Suffering and the Search for Meaning: Contemporary Responses to the Problem of Pain

I didn't feel like the writing was top notch, but overall it was a good book on the topic of suffering and different ways we can think about God in relationship to suffering. The most important thing to me is what the Bible says God's relationship is to suffering, and that was addressed to some extent but the bigger purpose of the book was just to give an overview of several ways people conceptualize it, Bible based or not.

I hesitated to order this book because the author is a Seventh Day Adventist. As someone with a Master's Degree in Divinity and a Master's Degree in Theology,and disagreeing heartily with that sect's philosophy, I wasn't sure what to expect. However,the author's educational background convinced me to order it. It is an excellent book. I pretty much scanned the entire first part of the book because of knowing the different theories of theodicy already and agreeing with him wholeheartedly. Arriving at the end of the book he presents strong educated thinking for how we, as humans, cannot simply explain away suffering as caused by God or happening for some 'heavenly' purpose. I will recommend this book to others.

Rice explained the various approaches people have taken regarding suffering. He pointed out the positive aspects of each approach and its weaknesses. A new insight for me was the distinctions he made among the ways people view or experience suffering according to whether the suffering is happening to "them," "you," or "me." He concludes, not with a synthesis, but with a piecemeal approach that collects strengths from the various approaches. His writing style is like a quiet talk with a friend.

Really lovely exposition of different Christian explanations for suffering. I read this for a class on suffering and thought it was by far the best text assigned for the class.

great survey of theodicy. but the idea of "practical theodicy" seems like a theological buffet. i guess this is good for this "relativistic world" but it's like pick and choose what you like from all these different theodicies.

Very good overview of the subject with out trying to push a particular point of view. Very helpful. I ordered a second copy for our youth director to read.

Great review of different views concerning the "problem" of human suffering, in the God context. Not to academic. Readable.

Opens your mind to different perspectives on theodicy. To me, open theism has the most promising view.

A very clearly written book for the non specialist reader. I bought this as I suffer with chronic illness and pain and whenever i have more severe episodes I am lead to reflect on the meaning of this experience. I am also a religious person being ordained in Buddhist tradition, but attracted Christianity partly as it seems to say more about the redemptive possibilities of suffering. Perhaps the most helpful insight in the book was the clear rendering of the idea that suffering attacks meaning (as well as all the other things it attacks). This may sound rather abstract but I find it is my lived experience and that the task is to again an again find meaning in difficulty, loss and pain. The other main insight is that no philosophy or theology can provide a final and ultimate consolation, and that they are in the end to be judged by their helpfulness. This may descend into the possibility of mere relativism, but Rice founds his notion of what works on the belief in God that may be doubted and challenged but in the end clung to. In this sense the meaning we make for our suffering is not something we create out of nothing but what we create out of our own soulfulness and friendship with God.