Commentary: Tsunami raises ‘where,’ not ‘why,’ question about God
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Bishop Judith Craig |
Feb. 9, 2005A UMNS Commentary
By Bishop Judith Craig* To
ask about God’s presence in the face of the tsunami that struck Asia
and Africa is to ask a good question. It is not a "why" question but a
"where" question. We
are long past the time when we think natural occurrences are the direct
act of God — whether they are apparent interventions that spare us
harm, for which we give thanks, or disasters like the tsunami that cause
inexpressible sorrow and loss. We know such events are the result of
the physics and forces of a natural world where shifts of tectonic
plates cause the earth to tremble, and in this case, huge waves to cross
the ocean’s surface and crash into land. Did
God do this? Certainly not! The universe is orderly, even in its
disorder, with the laws of its nature being the guidelines for its
behavior. No, we would be naïve and ignorant of natural forces to blame God for this tragedy. But
asking the "where" question puts us on an avenue to the heart of God.
For God is surely in the midst of all that has occurred, watching the
devastation of those made in God’s image and surely reaching out in the
energy of Godly love that surpasses all other sources of hope. God
is in this event — in the tears of those who mourn, in the joy of those
who survived, in the numbness of those who wonder about the future, in
the anguish of those who try to get through each day. God surely is in
this event in the hands and feet of those who carry the stuff of relief —
medicine, food, shelter.
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A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose
Areas of standing water such as this in Banda Aceh are a concern for relief officials worried about waterborne diseases.
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| Areas
of standing water such as this in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, are causing
concern for relief officials worried about waterborne diseases following
the Dec. 26 tsunami. A delegation of mission and communications leaders
of the United Methodist Church visited areas of Sumatra, Indonesia,
near the epicenter of the earthquake that triggered the waves. A UMNS
photo by Mike DuBose. Photo #05-066. Accompanies UMNS stories #034-040,
#042, 1/18/05 |
God is in this event
in the presence of those who work to clear away rubble and gently care
for the bodies found and over which they weep. God is in this event in
the touch of healers and the listening of counselors, and in the prayers
of religious people of all faiths.God
is in this event in the prayers and generous outpouring of financial
giving and networking of relief agencies through councils of churches
and private associations that turn the money into the good necessary for
life and health and hope. God is in the midst of this event in more
ways than we can imagine. It
is very important to ask the right question. The "why" question is
imponderable, and it is as old as human kind. An answer that blames God
rises out of a culture and time that did not know all that we know about
how the natural world operates. It is now a scientific question, not a
faith question. The faith question is the "where" question, recognizing
that nothing in all creation — not even a tsunami — can separate the
created order and all human creation from the love of its Creator. And
so I pray: Loving, grieving, present God, wrap your eternal arms around
your precious globe called earth and hold tenderly all who tremble in
the aftermath of the tsunami. Let your children of all ages, races and
beliefs know of your presence. Keep our hearts tender and our souls
generous as we remember that surely as you note the fall of a sparrow,
you have noted the perishing of each person made in your image and have
gently noted and cared for their beings as only you can. Remove
from our thoughts all judgment or smugness or pride of religion or
place, that we may offer the healing energy of our prayerful love for
those who struggle to rebuild their lives in safety and with hope. Thank
you for those who labor with those who live, and for the human
structures that make possible the binding together of those who give in
one distant place and those who receive in another. *Craig
is a bishop in residence and visiting professor of church leadership at
Methodist Theological School in Ohio in Delaware, Ohio. This commentary
is part of a special DVD/CD resource developed by United Methodist
Communications to help individuals, groups and congregations address
questions related to God’s presence amid tragedy. Details on the "God,
Why?" project are available at www.umc.org. News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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