Doing practical theology ‘from the place where it hurts’: the significance of trauma theology in renewing a practical theology of suffering

Eilidh Galbraith* (Corresponding Author)

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Questions of suffering provoke deep challenges to our theological thinking. Despite being an intrinsic part of the human condition, suffering has occupied a problematic space in our theological history. Whilst traditional theologies have leaned on theodicy to account for the presence of suffering, these tend to concentrate the focus on the why of suffering, rather than the who, and the how. Yet questions of suffering are inextricable from the lived experience of suffering bodies. Theologies which neglect the suffering body, I propose, leave it silenced. This article looks to explore how trauma theologies might inform a practical theological response to suffering which takes the suffering body seriously; a response which is necessarily embodied, witnessed, and disruptive.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)69-81
Number of pages13
JournalPractical Theology
Volume17
Issue number1
Early online date26 Nov 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2024

Bibliographical note

Open Access via the Taylor and Francis agreement

This work was supported by Leverhulme Trust.

Data Availability Statement

No data availability statement.

Keywords

  • embodiment
  • Suffering
  • theodicy
  • trauma
  • witness

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