed for use by individual readers, small groups, and Christian education classes
• Glossary of terms and discussion and reflection questions in each volume

Books in series:

What Is the Bible and How Do We Understand It? Dennis R. Edwards [Fall 2019]
Why Did Jesus Die and What Difference Does It Make? Michele Hershberger [Fall 2019]
What Is God's Mission in the World and How Do We Join It? Juan F. Martínez [Spring 2020]
Why Do We Suffer and Where Is God When We Do? Valerie G. Rempel [Spring 2020]
What Is the Trinity and Why Does It Matter? Steve Dancause [Summer 2020]
Who Are Our Enemies and How Do We Love Them? Hyung Jin Kim Sun [Summer 2020]
What Is the Church and Why Does It Exist? David Fitch [Fall 2020]
What Does Justice Look Like and Why Does God Care about It? Judith and Colin McCartney [Fall 2020]
What Is God's Kingdom and What Does Citizenship Look Like? César García [Spring 2021]
Who Was Jesus and What Does It Mean to Follow Him? Nancy Elizabeth Bedford [Spring 2021]

Author Biography

Valerie G. Rempel serves as dean of Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary and vice president of Fresno Pacific University in Fresno, California. She has degrees from Tabor College, Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, and Vanderbilt University, and she has served on a variety of Mennonite Brethren and inter-Mennonite boards. Rempel is a member of Willow Avenue Mennonite Church.