Category Archives: Tragedy

Things to hold onto in hard times

Posted on January 29, 2016 by TheEvangelicalLiberal

Last time I was suggesting ways we might respond to times of global trouble such as now. But what about responding to the times of trouble in our own personal lives? I keep coming back to suffering, because it bothers … Continue reading →

Posted in Dark night of the soul, Suffering, Tragedy | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Suffering II – extraordinary suffering, and ‘good’ suffering

Posted on August 11, 2014 by TheEvangelicalLiberal

“The thread of suffering runs so deeply through the fabric of our existence that were it pulled free the remnant would unravel beyond recognition.” Judy Hirst, Third Way Magazine Last time I suggested that some suffering may simply be a … Continue reading →

Posted in Evil, Good Friday, Suffering, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

More music for Good Friday

Posted on April 14, 2014 by TheEvangelicalLiberal

A picture may be worth 1000 words, but in my view a good piece of music can be worth a dozen pictures. Amusingly-named musicologist Chris Dingle goes further and posits that music is the language of God (and argues from … Continue reading →

Posted in Good Friday, Music, Suffering, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Music, sorrow and hope

Posted on April 12, 2014 by TheEvangelicalLiberal

This is kind of a Good Friday post, but I’m putting it up a bit early as I’ve got other things planned for Good Friday… Tragedy transfigured – Concierto d’Aranjuez One of my favourite childhood pieces of classical music was Joachim … Continue reading →

Posted in Dark night of the soul, Good Friday, Music, Suffering, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

On shutting out the light

Posted on February 11, 2014 by TheEvangelicalLiberal

I am the great sun, but you do not see me, I am your husband, but you turn away… (Charles Causley) Last time I was asking how we’d respond if the worst were to happen. Would we hate God forever? … Continue reading →

Posted in Anger at God, Dark night of the soul, Grace, Hell, Love of God, Salvation, Suffering, Tragedy, Universalism | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

When the very worst happens

Posted on February 5, 2014 by TheEvangelicalLiberal

In recent posts I’ve been looking at questions around God’s leading and speaking, and God’s plans for our lives. But what happens when everything appears to have gone completely wrong, awry, off course? What are we to do when the … Continue reading →

Posted in Anger at God, Dark night of the soul, Divine intervention, Evil, Love of God, Suffering, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The nightmare after Christmas – the dark side of the Nativity

Posted on December 28, 2013 by TheEvangelicalLiberal

One of the things I do for work is to schedule ‘on this day in history’ tweets vaguely relating to our broad subject area. We’ve currently got an exhibition on about the artist J.M.W. Turner, and so I’ve been researching … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Dark night of the soul, Evil, Incarnation, Mental health, Psychology, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Life as tragedy and comedy

Posted on November 10, 2013 by TheEvangelicalLiberal

I didn’t originally intend this as a reflection for Remembrance Sunday, but I happen to be posting it today and it seems strangely appropriate… If all the world is a stage and each of us merely players, what kind of … Continue reading →

Posted in Church calendar, Dark night of the soul, Future, Love of God, The faith journey, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Madeleine McCann and the character of God

Posted on October 16, 2013 by TheEvangelicalLiberal

I approach this post with considerable caution and trepidation. One, because this is not a theoretical situation but real people’s lives. Two, because I have no direct personal relation to the situation and know nothing but what I’ve seen in … Continue reading →

Posted in Anger at God, Divine intervention, Evil, Suffering, Tragedy, World events | Tagged , , , , , , , | 18 Comments