- Ashford Kimani reflects on Brandon Ambrosino’s exploration of suffering, faith and the mystery of God’s presence in human pain.
- The article challenges simplistic explanations of tragedy and calls for a more honest engagement with difficult spiritual questions.
- It argues that faith is not about having all the answers, but about trusting in God’s presence amid suffering and uncertainty.
Brandon Ambrosino’s interview, God Does What God Does, published in the National Catholic Reporter, raises one of the oldest and most difficult questions in human history: Why do bad things happen to good people?
In a world marked by disease, accidents, violence, poverty and untimely deaths, many believers struggle to reconcile their faith in a loving God with the reality of suffering. Ambrosino’s reflections challenge conventional religious explanations and invite Christians to embrace a deeper, more honest faith that does not depend on easy answers.
The interview is inspired by Ambrosino’s book Is It God’s Will? Making Sense of Tragedy, Luck and Hope in a World Gone Wrong.
The book emerged from personal grief following the death of a close friend at the age of forty-four. Faced with such a painful loss, Ambrosino found himself questioning many of the familiar religious phrases often used to comfort the bereaved.
Statements such as “It was God’s plan,” “Everything happens for a reason,” or “God needed another angel” may be well-intentioned, but they often create more confusion than comfort.
If God planned a tragedy, then what does that say about God’s goodness? Why would a loving God deliberately cause pain to innocent people?
According to Ambrosino, Christians should be cautious about claiming to know God’s intentions. Human beings possess limited knowledge and cannot fully comprehend the mysteries of divine action.
When people confidently declare that a particular event was God’s will, they often assume a level of certainty that no one truly possesses. Such declarations can be especially harmful when directed at those who are grieving.
Doing Theology in the Basement
One of the most compelling ideas in the interview is Ambrosino’s concept of “doing theology in the basement.”
The basement symbolises the place where people wrestle with difficult questions that have no simple answers. It is where faith encounters suffering, doubt and uncertainty.
Many religious communities prefer to remain on the “main floor,” where discussions are comfortable and reassuring. However, authentic faith sometimes requires descending into the basement and confronting the painful realities of life.
The questions found there are universal. Why does a child die from cancer? Why are innocent civilians caught in wars? Why do natural disasters destroy entire communities? Why do hardworking people sometimes face endless hardship while dishonest individuals appear to prosper?
These questions have troubled humanity for centuries, and no theological system has completely resolved them.
Ambrosino argues that believers should not fear such questions. Rather than avoiding them, they should engage them honestly and humbly.
Understanding God’s Power
Another important theme in the interview concerns the understanding of God’s power.
Many Christians have been taught to view God as directly controlling every event in the universe. Under this view, every tragedy, accident and success occurs because God specifically willed it.
Ambrosino challenges this perspective. He suggests that God’s power is best understood through love rather than control.
God does not manipulate every circumstance like a puppet master pulling strings. Instead, God works through relationships, freedom, compassion and redemption.
This understanding preserves both God’s goodness and human freedom. Human beings possess the capacity to make choices, and those choices often have consequences.
Wars, corruption, violence and injustice are frequently the result of human decisions rather than divine planning. Likewise, natural processes operate according to the laws of creation.
Not every tragedy should be interpreted as a direct act of God.
The interview also offers a fresh perspective on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Some theological traditions emphasise that Jesus died because God demanded a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice. Ambrosino presents a different interpretation.
He argues that Jesus was crucified because humanity rejected his message of love and justice. The cross reveals the violence and brokenness of the human condition rather than a God eager to punish.
At Calvary, God is not the author of suffering but the companion of those who suffer.
This view has profound implications for how believers respond to pain.
Instead of asking, “Why did God do this?” Christians may ask, “How is God present in this suffering?”
The focus shifts from searching for hidden explanations to recognising God’s solidarity with the wounded, the grieving and the marginalised.
The crucifixion becomes a powerful reminder that God understands human suffering from within.
Faith Without Certainty
Perhaps the most significant lesson from Ambrosino’s reflections is that faith does not require certainty.
Modern culture often values clear answers and definitive explanations. Yet some aspects of life remain mysterious.
Faith is not the absence of questions; it is the willingness to continue trusting even when questions remain unanswered.
The biblical tradition itself is filled with individuals who wrestled with God. Job questioned God’s justice. The Psalms contain cries of lament and confusion. Even Jesus, from the cross, asked why he had been forsaken.
In a world that often seeks simplistic solutions to complex problems, Ambrosino’s message is both refreshing and challenging.
He encourages believers to resist the temptation of easy answers and instead embrace humility, compassion and hope.
Tragedy does not necessarily reveal God’s plan, but it can reveal God’s presence.
Ultimately, the interview reminds readers that authentic faith is not about possessing all the answers.
It is about trusting that even in the darkest moments, God remains present, loving and committed to the healing of a broken world.
Such faith may not eliminate suffering, but it offers hope that suffering will never have the final word.
Ashford Kimani teaches English and Literature and comments on education and social affairs.
By Ashford Kimani
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