Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

To the Editor:

James Wood, in his alternately insightful and contemptuous Op-Ed article, concludes by dismissing the views of a Haitian bishop—who affirms that “what happened is the will of God” and “we are in the hands of God now”—as “little more than a piece of helpless mystification, a contradictory cry of optimistic despair.” Mr. Wood’s contempt here is out of place, and his analysis is mistaken.

The bishop’s theology is neither mystifying nor contradictory, and in fact represents one version of a view held by many Christians and other religious people: namely, that God is deeply present in and through the events of the world—often inscrutably, but always powerfully and lovingly—and though we cannot for the life of us see how, even catastrophes include divine presence and power.

Mr. Wood may not share this view, but he has no right to scorn it, especially from a safe harbor.

Matthew Myer Boulton
Assisi, Italy, Jan. 25, 2010
The writer is an associate professor of ministry studies at Harvard Divinity School.

Note from KBJ: Religion bashing is a new sport. I expect it to become an Olympic event.