After Tragedy Strikes

While trauma and loss can occur anywhere, most suffering is experienced as personal tragedy. Yet some tragedies transcend everyday life's sad but inevitable traumas to become notorious public events: de facto "public" tragedies. In these crises, suffering is made publicly visible and lamentable. Such tragedies are defined by public accusations, social blame, outpourings of grief and anger, spontaneous memorialization, and collective action. These, in turn, generate a comparable set of political reactions, including denial, denunciation, counterclaims, blame avoidance, and a competition to control memories of the event. Disasters and crises are no more or less common today than in the past, but public tragedies now seem ubiquitous. After Tragedy Strikes argues that they are now epochal—public tragedies have become the day's definitive social and political events. Thomas D. Beamish deftly explores this phenomenon by developing the historical context within which these events occur and the role that political elites, the media, and an emergent ideology of victimhood have played in cultivating their ascendence.

“If you have suffered great tragedy and struggle to connect with God in your grief and disappointment, When Tragedy Strikes was written for you” (Wayne Jacobsen, author of He Loves Me! Learning to Live in the Father’s Affection). After the death of a child, there is no closure. It is like learning how to live with an amputation—you are forever changed and need to learn how to live a new “normal.” There can be a feeling of desperation to find someone farther ahead on the path who can understand the crushing pain that makes you feel like you can’t even breathe at times. Laura Diehl was plunged into that place with the death of her daughter, and meets the deep need to connect with others who have experienced what cannot be put into words. When Tragedy Strikes is the raw account of her journey from deep darkness back into light and life, extending a hand of hope to those traveling on the path behind her, who need to rebuild their lives after the death of a child.

"In this world you will have trouble..." We will have trouble. God has already promised us this in His Word. Tragedy is an inevitable part of life. And that means that we will also experience grief, anger, and overwhelming questions: "What do we do now? How do we respond to this tragedy? Where is God when this happens?" Dr. Charles Stanley has heard those questions-has even asked them himself-as he and those in his congregation have faced individual moments of tragedy. Tragedy, whether on a national scale or as part of a private life, has the same devastating effect. "But in the Bible there are answers," Dr. Stanley says. "God's Word shows us how to live when tragedy strikes." And we can be assured by the conclusion of John 16:33 to "take heart!" He has indeed overcome the world!

The Reality Check series makes just one assumption: that you’re serious enough about your spiritual journey to investigate Christianity with an open mind. This isn’t about joining anyone’s religious club—it’s about being real with yourself and with the others in your group. Since no one has all the answers, there’s plenty of room for discussion. After all, if there is any truth to the Bible’s stories about Jesus, then one thing he’d welcome are questions and opinions that come from honest, earnest hearts.If there is a God and he’s good, then why doesn’t he do something about the evil and suffering in this world? Where was he when the Twin Towers fell? Where is he in the midst of your own tragedy? Questions like these are hardly academic—they’re the gut-wrenching cry of a world consumed with unendurable pain and ugliness. Something about this life is so terribly broken that only God can fix it. So why doesn’t he—or has he . . . is he . . . and will he?When Tragedy Strikes includes these sessions: Where Is God When Tragedy Strikes? Is God to Blame? How Should You Respond to Evil? Is War the Solution? What Has God Done About Evil? Will Evil Win in the Long Run?For the Group LeaderReality Check is for spiritual seekers of every persuasion. Uncompromisingly Christian in its perspective, it steers wide of pat answers and aims at honesty. This innovative and thought-provoking series will challenge you and those in your group to connect heart to heart as together you explore the interface between Jesus, the Bible, and the realities of this world in which we live.

A wave of disease and death in his immediate family led Rabbi Anson Laytner to question much of what he had learned about the meaning of suffering, the value of petitionary prayer, and the role of God in human life. As he struggled to deal with his grief and doubts, he gradually found a way forward. His spiritual healing process took him from intense grief to a renewed appreciation of life—and resulted in this book, a work of creative theology some eighteen years in the making. Choosing Life After Tragedy is written for people who struggle with the subjects of suffering, divine providence, God, and prayer; people who are looking for honest, thoughtful, provocative—and occasionally humorous—theological reflections, but no easy answers. Laytner intersperses his penetrating theological reflections with pertinent episodes from his life because, for him, theology is personal and experience-based. Trained as a liberal rabbi, Laytner riffs on Jewish themes to offer a universal message of hope in the face of suffering and loss, and of mutual support based on humanity’s various teachings of lovingkindness. This book will challenge you; it will sometimes amuse you; but you will not remain unmoved.

Whether your tragedy is small or enormous the sting can be debilitating. Your mind is not prepared for the unexpected. You do not wake up wondering is today a great day for a tragedy? Or wonder what level of calamity is waiting for me or my children today. However, the level and the intensity of the strike will determine whether you can survive it or just give up.

"In Living with less, Joshua will guide you through biblical teachings on possessions and his own personal experience with minimalism--living with only the essential ... This book will challenge you to spend your hours, energy, and resources in ways that draw you closer to the heart of Jesus."--Page 4 of cover.