Lenten Study

From Jeff Munroe, our guest teacher: "I am fascinated by what we do with the pain we experience in life. Some people attempt to bury it--to ignore it by staying busy or just pretending it isn't there. But their pain is there, and always comes out at some time--often in flashes of anger. Others take it in and somehow grow from it; they become more empathetic and wiser. Frederick Buechner called this process "the stewardship of pain." "

"Over the last couple of years, I've been writing a book about this idea, focused on the stories of people who have experienced significant pain and have become good stewards of it. I've explored stories of murder, Alzheimer's, cancer, suicide, and accidental death. I also examine each story with a subject matter expert, who helps me dive deeper into the story. What I propose to do in the class is try out what I've been writing with you. Although the stories sound heavy, ultimately my book is about resilience and hope, two things we all need great deals of to successfully navigate the challenges of the modern world. Stories like these also create profound theological challenges for Christians. If you just believe life is random and there is no God, pain does not present an intellectual challenge. But if you believe in God, why do terrible things happen to innocent people? Questions like that lie behind all that I've written. I am looking forward to sharing these stories and getting feedback from real people (that's you) about them. I hope you'll join me."