ANGUISHED MAN SEARCHES FOR AN ANSWER

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32406, 19 September 1970, Page 10

ANGUISHED MAN SEARCHES FOR AN ANSWER

Problems Of Suffering In Religions Of The World. By John Bowker. Cambridge University Press. 318 pp. Must man, in the face of the anguish and sufferings of his earthly sojourn, turn like Job to God in dust and ashes and exclaim, “I have been holding fdrth on matters I cannot understand, on marvels beyond me and my knowledge”? Or should he, like Paul of Tarsus, "prefer to find my joy and pride in the very things which are my weakness,” knowing that “as Christ’s cup of suffering overflows and we suffer with him, so also through Christ our consolation overflows”? Or should he, like the disciple of Buddha, strive for Nirvana, “the extinction of passion, of aversion, of confusion, the cessation of grief, sorrow, suffering, lamentation and despair”? These are some of the responses to human suffering outlined by John Bowker in his monumental study of the problems of suffering in the major religions of the world. The starting point of the author’s investigation is that the common experience of suffering by men of every age, class and condition, whether

their lives are good or evil, places the consideration of suffering at the very centre of every religion. Hence there is hardly a better way of understanding the religions of the world than by studying what response they make to this universal experience. So he has undertaken a description and illustration of some of the main ideas and themes in connection with suffering that occur in Judaism, Christianity, Islamism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and dualistic religions of Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism and Jaainism, together with Marxism and its religious philosophy. Each of the chapters of this scholarly work is divided into two main parts: the foundations, and the development. The former studies at depth the sources of the basic doctrines of a particular religion—the Books of the Jewish Bible, the Koran of the Muslims. Then he outlines in fundamental, crystalline propositions the specific elements relating to human suffering. These considerations generally fall under three headings: the factual experience of suffering; the problems that confront the human spirit in the face of suffering, especially that of reconciling an all good and loving Supreme Being with the suffering of the innocent; and finally, the specific practical response to suffering men should strive to make during their earthly life. This last consideration forms the prinicpal common ground for striking comparisons amongst the mam religions, with their remarkable diversity of attitudes, and perhaps constitutes the most interesting and enlightening facet of the whole study. The inquiry into all these elements of' the book’s main theme displays admirable qualities of thorough research, broad erudition, depth of understanding, and mature assessment of values on the part of the author. His position as lecturer in Divinity in the University of Cambridge qualifies him adequately for such a study. The development section of each chapter traces the principal variations and important amplifications of ancient teachings that have occurred amongst the followers of the different religions throughout the centuries. In the chapter on Christianity, for example, there is an ample outline of the discussion of suffering and the Christian’s response in the writings of Augustine and Thomas Aquinas. Fascinating and moving examples also of the influence on the contemporary scene of ancient attitudes towards suffering conclude some of the chapters. These include the noble resignation of masses of Jews liquidated in the pogroms perpetrated by the Nazi Regime in Dulmo in the Ukraine, and Wolkovisk in Poland; the non-violence policy of Ghandi in India; and, more recently (1963), the self-burning of Vietnamese Buddhist monks, who “had been driven to take the. stand they had by their profound compassion for their suffering people, and by the fact that there was literally no-one else who could speak for the war-weary people and their longing for peace.”

In writing this book, Mr Bowker has kept in mind the general principle that no extensive knowledge of any of the religions has been assumed. Hence he offers the reader a mine of precious

information about the basic features of each religion, insofar as these are relevant to understanding their attitudes towards human suffering. In every instance his exposition is very ample. This reviewer found his understanding of the religious content and values of Islamism considerably modified and enriched.

At times, the reader might wonder, or even become a little impatient, that the author has developed the exposition of general religious doctrines at such length; but this appears to be necessary for a deep understanding of the interpretation of human suffering by the adherents of a particular religious faith. In these sections of the book Mr Bowker shows the breadth of his erudition and a masterly power of analysis to sort out the elements which are most relevant to his general theme. This is evident especially in the chapters on Hinduism and Buddhism in which the thought patterns of religious beliefs are so alien to the Western and Christian mind. The author has succeeded in bringing some clarity of order and comprehension to the bewildering maze of religious concepts and beliefs that characterise these religions, and in bringing them within the grasp of the average serious reader.

This reviewer nevertheless found some pages in these parts of the book rather heavy reading. The relevance of the section on Chinese Marxism (27 pages) to the general theme of problems bf human suffering is not very evident.

Another principle which has guided Mr Bowker in this study is that, so far as possible, each religion has been allowed to speak for itself—hence the very large number of original quotations in the book. They supply sufficient original material to make the arguments within each religion intelligible. Once again this offers a full measure of valuable material to the general reader and the student of world religi-

ious thought. The selection of illustrations has concentrated on the sources which are of particular importance and value to each religion in the formation of the attitudes of its adherents. To assist the reader to follow the line of argument there are numerous, and very helpful, cross references. These are supplemented by a glossary to explain technical terms and basic religious or philospohical concepts. The bibliography includes those books to which reference has been made or from which have been taken. The approach of Mr Bowker to his study of the problems of suffering is unequivocally academic and detached, as a work of scholarship ought to be. But the book does not betray any indifference or lack of sympathy towards human suffering; for, as the author remarks, “it is not hard to feel a very real indentification with those who expressed their feelings about this common experience." The copious quotations from the writings of the founders and adherents of the various religions reflect a deeply moving personal experience, a mental and emotional anguish, with which the reader readily identifies himself. Like Walt Whitman in “Song of Myself,” he will say: “Agonies are one of my changes of garment, I do not ask the wounded person how he feels, I become the wounded person.” Whatever the reader’s religious beliefs may be, he will find in this book many profound and illuminating discussions of problems, of mental and emotional torments, that have a very personal significance and will lead to the experience of spiritual discovery and growth. Will he discover a satisfying solution to the age-old problems that are discussed? The thoughtful reader must answer this question himself. In any event, Mr Bowker has contributed an important and thoughtprovoking study to the literature of religious history and beliefs.