At times, particularly within ‘contemporary’ Christianity (of which I am a participant), there is a tendency to avoid asking these type of difficult questions. We are deeply indebted to modernism for the cohesive theological systems which form the bedrock upon which our various Christian traditions are based. Many life-hours of work have been dedicated to articulating a Christian faith which is able to address all of our life experiences. We are raised in an cultural/theological environment which values having a reasonable, coherent response to all of the theological and historical questions which are voiced within the context of our Christian experience. Somehow, we humans are drawn towards the comfortable, predictable, repeatable reality which a coherent theological system is thought to provide. However, the reality of our existence is that not everything has an ‘easy’ answer. Not all of life’s difficult issues can be solved with a ‘pre-packaged’, simple response.

When we, as a church, attempt to give skeptics of our faith ‘easy’ answers to life’s difficult questions, we are really doing injustice to our own tradition and injustice to the mystery of our faith. That is, we are ‘cheapening’ the skeptic’s struggles by offering a ‘petty’ response to a difficult life-situation. ‘Petty’ answers communicate the notion that their problems are not very serious (or legitimate). Overly simplistic answers invalidate the emotions and cognitive processes of the skeptic. When people feel that you are invalidating who they are, they tend to turn and run – an quickly at that.

As such, quick, easy, answers are not always the best means of responding to seekers, questioners, and skeptics. Postmoderns are willing to accept the ambiguity and complexity inherent in their daily lives. Christian responses that are willing to recognize that not every question can be ‘answered’ are more likely to be received than simple answers which then imply that they should not be struggling with these issues in the first place. As we move forward in the twenty-first century, I am convinced that we are going to have to be willing to genuinely struggle alongside ‘skeptics’ as we both try to address the issues facing our broken world. Yes, we, as Christians, believe that we are participating in God’s story. We are blessed to have a meta-narrative through which we are able to interpret and make sense of our own human condition. We can have peace in knowing the opening and closing chapters of that story, but we also need to be willing to recognize that many of the details of the plot are beyond are ability to discern.

This causes us to return to the point of lament. Lament is a way, not only of communicating our angst to God, but can also serve as the means by which we remind ourselves of the mystery of our faith. There are ‘pieces of the puzzle’ that simply defy explanation. The problem of evil in the world (theodicy) is a real problem which defies any simple, easy answers. The biblical book of Job succinctly summarizes the crux of the problem. Why do the righteous suffer? While there is some level of resolution within the book of Job itself, the answer raises as many questions as it solves (although that is beyond the scope of this format). The Jews have continued to struggle with this issue. How can they be God’s so-called chosen people and still suffer endless hardship. The tragedy of the holocaust in the previous century really brought this issue to a head. It is one thing to be persecuted throughout the centuries (actually more than a couple of millennia), it is another thing altogether to experience genocide to that extent. The tragedy was so radical, that many Jews were forced to re-evaluate their entire theological worldview. Such is the angst that flows from our human experience, and one which, needs to be incorporated within our own Christian experience.

Lament reminds us that we do not have all the answers to the struggles and questions which are often suppressed under the veil of our outwardly-joyful exterior. Being ‘real’ in our twenty-first century requires that we be honest with ourselves and with God. Things are not under our control. The world is not orientated in a manner with which we feel comfortable. We desperately want to live within a system that can coherently address all of the questions which we have. However, that is a non-tenable goal. That is alright. Be still and know that God is holy and that God is in control. We are not. That is alright. Continue to ask questions – even deep, probing questions which might make you and others around you uncomfortable. That is alright. Be still and know that we are participating in God’s great story. One day we will see the Kingdom of God as it really is. Until then, rest in knowing that God is in control.

Peace-