Does God Suffer?

I have recently been questioning and exploring the question of whether or not God suffers. Many theologians and lay people have taken the position over the last 100-150 (especially after the Holocaust) years that God suffers with His creation. Notable among these have been Jürgen Moltmann and Wolfhart Pannenberg. Indeed this position is very attractive and has strong emotional appeal to many. However, this view deviates from the Church's official position for the first 1800 years. I have attached a most helpful article that addresses this issue and the points that it fosters. I will briefly refer to some of the salient points of the discussion. If it is true that God suffers, then it is impossible for God to be all good because suffering implies a lack of good. I would also like to add that the view that God suffers comes dangerously close to violating the Council of Chalcedon which places boundaries around how the person of Christ is to be viewed: without confusion, change, division, or separation. The article below argues that God suffered in his humanity but not his divinity (again, this is what the Church universal taught since its beginning). If the sufferings of Christ also spilled over to his divinity, then it is impossible for God to know true human suffering. If suffering was transferred to God's divinity, then it can only be assumed that He suffered in some "mitgated divine matter, and thus He did not truly experience authentic human suffering." Our focus should not be on God suffering in solidarity with His creation, but His ability to abolish and restore His creation. I don't have faith in God because I believe He suffers with me, but that He has the power to conquer and abolish those things that rob me of experiencing His presence.

http://www.mrrena.com/2004/suffer.shtml