The question is: can you be a Christian if you do not understand the depths of human suffering?
Now by Christian I mean specifically someone who clings to the teachings of Christ, not merely someone who reads and "follows" the Bible (for the latter can do many "Christian" things that contradict the teachings of Christ).
My question is not if understanding the depths of human suffering is a sufficient condition for being a Christian, but only if it is a necessary condition.
Secondly, my question assumes that you can understand things without living them, for if lived experience were the condition for understanding, this might mean that everyone understands all of their own experience (and that is clearly false).
Professor Vaught, I am very glad you posed this question. As a Baptist Christian, I believe that you CANNOT be a Christian if you do not understand the depths of human suffering, because as you may or may not know, Baptists believe that Adult baptism and cleansing your soul in order to be born again and accept Christ as the Savior in adulthood is THE way to accept Christ. Along with that, Baptists Christians understand that there must be a test, in order to get to that point of changing your life and accepting Christ. There is no testimony without a test. God never promises us that we will not endure hardship, but in fact, he promises us that he will get us through those hardships if we trust in him. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. So with all that being said, I believe that a Christian is only as faithful as his trials and testimony have allowed him to be.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that human suffering is a necessary condition for being a Christian. Though we discussed the value of actually living out various experiences to experience true happiness, I do not think that the same goes for suffering. We all experience suffering to various degrees throughout our lives, and by classifying suffering as a precondition for Christian life, it seems as though we are therefore suggesting that there are "superior" forms of suffering. There are those who suffer personally and those who watch others suffer, but I believe that a true Christian is not necessarily the person who can internalize human suffering and vow to accept Christ, but a person who practices empathy and understanding for others who suffer.
ReplyDeleteUnderstanding the depths of another’s suffering is a feature of possessing compassion. While I do believe that it is necessary for Christians to possess compassion for those in suffering, I do not believe that empathy is always a possible feature to obtain. Often times when we acknowledge another person’s hardships, we are expressing sympathy. But this does not imply that we can feel the same emotions at the same depth as the person who is suffering. Sympathy involves recognizing another’s pain and hurt and treating it with the same level of significance as you would if you were in the same situation. Having sympathy and compassion establishes a firm enough connection for one to relate to another’s experience. For example, Jesus experienced a terrible, painful death. Although we have not shared that exact experience as Him, we acknowledge its significance every week through mass and especially at Easter. Through rituals, such as Stations of the Cross, we are able to understand the depth of Christ’s suffering as a result of our compassion, sympathy, and respect for His experience.
ReplyDeleteI think that understanding suffering is necessary for Christians. Here's why: Jesus' human nature reflects our human nature. His human suffering was not something that he had to be subjected to, as he is divine. It was something that he needed to experience for us, so that we could have someone show us how to live a good life (even though there is suffering). Christians believe that they must live a life of Jesus, following Christ's example as closely as possible. To understand why he came down from Heaven to safe us requires an understanding that Jesus only suffered because, as humans, we suffer and react to that suffering.
ReplyDeleteI believe that suffering is not necessary for Christians. If one has not experienced suffering themselves I see that it is necessary for them to fully understand the struggles faced by others suffering. As Christians it is our duty to opt for those struggling such as the poor and learn to live in solidarity with these people. By living in solidarity, we then are living in unity as one with those who suffer. Therefore, if not struggling ourselves I believe Christians are expected to understand at the level of and live with those who suffer in our community.
ReplyDeleteIn addressing the second question, I'd like to think we can understand things without living through it, but I am not sure this is the case. I think it is possible to partially understand someone else's experience, but in order to fully understand everything it entails one must live through it. For example, experiencing the death of a love one is something only people who have gone through will understand. People can try to imagine it or understand what others go through, but unless one has actually experienced it, can they really understand the pain? I would argue they cannot in this example or other ones.
ReplyDeleteI think that experiencing suffering is certainly a necessity for becoming a follower of Christ. One of the greatest teachings set for from Jesus came as a result of his crucifixion. In this instance of sacrifice, Jesus suffered not for himself, but for the betterment of mankind. This seems the be the cornerstone of his teachings. One cannot claim to be a follower of Christ if they have never suffered for the benefit of others because that is the only way that we can really understand the emotional state of Jesus. If we do not fully grasp the suffering, we cannot call ourselves followers of Jesus because we would merely be following the idea of Christ, not his actual intentions or practices.
ReplyDelete