Rejoicing in LamentThe title alone of J. Todd Billings
new book is intriguing.
I mean, there
are plenty of books on lament. And plenty of books on praise. And even quite a
few on praise and lament. But
rejoicing or praising in lament? That
is quite different.
Billings is a
professor of theology whose work I have long admired. His writing is always
orthodox, always classically Reformed, and always ultimately grounded in the
biblical text. And this book does not disappoint on any of these criteria. Unlike
his previous books, however, this short volume arises out of Billings own
experience of loss. You see, in the fall of 2012 Billings was diagnosed with
multiple myeloma, an incurable and fatal cancer.
If you think
that this book is just another self-help book for dealing with the tragic
events of life, think again. Rejoicing in
Lament is theology done in the crucible of suffering. No simplistic
solutions are offered, no easy clichés, no Bible verses flung out like final
answers to the problem of cancer.
Rather,
Billings invites his readers into his life – from his agonizing questions to
his deeply personal theological reflections drawn from his CarePages. If you
are not already convinced that this book is worth your time, several highlights
are worth calling attention to.
Billings
clearly understands lament. He neither downplays nor overemphasizes the role of
lament in the Christian life. He notes that lament can involve everything from
grieving to protest. He emphasizes the importance of acknowledging pain and
suffering in our lives and in the world. Worship that does not recognize the
brokenness of our world is not complete. Lament is an important word in the
life of faith.
Yet Billings
also recognizes that lament is not the only word, not even in the throes of
suffering. “In lament,” Billings writes “we are confused, angry, and grieving
people. But we are not just that.” (43) Our identity in Christ is more than
confusion and disorientation. Ultimately, asserts Billings, the psalms of
lament are psalms of hope. In fact, Billings goes so far as to suggest that
lament is itself a form of praise because of the element of faith that lament
entails. Billings notes that “Praise, petition, and lament in the Psalms are
all tightly woven together in prayers that help us recognize and rest in God’s
promises.” (47)
Although the book leans in the direction of biblical
theology, Billings skills as a systematic theologian are also on display.
Billings deals brilliantly and humbly with topics like the problem of evil,
prayer, and the impassibility of God, all in relation to the overarching issue
of suffering and lament. In fact, his description of impassibility is one of
the most clear, accurate renderings of that traditional attribute of God of any
I have read in recent years. He sweeps away the misconceptions and caricatures
of this important doctrine, demonstrating its weight and importance for a
proper understanding God’s relationship to human suffering today.
In some ways,
the title of this book says it all. Throughout, Billings opens the door not
just to abstract ideas of rejoicing in lament, but to his ongoing experience of
doing just that.
To hear Billings himself discuss this important book, please go to:
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