Abstrakt: | Similarly as all theological questions, an inquiry about God’s suffering constitutes
a deeply existential question, relating to humans and touching their most sensitive aspects
of life and faith. While searching for the truth, individually marked intuitions themselves
are not sufficient. That is why theology constantly faces this questions in the light of
the H oly Bible, Tradition, historical achievements of theologians and mystics, trying to
open a way to cognition and understanding through accurate notions. The issue is visible in
J. Ratzinger’s works / teachings of Benedict XVI. The Pope has been developing his theological
reflection concerning God’s suffering, reaching back to anthropomorphisms from
Old Testament, the consequences of Incarnation from New Testament, showing the core
of confrontation between young Jewish Christianity and Hellenistic mentality and stoic
philosophy. He then takes out the most significant answers from the treasure trove of Tradition
to open modern perspectives, on the basis of such synthesis, answering questions
of the contemporary world. The most characteristic feature of Pope’s deliberations links
the category of God’s co-suffering developed by theology with the category of Divine
con-solatio. He convinces that acceptance of someone’s pain involves the very essence
of true consolation. As a result, the Christ’s cross – the most generous gesture of God’s
co-suffering Love – is of a really consolationary nature. As such, it remains the only hope
for those suffering. |