Making Sense Out of Suffering

by Peter Kreeft

This book is for anyone who has ever wept and wondered, "Why?" Peter Kreeft observes that our world is full of billions of normal lives that have been touched by apparently pointless and random suffering. This account of a real and honest personal quest is both engaging and convincing. Written from a deep well of wisdom derived from experience and careful observation, Making Sense Out of Suffering is a book for empty hearts, not full ones. Read it if you are hungry for insight into the mystery of suffering. A Servant Book.

Genres: Theology, Philosophy, Catholic, Religion, Christianity, Faith, Christian

184 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1986

About the author

Peter Kreeft is an American philosopher and prolific author of over eighty books on Christian theology, philosophy, and apologetics. A convert from Protestantism to Catholicism, his journey was shaped by his study of Church history, Gothic architecture, and Thomistic thought. He earned his BA from Calvin College, an MA and PhD from Fordham University, and pursued further studies at Yale. Since 1965, he has taught philosophy at Boston College and also at The King’s College. Kreeft is known for formulating “Twenty Arguments for the Existence of God” with Ronald K. Tacelli, featured in their Handbook of Christian Apologetics. A strong advocate for unity among Christians, he emphasizes shared belief in Christ over denominational differences.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second read through this incredible book. I know it sounds strange to say a book about suffering was “fun” to read, but this one is. Kreeft is such a vivacious, creative writer, that even his prose about suffering exudes joy. As is fitting, for the Christian has learned the cruciform art of rejoicing in suffering, for in it we are in Christ. And where Christ is, there is joy.

[Cocopebbles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I initially picked-up this book from my church bookstore, thinking it might comfort a family member going through hard times. Judging from the title, I stereotyped it as a benign, pedestrian, feel-gooder. My intentions were selfless, but deep down I'm a selfish bookworm. So, I thought I'd skim it first. Besides, who doesn't secretly need a "life doesn't suck" speech every now and then? Twenty-first century folk get their kicks via corny, large-font paper back, motivational books that offer more contrived, alleged maxims than real truth and/or new-age, faux physics about energy, intent, and electrons. Whatever.

Lest, I stray too far into mean-spiritedness and being uppity, my point is, THIS IS A SUPER-AWESOME BOOK. Not because I'm Catholic and the author is Catholic or because I'm Christian or religious or whatever, BUT because this is some seriously good stuff for any lover of the convergence of the philosophical, artistic, poetic, proverbial, and fascinating. Listen, I'm not Newsweek. But, for what it's worth, I dug it.

[Alice Wisler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I re-read this last week. I felt the book has much merit and the chapter about the artists spoke to me in a way it had not when I first read the book 17 years ago after the death of my four-year-old son. The thoughts, biblical references, dialog, etc. makes a lot of sense. Not sure it is the best book for right after the death of a child, but has helped me understand suffering in my current life. I recommend this book to those who want to think a little deeper and to those who feel that they are "called to suffer" (as sad as that sounds).

[Tom Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book. It is one of the books that I think every person should read before they die. If you are suffering, this book is a must-read. If you think you might ever suffer, even a little bit, buy this book! If you have never suffered, I don't relate to you. :-) This book comes with the Tom Clark guarantee that you won't be able to put it down.

[Laurel (Yeetarandomwriter) Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woah. Beautiful book.
I really, really appreciate how the author started the book with showing just how dark and painful the world is. There truly is horrific suffering, far worse than I have experienced though I have suffered too, and I paid attention because I know the author understood.

There are epic things in this book. It is even funny at times (the author does a Q and A with the reader. Idk. It's funny).
Sure, there were a few places I don't know if I agree, I'm not sure I fully understand, or I wish it was worded differently... but I really appreciated reading this book. I hope I hold these words in my heart.

Suffering is a mystery, which means we can't fully understand it, but there are things we can understand too and it leaves me with wonder and hope.
Jesus suffered. I must look to Him in my pain and I will see that He understands and that there is a reason for my pain.

Thank you.

[Carmen Hartono · Rating 5 out of 5]

With his usual straightforward wisdom, Peter Kreeft answers the most difficult question asked by orthodox and unorthodox Christians, non-Christians theists, and religious persons in general, or by honest, questioning agnostics, rational atheists and even rebellious atheists. Any human being aware of the suffering of innocents in the world has to turn to the God that he may or may not believe in and ask, "Why?"

The book ‘Making Sense Out of Suffering’ takes the reader on a journey to explore clues left by philosophers from Socrates to Freud and C.S. Lewis. Then the right side of the brain is given hints from the arts such as fairy tales, theater, and poetry. For me, reading about the clues given by the prophets best helped me to understand suffering.

The simple answer that we don’t want to accept is that God created everything to be “good.” Through the disobedience of God's will, man brought evil and thereby suffering into the world. Then the only answer to suffering becomes Christ and his suffering on the cross. This is where human reason fails us. This is where only a Christian philosopher can take us beyond reason and help us understand love.

[Gabe Bruner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Chapter 7 makes this one of the best books I have read in recent memory.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes on one of the most difficult subjects in the Christian life - why do people suffer? If God is all-powerful, why doesn't he intervene and save us from suffering?

This book was deep and philosophical. It was also a paperback with tiny print and I had a lot of trouble both seeing the print and following the theory. But that's not the author's fault, and I did appreciate his approach. He first defined the problem and presented ten easy answers. Then he looked at other answers from the past proposed by philosophers, artists, and prophets. Finally, he presents his answer - that Jesus is God's answer to suffering. Here is a paragraph that summarizes his view:

"In summary, Jesus did three things to solve the problem of suffering. First, he came. He suffered with us. He wept. Second, in becoming man he transformed the meaning of our suffering: it is now part of his work of redemption. Our death pangs become birth pangs for heaven, not only for ourselves but also for those we love. Third, he died and rose. Dying, he paid the price for sin and opened heaven to us; rising he transformed death from a hole into a door, from an end into a beginning...Resurrection makes the difference between infinite and eternal joy and infinite and eternal joylessness."

I would love to have read this from beginning to end, but I was glad to get out of it what made sense to me about suffering in this life.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were parts of this book I read & reread. It widened my perspective on the purpose & meaning of suffering on earth, here in our mortal bodies. The book was recommended to me by one of our Parish Priests. I think anyone who has questioned, why do bad things happen to good people, will benefit from reading this book.

[Michael Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Peter Kreeft is Philosophy professor at Boston College and King's College, and a Christian. The book was required reading for a Master's level class exploring varied Christian responses to the problem of suffering in the world. Two stars because it is like most treatments on the subject, not living up to its title - which is ok. Hence, an "ok" rating.

[Erinn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read this as a church book club book. We all agreed to be done with this book before actually finishing it. It was presented as too logical (written by a philosopher). Some topics just can’t be made sense of & you have to trust that the Lord doesn’t cause bad things to happen, but rather, He is alongside you during those difficult times.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

actually it is really well-written and presents the questions of suffering in a very good way.

i'm not sure exactly why i put it down; primarily because i felt an unsatisfactory answer developing and i didn't want to be disappointed after enjoying so much the first half.

[Taylor Belt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a GREAT book by a GREAT author who goes full "savage mode" (it's a way of saying that he doesn't care about what other people think about him) against the different worldviews in the second chapter, including atheism, pantheism, satanism, etc. and showed their flaws in a loving way.

[Cappy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book makes the biggest mistake possible for a treatise on the mystery of suffering: It adopts a tone so smug and self-assured that it cheapens the mytery it purports to explore.

[Tim Roe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Makes my brain understand, to some extent, why and how I suffer. Great book! Very intelligent author. The book has some typos though.

[Janelle Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely incredible book that has forever changed my life. Every person needs to read chapter 7 at a minimum. The reality and the weight of the answer to all of our suffering as it’s outlined in chapter 7 brought me to tears.

Witty, funny, insightful, down to earth, and powerful. Please take the time to read the book that brings together the philosophies of the greatest minds in human history in an easy to grasp format! You won’t see suffering, happiness, love, or God the same.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely no words. Peter Kreeft articulated the truth on the problem of suffering and evil so beautifully and clearly. I firmly believe this book must be read by every human person, wherever their faith life may be. I am grateful to have read this and will definitely need to refer to parts later down the road. To know and trust that my questions can only be addressed to Jesus Christ on the cross is so comforting (as a Christian), while at the same time so fearful to my meager heart. I pray that I can bring my pains to him and contemplate these words deeply in this little life.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a tough book for me to rate. At times I was determined to give it a 2 star rating but then I would read a sentence, a phrase, or a thought that was worth a 5. I ended up giving it a 5 because the really good parts, including his conclusion, really outweighed the not so good bits.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the author’s writing style (especially when he added dialogue between reader/author instead of just constant monologue).
...........

The strongest case against God is not why suffering exists (whether it be multiple sclerosis, your partner leaving you, or the death of a child from a car accident), but why good people suffer along with bad people. “The cases I have mentioned are special. But the strongest case against God comes not from them but from the billions of normal lives that are full of apparently pointless suffering. It is not just that the suffering is not deserved; it is that it seems random and pointless, distributed according to no rhyme or reason but mere chance, and working no good, no end. For every one who becomes a hero and a saint through suffering, there are ten who seem to become dehumanized, depressed, or despairing. // And the universality of it -- there’s the rub. Your neighbor, your best friend, your doctor, your auto mechanic all have deep and hidden hurts that you don’t know about, just as you have some that they don’t know about. Everybody out there is hurting. And if you don’t know that, you’re either very naive and believe in people’s facades, or so thick-skinned that you don’t hurt yourself and don’t feel other people’s hurts either. // I don’t mean to insult anyone; we all do a lot of cover-ups. It’s our animal instinct to cover up our wounds so that they don’t get hurt more. Just as animals do this to their bodies’ wounds, we do it to our souls’ wounds. We are all involved in a universal cover-up” (9-10).

We have the potential of learning more than others in the past if we piggy-back off their ideas. “The medievals had a saying: ‘We are dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants. We see farther than the ancients not because we are taller than they but because we have their shoulders to stand on’” (20).

It’s easier to believe that evil exists because there’s no God (without digging into it further). “We Americans love easy, fast answers. The devil has sold as many cheap and instant answers as MacDonald’s has sold hamburgers. We are impatient with Mystery, especially with a capital M. We read a fathomless profundity like the Book of Job and we say, ‘But what’s the bottom line?’” (26). “Our bodies may be made in the image of King Kong, but our souls are made in the image of King God” (30). “Atheism screws down the manhole covers on the great deeps and flattens the sky to a low ceiling. Instead of a forest of spires and turrets, like the Gothic art that expressed an age of faith, we find ourselves in a ranch-style, flattened, one-story existence” (31). “The true answer might be so mysterious and deep that we couldn’t get it all at once. It might be like a story. (Tell me the whole story of David Copperfield all at once, or at least in twenty-five words or less, please.) It might be like a person. Reduce a person to a category, to a stereotype. It can’t be done. If the answer is like a story or like a person, that would be a richness, not a problem. We would be glad it is a mystery rather than a problem” (55).

Evil is the absence of good. “Evil is like blindness, good is like sight. Evil is like darkness, good is like light. Evil is like death, good is like life. Evil needs good as a parasite needs its host, as a destructive power needs something good to destroy, but not vice versa. Good does not need evil. Light does not need darkness. God does not need Satan. But Satan needs God” (37).

What makes an action “moral” vs “immoral”? “The most popular book of the master of common sense is his book Ethics. This book, like most premodern books on ethics, asks three basic questions where modern books on ethics ask only one or at most two. C.S. Lewis likens these three questions to the three questions which the sailing orders of a fleet of ships need to answer. First, they need to know how to cooperate, how to avoid bumping into each other. This is like the ethical question of how we should treat our neighbors, or social ethics. It is the only question most modern ethics deals with. Second, the ships need to know how to stay shipshape, how each one can avoid sinking. This is like the question of individual virtues and vices, the question of character. Ancient ethics dealt even more with this question than the first question. But most modern books on ethics ignore it altogether, as in, for instance, so-called ‘values clarification,’ which is to real ethics what pop psychology is to real psychology. But the third and most important question of all for Aristotle and the ancients is the question of summum bonum, the greatest good, the highest value, the ultimate end, point, and purpose of human life. This is like sailing order telling the ships why they are at sea in the first place, what their mission is. Modern people don’t normally think of this question as an ethical question at all. But it’s the most important question in ethics” (61-62).

In this broken world, we need lows to better appreciate the highs. Even though Heaven doesn’t have “lows”, it is supposedly still beautifully dynamic (as depicted in C.S. Lewis’s Perelandra, where David Bolt is Adam). “It takes the frame of darkness for us to realize the light. It takes the threat of death for us to appreciate life. Remember Emily in Our Town. Only when she saw those ordinary moments of life from the perspective of death did she appreciate them. She asked the Stage Manager, ‘Do any humans ever realize life while they live it? -- every, every minute?’ And he answered, ‘No. (Pause.) The saints and poets, maybe -- they do some.’ // …We appreciate things only by contrast. // …Like a television screen; it looks grey until a picture comes on, and then the contrasting white makes the grey look black” (88). “Drama isn’t due to sin, or even necessarily due to suffering. Drama is good. There’s drama in God. Even eternity, outside all time, is drama, eternal dynamism. Eternity isn’t static or dull. If it were, heaven wouldn’t be heaven. Only after sin did drama turn into tragedy, because we turned into tragedians. Only now do we get bored and jaded with happiness and need the contrast with suffering” (89).

Suffering gives life meaning. Most people, if given the option, would rather stay in the security of their mother’s womb their whole life instead of voluntarily accepting uncertainty of the outside. However, growth happens best outside your comfort zone. “We want happiness more, but we need freedom more. …// The pilot show for Star Trek culminated in such a choice. Captain Pike, prematurely aged and paralyzed, is offered the choice between freedom and happy slavery in a kind of space zoo as a specimen to be studied by the great brains who rule the forbidden planet Talus IV. Their physical power is small but they wield great hypnotic mental powers and they promise to give Captain Pike nothing but happy dreams for the rest of his life. While he is in fact only an old man in a cage, he will think he has a young, healthy body and is having wonderful adventures on other worlds slaying monsters and loving a beautiful young woman (who is really a wrinkled old hag). Which shall he choose, freedom or happiness? The real world of suffering and truth or the illusory world of happy dreams? // The original plot called for him to choose freedom, but it was changed for television, and he chose happiness instead, without even any hesitation -- implying that the writer assumed that every normal viewer would find his choice as natural and necessary as the writer did. After all, who would think freedom to know the truth and live in the real world worth suffering for? // An old Twilight Zone episode took the opposite position from this writer. In the first scene, a gang of bank robbers is trapped by the police, refuses to surrender, and is shot. The protagonist falls in a pool of blood, blacks out, and wakes to find himself walking on fluffy clouds at the golden gate of a celestial city. A black-bearded, white-robed man with a kindly look takes him in and offers him whatever he desires. But he’s soon bored with the free gold, which can’t buy anything (everything is free). His partners, he is told, are in ‘the other place,’ and even the beautiful girls are boring because they only laugh when he tries to hurt them (he has a sadistic streak). He summons the St. Peter figure. ‘There must be some mistake.’ ‘No, we make no mistakes here.’ ‘Can’t you send me back to earth?’ ‘Of course not. You’re dead.’ ‘Well then, I must belong with my friends in the Other Place. Send me there.’ ‘Oh, no, we can’t do that. Rules, you know.’ ‘What is this place, anyway?’ ‘This is the place where you get everything you want.’ ‘But I thought I was supposed to like heaven.’ ‘Heaven? Who said anything about heaven? Heaven is the Other Place.’ // Again, a world without suffering appears more like hell than like heaven” (97-99).

“Muslims have prophets too, and one of them tells this Jeremiah-like fable. A man said to Allah, ‘Grant me all the desires of my heart.’ Allah replied, ‘You know not what you ask. Therefore, to show you your heart, I grant your request.’ Immediately, the man’s neighbor’s house collapsed, for his neighbor was very rich and the man had always looked on his neighbor’s house with envy and resentment. Rushing to see what had happened, the man collided with a small child who was in the way. He looked angrily down at the child, and the child disappeared off the face of the earth. The man then understood, and begged Allah, ‘No more, please, no more!’ // Are the prophets right? Dare to look into your heart. Don’t you find hate, lust, greed, and idolatry there? Do you love your enemies? Wouldn’t you like to be seduced by the man or woman of your dreams? Don’t you want to win a million dollars? Don’t you love and long for a thousand assorted creatures more than for the creator? Be honest. Look at your heart, not your rationalizations. And judge by God’s standards. Not the world’s” (114-115).

“The point of our lives in this world is not comfort, security, or even happiness, but training; not fulfillment but preparation. It’s a lousy home, but it’s a fine gymnasium. It’s an uphill bowling alley. The point is not to knock down all the pins (people who do that are usually cheating) but to train our muscles. The ball isn’t supposed to reach the pins, the goal. ‘One step forward, one backward’ is our law here. Progress is a myth. The stronger we get, the weaker we get, the more dependent on our crutches, our machines. For we misunderstand where we are if we believe in earthly utopias. The universe is a soul-making machine, a womb, an egg. Jesus didn’t make it into a rose garden when he came, though he could have. Rather, he wore the thorns from this world’s gardens” (140).

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only a fool thinks that he is wise. Kreetf may not think that he himself is wise, but his book offer much wisdom and insight into the "problem" of suffering. Kreeft offers no solutions, only deeper questions and different angles. He paints suffering not as a problem, but more as a part of life, something we should all expect.

Kreeft points out that in today's society, we struggle so much with suffering because we see it as being scandalous-why should we suffer?! The modern man expects happiness, when really, there is never a promise of happiness. As John Green wrote "this world is not a wish-granting factory." And yet, we expect it to be-that is one of our biggest issues when it comes to suffering.

This book tackled suffering from points of view that I had never really considered before, but which make sense. I don't want to discuss them all, but one that Kreeft used was concerning God, the Father. Jesus did not say that God is like a Grandfather who wants us to just enjoy ourselves; instead, God is our FATHER. Fathers typically don't say "Do whatever you want; just have fun!" Instead, fathers set boundaries and discipline their children; but they do it out of love. Fathers set rules because they can see longer term than the child and know that immediate gratification does not equal betterment later on down the road. God gives blessings and goodness. Goddness and happiness are not one and the same.

I really enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend reading it. Kreeft makes very interesting points, and his writing is not a struggle to read.

[Cherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great philosophical book about why suffering exists. The author is quirky, adding sections of dialogue periodically throughout the book, and bringing refreshing language and a new framework in which to think about suffering. He draws on C.S. Lewis, Buddha, as well as other writers/philosophers. It was so encouraging to see how clearly he points to Jesus, and how he ties it all together in a logical manner. While acknowledging that all cannot be understood logically, he shows that we can see clues even if there are no easy answers. (Liked chapters 7 and 8, esp.) Dunno if I agree with his brief assessment of Satan's role. But overall, I liked it.

[David Haines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Kreeft is a pleasure to read. He has been inspired by some of the greatest writer that our modern times have known (G. K. Chesterton & C. S. Lewis), and after reading this book one is tempted to place his name among them. In this book Kreeft explores the only actual argument that Atheism has brought against Christianity - the problem of Evil. Kreeft points out throughout this book that evil (in any form) is not a problem for Christianity, rather for Christians, who believe that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and omni-benevolent, evil is an integral part of the whole story. This book is well worth the read.

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly phenomenal book. The author is exceptionally talented at weaving classical philosophy, poetry, and religion, making a book that is both beautiful and illuminating. This book has made me not only understand my faith on a level like never before, but has made me fall passionately, deeply, madly in love with my faith too. This book is a comfort. Intelligent, poetic, challenging, hopeful. A view of humanity throughout the ages culminating in a most beautiful and profound answer to some of our deepest questions and longings and fears. A resounding, emphatic YES!!

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I am simply not smart enough to understand what he wrote -- but I still don't understand why the innocent must suffer. How does knowing that Jesus suffered on the cross help us understand the suffering of the innocent and why would God permit this even when His faithful pray to Him. I know that it is usually the evil we do to each other and that we live in a fallen world and that the suffering has something to do with free will and that at least Jesus makes our suffering redemptive. But I still don't get it. I may try to reread this in another year or so.

[David Ashraf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely recommend this Book. I got addicted to Peter Kreeft's books after listening to one of his lectures on the problem of evil and pain. This book expands in more details about this very important topic and the view of Christianity about suffering. The book is very well written and organized, Dr.Kreeft's style of writing is very simply thoughtful in a way that we miss these days.
Chapter 7 is a must read !

[Moonburst · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for Contemporary Christian Belief. First half is actually pretty good. It went downhill after he claimed that Abraham was the first Jew (though the idea is correct, technically Abraham was the father of the Hebrew people. This isn't a problem in terms of what was being said, I just noticed that shortly after that I felt that the book went downhill.).

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kreeft, like C.S. Lewis (whom he quotes extensively), is a master of the clear, fresh metaphor which illustrates and elucidates abstract concepts of philosophy and theology. He takes very seriously the question of why we suffer, and the various historic answers. His carefully and slowly built case for his own answer deserves a slow and attentive reading.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked how the author used different techniques to share ideas with the reader, such as fake conversations. I also loved all the references to other books, to philosophers like Aristotle and Socrates, to history and to the bible itself. Very good read but deep, so I had to re-read so of the chapters or sections. I can see myself referring back to this book or reading it again some day.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the author did a very good job of making an intellectual and logical argument, even if you don't agree. It's more an exploration than an answer, but for some, that's more than you can hope for.

[Patrick O'Hannigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply wise and consoling book from an author who keeps his word and offers a riveting succession of clues to the mystery of suffering as culled from artists, philosophers, prophets, and --ultimately -- theologians.