Evoking Lament

Dr Eva Harasta is Research Assistant in Systematic Theology and Contemporary Theological Issues at the University of Bamberg, Germany. Brian Brock is a Reader in Moral and Practical Theology at the University of Aberdeen, UK.

• Introduction (Eva Harasta and Brian Brock) 01 Lament and the phenomenon of suffering Rebekka A. Klein: The Phenomenology of Lament and the Presence of God in Time Jonas Bauer: Enquiring into the Absence of Lament - A Study of the Entwining of Suffering and Guilt in Lament Christian Polke: God, lament, contingency: An essay in fundamental theology 02 The assault of lament on systematic thought Matthias D. Wüthrich: Lament for Naught? An Inquiry into the Suppression of Lament in Systematic Theology: On the Example of Karl Barth Martin Wendte: Lamentation between Contradiction and Obedience: Hegel and Barth as diametrically opposed brothers in the spirit of modernity Marius Timmann Mjaaland: The Fractured Unity of God: Lament as a challenge to the very nature of God 03 Lament for God's sake? Claudia Welz: Trust and Lament: Faith in the Face of Godforsakenness Henrike Frey-Anthes: Praise, Petition, Lament - and Back: On the Significance of Lament in the Book of Tobit Markus Öhler: To mourn, weep, lament and groan: On the heterogeneity of the New Testament's statements on lament04 Lamenting in Christ Stephen Lakkis: ‘Have you any right to be angry?' Lament as a metric of socio-political and theological context Brian Brock: Augustine's Incitement to Lament, from the Enarrationes in Psalmos Eva Harasta: Crucified Praise and Resurrected Lament Biographical information on the authors

‘The lament as a form of prayer is the subject of much biblical interpretation as well as discussion about its role in the prayer life of individuals and congregations. Evoking Lament is a significant step forward as it brings systematic theology into the conversation and uncovers both problems and possibilities with the church's appropriation of lament. There is no single perspective in view, but the cultural and personal dimensions of lament as Christian prayer are subjected to various theological illuminations and the issues of suffering and theodicy, inherent in the very phenomenon of lament, are dealt with in profound and engaging ways. All the essays are provocative and informative, showing once again how much theological voices have to contribute to hearing the Scriptures more clearly and more deeply.' - Patrick D. Miller, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ, USA.