I recently stood at the graveside of a young man. I had just conducted the ceremony and I stood with his grieving mum and dad, both of them dear friends of mine. He asked me the $64,000 question: where was God when my Christopher died?

This memory came back to me as I read Dr Ramsey’s wellmeaning letter in the November issue of Life and Work. My friend and his partner were very angry, as was I to be honest with you.

My main problem with Dr Ramsey’s letter was his sensible, logical thought process. His well-intentioned argument simply doesn’t wash in the face of overwhelmingly crushing tragedy like those described or the industrial sized tragedy and pain of Gaza and Palestine. Even Christ cried out: “Why have you forsaken me?”

I once sat with a young couple and their firstborn lay in a basket between us after the young mum suffered a miscarriage. They both asked the same question. They put that question to me. My answer to them both was simple and helplessly inadequate. I said: “I don’t know.”

This has led to a healing ministry where we confess and pool our ignorance together.

Dr Ramsey has provided a hopelessly inadequate non-answer. The healing power of the shared confession of shared humanity is what is needed. Theodicy simply does not work in the real world.

John Nugent (Rev), Wick