God in Pain: Teaching Sermons on Suffering

by Barbara Brown Taylor

Everyone understands human pain. But many Christians have difficulty comprehending God's pain, especially God's pain in the death of Christ. Is it atonement or child abuse? To speak of God in pain, says Barbara Brown Taylor, is not only to address the biblical stories of Christ's suffering and death, but also to proclaim the God who is present in our pain. This volume of teaching sermons on suffering presents different approaches to the problem of God in pain. In each sermon, Taylor speaks with sensitivity and profound insight as she addresses pain and both its human and divine impact.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Part I: Pain of Life: The Gift of Disillusionment; A Cure for Despair; Learning to Hate Your Family; Divine Anger; Feeding the Enemy; The Betrayer in Our Midst; Buried by Baptism; The Suffering Cup; Pick Up Your Cross; Unless a Grain Falls; The Dress Rehearsal; Surviving Crucifixion; Portents and Signs; and The Delivery Room. Part II: Pain of Death: Believing What We Cannot Understand; Someone to Blame; The Triumphant Victim; The Myth of Redemptive Violence; The Silence of God; The Will of God; The Suffering of God; May He Not Rest in Peace.

BARBARA BROWN TAYLOR, an Episcopal priest in the diocese of Atlanta, holds the Butman Chair in Religion and Philosophy at Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia. She is widely sought after as a preacher and guest lecturer, and is the author of five books, including Preaching Life and Bread of Angels .She was named by Baylor University as one of the 12 most effective preachers in the English language.

Genres: Spirituality, Theology, Christianity, Religion, Grief

139 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1998

About the author

Barbara Brown Taylor is a New York Times best-selling author, teacher, and Episcopal priest. Her first memoir, Leaving Church (2006), won an Author of the Year award from the Georgia Writers Association. Her last book, Learning to Walk in the Dark (2014), was featured on the cover of TIME magazine. She has served on the faculties of Piedmont College, Columbia Theological Seminary, Candler School of Theology at Emory University, McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University, and the Certificate in Theological Studies program at Arrendale State Prison for Women in Alto, Georgia. In 2014 TIME included her on its annual list of Most Influential People; in 2015 she was named Georgia Woman of the Year; in 2016 she received The President’s Medal at the Chautauqua Institution in New York. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Mercer University and is working on her fourteenth book, Holy Envy, forthcoming from HarperOne in August 2018.

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be the best book I have ever read on the topic of suffering. The author has an incredible way with words. And these sermons are full of wisdom, with gritty and real theological textures to encourage a deeper look at God present in a hurting world.

[Ray Zimmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taylor does not gloss over the suffering o Christ on the Cross or that of the human condition. She acknowledges these realities and gives us a reason to go on. She reminds us that God is with us. Emmanuel..

[John Howes · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there is a God, why is there so much rubbish in the world? The author attempts to answer the question. She is compassionate, realistic and doesn’t avoid the big questions.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Telling it like it is.

I'm a time where the Church is seemingly invisible, where many wonder if we even need the Church this book of sermons is amazing. Easy to read and meditate on. It doesn't proclaim happy, clappy choose your bible passage to say what you want it to say. It tells it as it should be told. Mankind lives in a world fraught with danger, mankind wants to tell God what to do. God is unique and we need to see him as he is. It highlights that people are disillusioned with the Church and no wonder when you see how man is mislead and cast out for having problems almost as if it's his fault, doesn't have enough faith, don't tell us the bad stuff etc. God is a God of truth, the bible stands, it says what God wants not what man wants it to say. Many may not like some of the observations but. They are true and the Church needs to go back to basics and learn

[Bethany Bear · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the texts in my Literary Responses to Evil class with Dr. Greg Garrett.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but excellent book on the role of pain and suffering in Christianity. Found her teaching sermons very accessible

[Johnny Go · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taylor's refreshing takes on these ancient truths are inspiring and moving.

[Carolyn Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very thought provoking read for Holy Week - I think I will be coming back to this book.