Kathleen O'Connor re-examines Jeremiah in the light of contemporary studies of the survivors of disaster.

"Disasters mortally wound faith and trust. Confidence in God, the world, and other people often dissolve in the wake of trauma, and such profound distrust can persist indefinitely. By itself, suffering does not bring an increase in love or meaning. Radical suffering corrodes trust, traditions and institutions that anchored life firmly before the catastrophe."

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"Disasters nearly always demolish faith and trust: they tear down the symbolic firmament that protects the world."