Wednesday, March 18, 2009

A God Who suffers with us

Christianity in its theological variety is growing rapidly in Africa. Unfortunately, one of the fastest growing varieties is the "health and wealth" prosperity gospel that John Piper so forcefully denounced as a false gospel here. Today Benedict XVI, on his way to Cameroon, responded to a question about that kind of "gospel."
We, unlike some of them, do not announce a Gospel of prosperity, but Christian realism. We do not announce miracles, as some do, but the sobriety of Christian life. We are convinced that all this sobriety and realism which announce a God Who became man (therefore a profoundly human God - a God Who also suffers with us) gives meaning to our own suffering. .... The announcement of prosperity, of miraculous healing, etc., may do good in the short term, but we soon see that life is difficult, that a human God, a God Who suffers with us, is more convincing, truer, and offers greater help for life.
He, of course, does not deny that God does miracles. But a "prosperity gospel" is just as materialistic and earthbound as any secular utopian panacea. The gospel is much more than that.

Insight Scoop | The Ignatius Press Blog: Benedict XVI answers questions on way to Cameroon

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