Most of us puzzle all our lives over suffering. ‘Why should this happen to me?’ ‘Why should that happen to someone whom I love?’ ‘Is God out to punish me?’ ‘What have I done to deserve this?’ The problem of suffering and evil tortures the human mind. Each of us develops our little philosophy of suffering. ‘I deserved it’ ‘God punishes those he loves’ ‘Darkness is the shadow of God’s outstretched hand’ etc.. From the beginning, we can presume, humankind puzzled over the things that went wrong – injury, death, famine… Only when we meet God face to face will our complaints and queries be fully set at rest. In the meantime, we can be comforted – and comfort others – by the glow of light that the Christian tradition offers. On a dark night, even a small candle is a help until the big light is switched on. Divine light shines in the darkness of suffering, which the darkness cannot overcome.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• PART ONE: EXPLORING THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
  • STARTING POINTS
    • THE ‘DISAPPEARED’
  • LIVING WITH MYSTERY
    • MATRYONA’S HOUSE
  • OUR EXPERIENCE OF SUFFERING
    • HOW TO THANK YOU?
  • CAN WE MAKE SENSE OF EVIL?
    • ALIVE AND HAPPY
  • EVIL UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
    • PURE DIAMOND
  • IS SUFFERING GOD’S FAULT?
    • STRENGTH AND COURAGE: MALALA
• PART TWO: IS SOMETHING GOOD GOING ON?
  • IS GOD WATCHING OUT FOR OUR HAPPINESS?
    • SALVATION IS THROUGH LOVE
  • A WOMAN TALKS WITH GOD ABOUT EVIL
    • ‘YOU CANNOT HELP US!’
  • OLD TESTAMENT INSIGHTS ON EVIL
    • CELEBRATION IN BELSEN
• PART THREE: GOD’S RADICAL RESPONSE TO EVIL
  • THE GOD OF JESUS CHRIST
    • LET US SAVE EVERYONE!
  • A LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS
    • WE ARE BLESSED AND CHOSEN
  • ASSEMBLING THE JIGSAW
    • MY LIFE IS GOOD!
  • WHEN YOUR WORLD FALLS APART
    • THE SCARS OF THE YEARS
  • THE DYNAMIC OF THE CROSS
    • GOD IN THE DARK
  • DELIVER US FROM EVIL
    • ENJOY THIS CRAZY WORLD!
• PART FOUR: HOW GOD WORKS IN OUR LIVES
  • THE HUMAN HEART
    • DEAD PERFECT?
  • ME? LOVED AND LOVABLE?!
    • ONE REGRET
  • TEAMING UP WITH GOD AGAINST EVIL
    • MEETING LIKE HAPPY THIEVES
  • FORGIVING FROM THE HEART
    • REMEMBER THE BAD!
  • FINDING GOD IN WHAT IS BAD
    • I LEAVE MY LITTLENESS BEHIND!
  • THE ‘AMEN’ OF MY LIFE
    • ALL I ASK OF YOU
  • IS DYING ALL BAD? A REFLECTION
• PART FIVE: THE UNFINISHED EPIC OF PLANET EARTH
  • WILL ALL BE SAVED?
    • A WAITING GOD
  • THE GREAT EPIC