Pete wants Olga to die in her sleep but Enherrian revives her to suffer so that she can "'...give God a battle...'" (p. 46) Is this a straightforward conflict between Christianity and the Ythrian New Faith? It is not straightforward. Christianity gives a positive role to suffering. Christ's suffering is believed to be redemptive. Some Christians suffer in solidarity with Christ. Some Catholics have "offered up" their suffering on behalf of souls in Purgatory. Although Christ's redemptive power is believed to be unlimited, it can nevertheless be added to - and increased? Thus, there is a Christian perspective from which painful death is preferable to peaceful death. Olga suffered on behalf of others and completed part of her own Purgatorial sentence before death? (I do not believe this.)
The issues are more complex than this short story suggests.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
And Enherrian was incredibly insensitive in what he did, waking up Olga. It would seem so obvious to me that a reasonably prudent non-human would first have consulted her husband!
Yes, Catholics can "offer up" pain and suffering for others. NOT that anything they can do can add to the infinite efficacy of Christ's atoning death on the Cross. Rather, God graciously accepts this gift from them and consents to using such pain for the help of others.
Ad astra! Sean
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