Suffering Divine Things

Using “pathos”-“suffering” God’s saving activity-as a powerful theological motif, Hutter offers fresh insight into the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the church, between doctrine and theology, and between beliefs and practices. In addition, Hutter shows how reclaiming “pathos” as a central motif for theology challenges modern and postmodern views focused on human identity, agency, and creativity as definitive of theology’s character and task. Throughout, Hutter remains acutely aware of recent trends in theological discourse and develops his argument in conversation not only with the Christian tradition but with leading contemporary theologians from North America and Europe. The result is a pioneering work that promises to reclaim theology’s crucial role in the life and mission of the church.