I’m writing this review several weeks into the season of Lent, that time of year in which many Christians willingly invite affliction into their lives in the form of a special discipline or abstinence. It has been a fitting time to read Scott Cairns’s latest book, The End of Suffering: Finding Purpose in Pain. Although The End of Sufferingis not about Lent per se, it was written on the eve of Lent and draws from the Greek Orthodox tradition to which Cairns belongs, referring to the “bright sadness” or “sorrowful joy” of Lent. In a similar voice, Cairns approaches the weighty subject of suffering with the hope that “in those seasons of our afflictions—thosetrials in our lives that we do not choose but press through—a stillness, a calm, and a hope become available to us.”
Cairns is a highly regarded poet, and accordingly, knows how to say more with less. Weighing in at 115 pages, The End of Suffering wastes no time making its point: “[O]ur lives are riddled with death,” Cairns writes, “[t]he good news . . . is that even this death is potentially infused with life.” To his credit, Cairns succeeds at making such statements without ever sounding pious, sanctimonious, or glib. The End ofSuffering is not a self-help book with silver-lining anecdotes. Neither is it an intellectual stab at the theodicy debate (i.e., the relationship between evil and the existence of God). As the title suggests, The End of Suffering anticipates a day when mercy will have the final word. But also present in the title is the conviction that “affliction, suffering, and pain are—even if they are nothing else—remarkably effective.”
What Cairns finds so effective about pain and affliction I’ll let you discover for yourself. But Cairns demonstrates a refreshing ability to talk about suffering without always talking about suffering. I was captivated by his many references to the Greek Orthodox tradition and the wisdom found there. But I also appreciated his thoughts on prayer, community, Scripture, the material world, and his Labrador retrievers.
The End of Suffering is one of those rare books I plan to have available to give away. I’m glad it’s small enough to fit in my pocket, because I plan on carrying my copy with me for a while.
Thanks for the info. I love his writings. Any chance he will be the featured speaker at a future weekend retreat?
Thanks for commenting, MaryLou. We’re in conversation with Scott about a trip to Laity Lodge in the months ahead. We’ll keep you posted.
Steven