An Examination of Redemptive Suffering through a Psychological Lens

This is an accepted article with a DOI pre-assigned that is not yet published.While Christianity proclaims that Jesus Christ’s suffering is salvific, the Roman Catholic tradition upholds human suffering is also redemptive in that it is united to Christ’s suffering. This belief is difficult to comprehend, yet scientific findings may offer insight, thereby leading to more fruitful dialogue related to, and understanding of, this tradition. Catholic tradition consistently suggests that one’s own suffering is not only spiritually redemptive, but also integral to intrapersonal as well as communal growth, with love proposed as the source of such fruitfulness. Contemporary psychological and neuroscientific findings support such beliefs, with suffering shown to elicit benefits such as reorientation of one’s values. Perceived meaning in suffering is identified as a pathway to such growth. Further research demonstrates how shared suffering leads to communal growth, such as by eliciting more prosocial behavior. Such findings contribute to an understanding of the theological belief in redemptive suffering, thereby paving the way for mutuality amongst individuals across belief systems.