Comments on: Suffering, Recycled

By: Rosanna Hendrix

Rosanna Hendrix — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:57:12 +0000

These two citations from Salvifici Doloris already help us to hold in tension the dynamic truths that underlie Mary’s compassion or cooperation in the redemption. On the one hand “The sufferings of Christ created the good of the world’s redemption. This good in itself is inexhaustible and infinite. No man can add anything to it.” On the other hand “Mary’s suffering [on Calvary], beside the suffering of Jesus, reached an intensity which can hardly be imagined from a human point of view but which was mysteriously and supernaturally fruitful for the Redemption of the world.” Thus the Pope strikes once again that careful balance which is always a hallmark of Catholic truth: he upholds the principle that the sufferings of Christ were all-sufficient for the salvation of the world, while maintaining that Mary’s co-suffering “was mysteriously and supernaturally fruitful for the Redemption of the world.” This is an axiom that may be discovered in the lives of the saints of every era of the Church’s history from the days of the apostles to our own.

By: Jeff Milam

Jeff Milam — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:23:58 +0000

Hello Mr. Yancey. I have no comments about this particular entry but I was actually wondering about your thoughts on Brennan Manning’s passing. I know there’s so much already written on the internet about his death but I also know you were friends with him and that you wrote the foreward to his last book. I thought perhaps you would have a blog entry on him. But then again, you summed up everything pretty well at the beginning of All Is Grace. Anyway, thank you for sharing your wonderful gift of writing and also this blog.

I was overseas when I heard about it. I plan a tribute on April 27, Brennan’s birthday.
Philip

By: Preston Rentz

Preston Rentz — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 21:56:15 +0000

Hi Philip, have a question not related to your latest blog. I once read a story, I believe in one of your books, about a former Nazi German Officer falling ill only to find a Jewish couple offering to take him in and take care of him. In the end, he accepts offer because he couldn’t resist their love. I may have some details wrong. Is that story in one of your books? I though it was in What’s So Amazing About Grace but was unable to find it. I want to retell the story in my blog and credit you or the right author.

I’m pretty sure this is from Tony Campolo, not from me. I’ve heard Tony tell that story in person and assume it made it into one of his books.
Philip

By: Nancy Ruczynski

Nancy Ruczynski — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:24:10 +0000

Dear Mr. Yancey —

Thank you for your wonderful books and other writings. I had not been aware of you until you came and spoke at my church last month (in Los Angeles). Now I am reading lots of your writings, devouring them really, plus being directed through your writings and website to other great writers / persons / histories / ideas. It seems to me that you must be constantly reading on many topics, in a very wide range, because you then combine the information in original ways and draw new conclusions from it, ideas that I hadn’t seen elsewhere. You put it all together beautifully and persuade well. I know your words are making me see things I hadn’t seen. (And I myself read a lot.)

When you were at our church you mentioned briefly piano tuning versus piano performance. I believe piano performance studies in universities and conservatories are mostly pyramid schemes. A piano tuner, on the other hand, is a very useful person. Tuning is an art — it lives on in the satisfying practice and performance for family and friends a musician makes on that instrument every day. Tuning involves lots of tough artistic decision making, compromise really, finding a way to make the sound as beautiful as possible within the limits of equal temperament tuning. I am a pianist (the pianist / organist at the church you spoke at in LA), and I know how special great tuners are. My point is, tuners may be “performing” more through their tunings than highly trained / talented pianists are. There is almost no work in live performance in music — university / conservatory music departments are pretty much pyramid schemes involving teaching people to perform (who in turn don’t actually become performers but teach others to perform who actually teach…).

Also, I’m wondering if you know of the radical music theory book “Harmonic Experience.” With your love of music and nature, I thought I should mention this book to you if you haven’t already heard of it. It is a mind blowing experience, reading and experiencing the ideas in it. Life changing, really.

I look forward to all the new creations you will continue to make. You are a great writer.

Sincerely,

Nancy Ruczynski,
Bel Air Pres (LA)

Nancy, you do much for my artistic ego–and also convince me there’s some value in a writer emerging to speak every once in a while. I love the clarification on piano tuning, and know that it will encourage my brother. Keep reading those sources I cite: they taught me everything I know! Philip

By: Scott Kaiser

Scott Kaiser — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 05:59:58 +0000

Oh, in relation to my last post, I meant that “if my own prodding into my various analyses was even well-founded.” I only meant to question whether or not I, myself, was on a noteworthy track.

I just thought I should clarify, because the way I wrote that sounded like I was referring to your (Mr. Yancey’s) prodding. Which was not the case (as your insight I hold in high esteem)!

Okay, enough said.

By: Tom Ruesink

Tom Ruesink — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 23:56:43 +0000

Philip, I have most all your works and am deeply grateful for the gift you’ve been given and the honesty and vulnerability in which you explore topics. Your work has made a deep impact in my life and walk and I have bought many copies of What’s So Amazing for my friends.

I’m attaching a link of a video that best brings grace to life for me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EJt5T4pZSQ

I had the fortune of watching this musical in London called “Whistle Down The Wind” based on an old film starring Hayley Mills. The musical was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman (Meat Loaf writer). There is a small deep-south town waiting for a revival. An escaped criminal is wounded and hides out in a barn. When 3 kids find him they ask him who he is…he awakes, startled, and curses out “Jesus Christ”. The story goes from there as they kids protect and treat this hardened criminal with love that he’s never experienced while parents are out looking vigilantly to apprehend this criminal to “protect” their children (as I would). The song in the video still makes me cry as you see the effect of treating someone who doesn’t deserve it with grace while the world does what it thinks is natural in seeking justice.

By: marie

marie — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 22:56:21 +0000

Dear Mr. Yancey,
reading the precious Word of God and reading your books helps me to grow in faith.
Helen Keller, who knew about suffering, said: “We could never learn to be brave and courageous, if there was only joy in our life.”
Thank you for sharing the “Landfillharmonic”.
Greetings and best regards from Austria.

By: Narumi

Narumi — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 11:16:44 +0000

Soy de Paraguay (el lugar donde tiene lugar la historia del video) y sólo quiero mencionar que la perspectiva del artículo a partir del reciclaje y la redención fue brillante. Ver a mis compatriotas y a mi escritor preferido unidos en una historia me emocionó casi hasta las lágrimas. Le doy gracias a Dios por tu vida, Philip. Tus libros y tus preguntas son lo más inspirador y revelador que leí en mucho tiempo.

By: Scott Kaiser

Scott Kaiser — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 03:38:41 +0000

I did have the opportunity to look into some of the work by Miroslav Volf, namely, his work: “The End of Memory.” While I could not find a direct view of the Sandy Hook incident you mention, I still found this mentioned work quite interesting. Huebner (2008) who wrote the discussion of the mentioned work by Volf, mentions that at a certain point Volf suggests that “instead of a generic . . . duty to remember . . . we should speak instead of ‘remembering truthfully.'” Further, “this reference to truthfulness is meant to capture both a desire for justice and a commitment to reconciliation.” However, the desire for justice seems to be eclipsed by the power of forgiveness wrought. As it is, Huebner mentions that (for Volf) “the forgiver has known the offense–and forgiveness presupposes knowledge of the offense as offense.” Thus, memory must be approached in a light that, in reality, forgets the negative nature of things past. This concept captured my attention in terms of both the nature of forgiveness and the nature of memory. I suppose what I wonder is if this type of forgetful (of the offensive nature of a memory) memory is only possible for the Christian mind? As Bonhoeffer (1995) stated, “complete truthfulness is only possible where sin has been uncovered, and forgiven by Jesus.” Thus, without a relationship with the One who instructs us as to how we should forgive (as God himself removes the offensive nature of our offenses), would this type of mentality even be feasible apart from God?

Thank you for your continued input Mr. Yancey! I truly appreciate intellectual prodding (that is, if it is even close to well-founded).

By: Preston Rentz

Preston Rentz — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:42:58 +0000

Phillip, your blog reminded me that my struggle with suffering was partially based on an error in assumption. I presumed that life was our default position and from birth we were owed it. But it’s helped me to realize that death is the default, not life. “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” Once I accepted death as the starting place, it made sense to look upward and forward to Christ for redemption from the pull of darkness. This has helped me in dealing with guilt, my current limitations and the tempation to blame God for this messed up world. So, as suffering continues to haunt, I’m learning that somehow it propels us closer to life.