An investigation into the phenomena and practices of spiritual ...

and pain (sometimes used interchangeably as both are about a person‟s physical mentaland emotional (or affective) response to pain at different levels of intensity). Thoughhuman suffering has been prioritised during much of history, for some people sufferingrelates to all living things including animals and plants. In the thought of non-religiousphilosophers such as Bentham, (2001, originally 1859) on utilitarian principle, Popper(2002) on interpretation, and Katz (1990) on scientific knowledge, there is the idea ofpromoting the greatest good or happiness for the greatest number of people. This isproposed to be achieved by balancing the reduction of suffering with the enhancement ofhappiness and can be seen to draw on the same array of concepts as previous religiousthought. Traditional religious discussions of the suffering of Christ do show, in a way, itsutility, as Swenson (2005:44) postulates that „Jesus suffers with us‟. McGrath‟s (1995)discussion on the Doctrine of God suggests Christ, as the representative of God in theflesh, experiences suffering as a result of making people in his image and experiencingtheir pain. Although suffering is subject to cultural interpretations, for a person toexperience such extreme pain as was depicted in the crucifixion of Christ raises the similaruniversal questions. One cultural interpretation of suffering is proposed by Warrington(2008) who suggests that the concept of suffering is neglected by Pentecostals who movetoo quickly to the victory and glory associated with the result of overcoming suffering,strength through weakness, light through darkness and salvation through the death andresurrection of Jesus. In seeking healing and liberation from suffering through salvationBlack church members aim to heal „the bro enness of blacxistence‟ which MacRobert(1988) suggests as the context out of which Pentecostalism emerged.Myss (1997) exemplifies how popular self-help writing brings together medical,theological and utilitarian ideas in its detailed exploration of the interconnectedness of the185