Thank you for the post. I have recently become aware of the Prosperity (Health and Wealth Gospel) movement. I hadn’t really even known of its existence, but apparently its been around since the late 1800’s. It is in direct opposition to the correct theology that recognizes suffering and its relationship to free will.
Anyway it makes me nervous to realize how many are starting to think that if they say and affirm it, they can use “god’s power” to grow rich and have good health.
On page 84, he claims that suffering is good because it gives us good stories to tell. I can tell good stories, even without suffering, so this logic is balogne. On page 143, he claims that we should stop looking for an out to suffering, which is neither true, nor is it what you want to tell a person who's in pain, and on page 146, he makes the claim that joy comes from following God's will, even when he wants us to suffer. Problem 1 is that God doesn't want us to suffer; he wants us to improve through suffering. Problem 2 is that when we suffer, we are in pain, regardless of how much we may want to follow God's will... --K. OstrowskiKreeft seems to be speaking more to a lukewarm Christian, someone fallen away, maybe? My favorite book for the sufferer was/is "Imitation of Christ," by Thomas à Kempis. Taken to heart, one may well have the best confessions ever during the course of reading it. And confession, in and of itself, is a salve for the sufferer.