48 pages 1 hour read

Nicholas Wolterstorff

Lament for a Son

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1987

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Essay Topics

1.

How does Wolterstorff’s perspective on death and resurrection evolve throughout the book? What questions does he raise about these concepts, and how do they illustrate some of the text’s key themes and ideas?

2.

Analyze the role of faith in Wolterstorff’s grieving process. How does he reconcile his religious beliefs with the reality of his son’s death? What questions remain unanswered, and what do they reveal about the nature of faith in the text?

3.

Discuss the concept of “suffering as a blessing” as presented in Lament for a Son. How does Wolterstorff grapple with this paradoxical idea? What are the advantages and disadvantages of such an approach?