Reviewed Book: McCloskey, Patrick. When You Are Angry with God. New York: Paulist Press, 1987

Lebold, Ralph A.

English

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 14Issue 2 Issues and Concerns in Ethics Article 2411-1-1988When You Are Angry with GodRalph A. LeboldFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationLebold, Ralph A. (1988) "When You Are Angry with God," Consensus: Vol. 14 : Iss. 2 , Article 24.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol14/iss2/24Book Reviews 127already involved in mission outside of the church in both their work andvolunteer activities.Planning unifies efforts and vision and enables mission. The planningprocess suggested in chapter 6 looks quite workable. It is important thata broad base of members affirms the principle of planning and engages inthe process of planning. “The plan needs to be reasonable and the workdoable but not so simple as to lack in challenge or so difficult as to beoverwhelming” (75).The study guide works through the book chapter by chapter with a planfor study and action. It looks to be a very workable plan. Other resourcesfor further study are listed.I see this book as a useful resource for people interested in strengtheningtheir congregation for mission.Paul C.E. ErikssonLutheran Theological SeminaryWhen You Are Angry With GodPat McCloskeyNew York/Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1987.One of the burning issues for the Christian church is the problem ofsuffering. How does the Christian community respond to experiences ofhuman suffering? It is the author’s thesis that one’s view of God hasa profound effect on how persons cope with or respond to difficult lifeexperiences. He notes that in his ministry as a confessor there are a lotof people who are “heavily burdened by anger at God, or more precisely,by anger at what they interpreted as ‘God’s will’ ” (2). He observes thatpeople are often reluctant to identify their anger and then to deal with it.They fear that being angry at God may lead to non-faith.The purpose of the book is not to provide easy answers but it seeksto identify some basic questions about innocent human suffering and thefeelings of anger at God. It invites the reader to go on a personal journeyand to make a personal investment.In his opening chapter, “Life Isn’t Fair,” McCloskey examines a varietyof human problems which defy easy answers. What about the innocentvictims of war, hatred, family violence or physical illness? Can we ascribethese events to God’s will? Hardly! When people see suffering as beingGod’s will then anger is an inevitable result. Anger must be recognizedand voiced even when directed at God. His response to the question ofhuman suffering is summed up in one sentence, “Much— I believe most—ofhuman suffering can be traced to an abuse of human freedom” (18).What are the sources for the various views on human suffering? Theauthor identifies and traces four views in the Old Testament: Genesis—suffering is closely linked to sin; Exodus—hints of the innocent suffering as128 ConsensusGod sends Moses to deliver his people from Pharaoh’s rule; Deuteronomictheology—keep my laws and you will prosper, suffering on the individ-ual level follows a sin/punishment sequence; Deutero-Isaiah—God suffersalongside the person (the Suffering Servant of Isaiah). The idea emerges ofredemptive suffering not for one’s own sins but for the sins of others. Hetraces these themes through the Old Testament, the inter-Testamental pe-riod and the New Testament concluding that, “the Hebrew scriptures andthe New Testament do not promote a tidy but ultimately heartless theologywhich sees all suffering as punishment for the individual’s sins... Thoughsome suffering is unexplained... God’s providence is steadfcistly affirmed”(58).How shall we respond to human suffering? The legalism of the Phariseesor the control of the emotions as in Stoicism are not helpful options. Hesuggests rather that prayer can become a helpful response. “If I pray forgrace and strength, I am less likely to resent God for failing to protect me orsomeone else from all harm” (78). “Prayer does not change facts althoughit can tremendously affect my response to facts” (79).McCloskey has provided a valuable service in helping us to explore cog-nitively and experientially how we can view human suffering and how wecan respond to it. He both affirms and challenges the writings of Kushner,When Bad Things Happen to Good People. He also encourages us to seeGod as one who can live with our anger but who also suffers with us in ourpain. He says “What God is so fragile that he must be protected from hon-est expressions of human emotion” (86). The emphasis on the communityof compassion as a fitting response to those experiencing suffering is bothtimely and consistent with his theology of suffering. I quote again, “Butgiven the fact of innocent human suffering, compassion is a more sensibleresponse than any other option. When the suffering is caused by someone’sabuse of human freedom. . . the need for compassion is even more acute”(106).The book is well organized and has helpful questions and suggestedreadings at the end of each chapter. Having experienced a tragic deathrecently the reviewer found the book to be both therapeutic and helpful inmaking sense out of the experience of an untimely death. If the reader islooking for easy answers this book will be a disappointment. The strengthof the book is in its pointing to helpful directions both theoretically andexperientially in dealing with the reality of human suffering.Ralph A. LeboldConrad Grebel College

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