Do people suffer only because they deserve to suffer? According to classical Christian belief, yes. John Thiel, however, insists that some people who suffer are truly innocent. Innocent suffering suggests a different way of thinking about God’s presence, including how God is not directly involved in human suffering and death.
John E. Thiel is Professor of Religious Studies, Fairfield University. Previous works by Thiel include: Imagination and Authority: Theological Authorship in the Modern Tradition (Fortress Press); Nonfoundationalism (Fortress Press); Senses of Tradition: Continuity and Development in Catholic Faith (Oxford Univ. Press).