Theologians Rebecca Parker and Rita Nakashima Brock examine the harm done by the Christian theology of redemptive suffering in their book Proverbs of Ashes. Many Christian theologies are based in a particular view of redemptive suffering—that the suffering of Christ on the cross was mandated by God to atone for the sins of humanity. This understanding has led many to embrace the harmful theology that suffering brings humans closer to God.
How can you reject theologies that ask you to atone by suffering?
I don’t think Christianity is the only religion that espouses suffering as a way to God, but they definitely rule the story with Jesus on the Cross. Even other spiritual teachings promote that awakening isn’t possible without suffering to create compassion within us. I hope this will all be evolved out of when we have generations raised without this idea as suffering being the only way a human gains a connection with the sacred, whether that is nature, God, Buddha nature, or simply Spirit.