Publisher’s Description
A cancer diagnosis changes everything. Fear, uncertainty, and suffering become daily realities–not just for patients but also for families, friends, and caregivers. Where is God in this?
In God Meets Us in Our Suffering, three pastors who journeyed through cancer together share their deeply personal stories. With honesty, compassion, and humor, they offer theologically rich reflections on illness and hope, including
· how to navigate doubt and find strength in the theology of the cross;
· how Psalm 23 guides us through uncertainty and suffering;
· how God meets us in suffering with grace and power; and
· how laughter, love, and community sustain us in the darkest moments.
For those living with a serious illness and those journeying alongside them, this book offers comfort, courage, and a renewed trust in God’s faithfulness.
Author Bio
Rolf A. Jacobson (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary) is professor of Old Testament and Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Scripture, Theology, and Ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. A survivor of childhood cancer, he has lived with disability for more than 40 years and speaks widely on faith and suffering.
Karl Jacobson (1969-2024; PhD, Providence Theological School) was a Lutheran pastor, cancer survivor, and theologian known for his deep love of the Psalms.
Michael Pancoast (MDiv, Luther Seminary), a cancer survivor, is associate pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Anoka, Minnesota.
Rolf A. Jacobson (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary) is professor of Old Testament and Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Scripture, Theology, and Ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. A survivor of childhood cancer, he has lived with disabili
Rolf A. Jacobson is a deeply respected scholar and teacher whose life and work reflect both intellectual rigor and personal resilience. He serves as the Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he also holds the Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Scripture, Theology, and Ministry.
Jacobson earned his PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary, and his teaching focuses on areas such as the Psalms, Old Testament prophets, biblical poetry, and theology. His approach to Scripture emphasizes its use not only in preaching and teaching but also in pastoral care, spiritual growth, and congregational transformation3.
What makes his story especially compelling is that he is a survivor of childhood cancer, and he has lived with disability throughout his life. This personal journey has shaped his theological perspective and deepened his commitment to making Scripture accessible and meaningful for all people.
He’s also known for co-developing the Narrative Lectionary and contributing to its podcast, helping churches engage Scripture through storytelling.
Would you like a summary of his published works or insights from his teaching on the Psalms?
1www.workingpreacher.org 2www.darkwoodbrew.org 3www.luthersem.edu
How has his personal experience influenced his theology?
Rolf A. Jacobson’s theology is profoundly shaped by his personal experience as a survivor of childhood cancer and someone who lives with disability. Rather than viewing suffering as something to be explained away, Jacobson leans into it as a space where God is deeply present. His reflections are marked by honesty, vulnerability, and a theology of the cross that embraces both lament and hope.
In his upcoming book God Meets Us in Our Suffering, co-authored with Karl N. Jacobson and Michael Pancoast, he explores how illness and disability have deepened his understanding of God’s grace. Here are a few key themes that emerge from his theological perspective2:
Theology Rooted in Real Life
- Theology of the Cross: Jacobson finds strength in the idea that God is most fully revealed in suffering and weakness—not in triumph or power.
- Psalm 23 as a Guide: He often returns to Psalm 23, using it as a framework for navigating uncertainty, fear, and pain.
- Grace in the Dark: His theology emphasizes that God meets us not despite our suffering, but in it—with grace, presence, and power.
Honest Engagement with Doubt
- Jacobson doesn’t shy away from questions like “Where is God in this?” Instead, he wrestles with them openly, offering space for doubt as part of faith.
Community and Humor
- He highlights how laughter, love, and community sustain people through illness. His theology is deeply relational, grounded in shared human experience.
Hope Without Platitudes
- Rather than offering easy answers, Jacobson’s theology invites people to find courage and trust in God’s faithfulness—even when healing doesn’t come.
His work is a testament to how theology can be both intellectually rich and emotionally resonant. Would you like a deeper dive into how he interprets specific biblical texts through this lens?
What are some specific examples from his book?
Rolf A. Jacobson’s upcoming book God Meets Us in Our Suffering (co-authored with Karl N. Jacobson and Michael Pancoast) offers a deeply personal and theological reflection on illness, disability, and divine presence. Though the book is set to release in 2026, we already have a glimpse into its structure and themes—and it’s rich with specific examples drawn from the authors’ own journeys through cancer and suffering2.
Here are a few standout chapters and the stories they contain:
Chapter Highlights & Examples
- Diagnosis: Dealing with the Disorienting News of Cancer
- The authors recount the emotional chaos of receiving a cancer diagnosis—how it upends identity, faith, and daily life. Jacobson shares how his own childhood cancer shaped his theological lens early on.
- Treatment: When God Shows Up in Your Suffering
- This chapter explores moments when divine presence is felt not in miraculous healing, but in quiet companionship—through nurses, prayers, and unexpected peace during chemo.
- Meals and Milestones: How We Show Up for Each Other
- A beautiful example here is how friends and family gathered around the authors with food, laughter, and stories—turning ordinary moments into sacred ones.
- Laughter: Finding Joy in the Midst of Illness and Disability
- Jacobson emphasizes humor as a spiritual practice. He shares anecdotes of finding joy in hospital rooms, even when the prognosis was grim.
- Survival: Living in the Aftermath of Illness
- This chapter reflects on life after treatment—how scars, both physical and emotional, become part of one’s spiritual narrative.
- Death: Recurrence, Fear, Exhaustion, and Hope
- The authors confront the reality of recurrence and mortality, offering theological reflections on hope that doesn’t deny fear but coexists with it.
- Appendix: Funeral Sermon for Karl Jacobson
- A deeply moving tribute that ties together themes of lament, resurrection, and the enduring presence of God.
Each chapter ends with discussion questions, making the book not just a memoir or theological treatise, but a resource for small groups, caregivers, and anyone walking through suffering.
Would you like help crafting a reflection or devotional based on one of these themes?
1www.christianbook.com 2bakerpublishinggroup.com
Rolf Jacobson: Five Offensive Things… you learn in Seminary
Rolf A. Jacobson Childhood Cancer Story
Rolf A. Jacobson’s childhood cancer story is one of profound resilience and faith. As a teenager, he was diagnosed with cancer that led to the amputation of both legs above the knee. Despite this life-altering challenge, Jacobson emerged not only as a survivor but as a deeply compassionate theologian and teacher.
Today, he serves as Professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary and holds the Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Scripture, Theology, and Ministry. His personal journey through suffering has shaped his theological voice—one that is honest, humorous, and rooted in hope.
In the upcoming book God Meets Us in Our Suffering (co-authored with Karl N. Jacobson and Michael Pancoast), Jacobson shares reflections on illness and faith. The book offers comfort and encouragement to those facing cancer, drawing on Psalm 23 and the theology of the cross to explore how God meets us in pain with grace and power.
He’s also spoken publicly about his experience, including in sermons and podcasts, where he reflects on how community, love, and laughter helped him through the darkest moments3.
Jacobson’s story isn’t just about surviving cancer—it’s about transforming suffering into a source of wisdom, empathy, and spiritual depth. If you’d like, I can share some of his most powerful quotes or theological insights that emerged from his journey.
1www.christianbook.com 2www.homebrewedchristianty.com 3
How has his story influenced modern theology?
Rolf A. Jacobson’s story—marked by childhood cancer and double leg amputation—has deeply shaped his theological voice and left a lasting imprint on modern theology in several key ways:
Embodied Theology of Suffering
Jacobson’s personal experience of pain and loss has led him to emphasize a theology that doesn’t shy away from suffering but instead sees it as a space where God meets us most intimately. His reflections often draw on the Psalms and the theology of the cross, helping believers find spiritual depth in vulnerability and lament.
- He teaches that suffering is not a sign of divine absence but a context for divine presence.
- His work encourages churches to embrace lament as a faithful response, not a failure of faith.
Accessible and Honest Biblical Interpretation
Jacobson’s humor, honesty, and storytelling make theology approachable. His books like Crazy Talk and Invitation to the Psalms demystify complex theological ideas and invite readers into a more personal engagement with Scripture.
- He co-developed the Rolf Jacobson – Festival of Homiletics which reshapes how congregations hear the Bible—focusing on the overarching story of God’s relationship with humanity.
- His podcast “Sermon Brainwave” – Search brings scholarly insight to everyday preaching, often weaving in themes of grace amid hardship.
Reframing Divine Mystery
Jacobson challenges rigid views of God by exploring divine complexity through biblical narrative. In discussions like Rolf Jacobson: Creation & Sin he highlights how Scripture presents God not as a static being but as a dynamic presence in human history.
- His theology invites believers to wrestle with paradox, mystery, and the messiness of life.
- He models how personal suffering can deepen—not diminish—one’s understanding of divine grace.
Jacobson’s influence lies not just in what he teaches, but in how he teaches: with authenticity, compassion, and a deep trust that God is present in every human story, especially the broken ones. Want to explore one of his sermons or writings next? I can pull up a few that really showcase his voice.
1festivalofhomiletics.com 2www.homebrewedchristianty.com
Dr Dean Tsarwhas Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital Biomarker Testing – Search