Theodicy and Suffering in the Context of Boko Haram Violence: A Constructive Theological Response

The mass atrocities of the Boko Haram insurgency in North East Nigeria, including the targeting of Christians, the destruction of churches, and the systematic violence against communities, pose an acute theodicy question that existing Christian theodicy frameworks are inadequately developed to address within the African theological context. This study constructs an original theodicy framework in response to the experience of Christians affected by Boko Haram violence. A constructive theological methodology is employed through five stages: historical and testimonial documentation of Christian suffering under Boko Haram violence through archival research and interviews with 50 Christian survivors and bereaved families in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States; systematic theological review of classical and contemporary theodicies (including Plantinga's free will defence, Hick's soul-making theodicy, and Moltmann's theology of the cross); African theological engagement, drawing on the lament tradition in Yoruba, Hausa, and Kanuri Christian communities; identification of the specific theodicy failures of existing frameworks when applied to the Boko Haram context; and original constructive synthesis. Original contributions include the Crucified Community theodicy, a trinitarian theodicy grounded in the solidarity of the incarnate Christ with suffering communities, a theology of lament as theodicy resistance, and a Resurrection Hope framework that affirms eschatological justice without domesticating present suffering. The theological framework is validated through dialogue with twenty North East church leaders and three international theodicy scholars.

Keywords: theodicy, Boko Haram, Christian suffering, constructive theology, North East Nigeria