The Theology of Suffering and Its Pastoral Implications for Internally Displaced Persons in Borno State

This study explores the theology of suffering as a theological framework for pastoral ministry among internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Borno State, North East Nigeria, a region severely affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. Drawing on biblical accounts of suffering, lament literature, and African Christian theological responses to crisis, the research engages with the lived spiritual experiences of displaced communities. Using qualitative methods, data are collected through thirty in-depth interviews with IDP residents at camps in Maiduguri and Jere Local Government Areas, as well as ten interviews with chaplains and church volunteers serving in the camps. Thematic analysis is used to identify dominant theological questions, spiritual coping mechanisms, and pastoral support needs expressed by respondents. Findings indicate that displaced persons wrestle intensely with questions of divine justice, abandonment, and the meaning of suffering, and that conventional pastoral responses centred on promises of divine restoration are often perceived as inadequate or insensitive. Respondents express a need for a theology that honours their grief, acknowledges injustice, and provides hope without minimising loss. The study recommends the development of contextual lament-based pastoral care training programmes for chaplains and church volunteers working with IDPs across North East Nigeria. Keywords: theology of suffering, internally displaced persons, pastoral care, Borno State, Boko Haram