Ordinary Eve
Why Doesn't God Do Something?
Child abuse is a subject that rouses powerful emotions. Jesus himself was very protective and affectionate towards children and the idea that someone in a position of responsibility within the Church could be using that position to sexually abuse those within his care leaves a very bad taste in the mouth.
The year 2004 ended with one of the worst natural disasters in memory; an earthquake causing a tidal wave of such magnitude that it claimed at least 145,000 lives in Asia. I am sure that everyone, no matter which religion they follow, has asked 'Why'?
Reasons for suffering?
Sometimes there are reasons for suffering in world; because of other people's sin, because half the world is too greedy, because they built on a flood plain- and a host of other causes. However, in the case of a natural disaster, or a secret perversion, nothing human could have been done to prevent it. It is beyond our control, but surely not beyond God's?
The Bible records many events involving the author of creation intervening to save people in supernatural way. As Christians we believe that God is completely good I have no doubt that God, being all-powerful, could prevent such catastrophes. But the Bible also describes "the Father of compassion" grieving over the suffering of his people seemingly doing nothing to help them. So then, we have to acknowledge that God allows the innocent to suffer but He does not (in most cases) cause their suffering.
It's not right
The very fact that we feel pain, disbelief and horror at an event like this, the fact that we ask "Why?" at all and don't just accept it as a terrible thing that doesn't affect us directly, tells us something. This is not how it's meant to be. As humans we have been created to enjoy certain things, appreciate and long for certain things - pain, misery and death are not in that list, you might have noticed...Humans, however evil they are crave love, security, long life, happiness. They may have peverted ways of getting these things but they seem to form a constant that drives us all.
We believe that God is in charge of creation. What He made was good and our relationship with Him started off as "very good" . However, our sin not only spoilt our relationship with our creator but also, somehow, had an effect on the rest of creation. We are told in the New Testament that the creation is in "bondage to decay" and that when Jesus comes again it will be "liberated" as well as us. I don't claim to understand the theology exactly but I do know that we live in a fallen, messed up world and things happen that God never intended.
Some people may blame the Devil, who comes to "steal, kill and destroy" . Satan is destined for destruction but, until that time comes, he can exercise a certain amount of power. Whether he plays a part in such tragedies as the tsunami or the individual suffereing of the choir boys at ST Peter's in Farnborough, or whether his works are confined to attempting to deceive, tempt and corrupt us, is a matter that could be discussed indefinitely.
People who have suffered much, for example a terrible illness or the loss of a loved one, often experience a strengthening of character and a re-discovery of what is really important in life. For many of us it is in the darkest periods of our lives that we cling to God and become closer to Him. This is what St Paul meant when he said that suffering produces perseverance, character and hope. Perhaps this is one reason why God allows it to happen.
Well, why doesn't he do something?
To me, the answer to the question at the beginning of this article "why doesn't God do something?" is He already has. Jesus, during his time on earth, was familiar with suffering, He didn't just float back up to heaven and leave us to fend for ourselves; He went through it, He carries our sorrows and he is with us through them. Just as importantly God didn't rescue his own son from physical pain and death and he never promised us that we would escape it either.
One purpose of Jesus's death was to free us from our sins to become Church and to work to end to suffering here and now. It is not good enough for us to say that "things were different in the 1990s" as an excuse for the fact that Peter Halliday was allowed to leave without public exposure from St Peters purely on the promise that he wouldn't do it again. We failed Peter and we failed the boys he subsequently went on to abuse. By apologising we can't change what happened but we can work towards destroying the concern for reputation that led to Peter walking free in the first place. We need to be aware of our role in God's ability to act here on earth.
But we can also see how God makes good come out of bad despite us. The church that I attend has strong links with a church in Sri Lanka. For the last year or so the government, which is primarily made up of Buddhists, has been trying to bring in anti-conversion laws. The church was attacked and the pastor and his family feared for their lives. This has been the experience of many Christians in this divided country. But in the wake of the tsunami the Christians are giving aid to those who were persecuting them, and this help has been accepted. Sri Lankans of all religions will be rebuilding their communities together and I am sure that there will be hundreds more stories like this from across the affected area. Let's pray that people working together will help build unity and will prepare good ground for the Gospel. Let's mourn with those who mourn and pray for a release from suffering.
Kate Orr and Katie Streten
