Today on my Facebook feed I read the intensely tragic news that Rick Warren's son had committed suicide. Right next to this post a Xn friend, a minister in fact, posted a link to the article "Thank God for the gift of Cancer". It's about woman with terminal cancer about a woman who is about to die but she is all joy and sunshine about it because she sees it as a gift from God. Because of the cancer she started repenting of her sins and telling others about Jesus. My friend recommended the article with the comment "A wonderful Christian response to Cancer".
Seeing the two things side by side I couldn't help but think that there is no way anyone would accept a "thank God for my mental illness" because I know one day I will commit suicide article . But, the "Thank God for for the gift of Cancer" article I'm sure will get a tonne of likes and positive comments. The implication is that this is the appropriate or "Christian" way to respond to tragedy. It struck me, again, that western Christianity is in desperate need of a theology of "Where the fuck are you God and why the fuck did you let this happen". That we might be able to cry out like the Lamentations and Psalms and ask "my God my God why have you forsaken me." My prayer is that the Warren family have the space, permission and the time to do this and that they do not have to feel like they should be saying "this was all part of God's plan" or "he's in a better place".
1 comment:
I really can't imagine what it is like for Rick Warren and his family to have had this tragedy. And no way would I want anyone to be saying to them "this was part of God's plan". Nor - absolutely no way - should anyone thank God for suicide.
But at the same time, finding God through cancer or any other tragic circumstance can be a reality. We should never impose this as an expectation, and I suspect some people do say it because they feel they're supposed to, but we should be open to the possibility and be glad when it happens. I think our challenge is to hold together compassion, hope and truth. Let us give Rick Warren the freedom to find God closer to him as well as to cry out and rage.
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