When the phone rings in the night, when the chaplain arrives at your doorstep, how do you respond? Sudden loss inflicts unique pain on those who endure it, forcing them to encounter the darkness of grief without warning. Quite literally, in catastrophic loss, grief takes us by surprise.

On this episode of Surprised by Grief, Christianity Today’s editor-in-chief Daniel Harrell and author Clarissa Moll discuss the sudden loss of Clarissa’s husband, former CT editor Rob Moll. They discuss boundaries in grief, the trauma that often follows sudden loss, and the relentless pull of new life after death. Tune in for an honest look at how grief shapes us and how acknowledging its companionship offers a path to flourishing. Special guest Erik Reed, pastor of The Journey Church, Nashville, TN, shares his story of losing his young son to medical complications.

Rob Moll’s book, The Art of Dying, will be released this spring as an expanded edition with Clarissa’s new afterword. Her book on grief is forthcoming from Tyndale in 2022.

Surprised by Grief is a production of Christianity Today.
Produced by Mike Cosper
Written by Daniel Harrell and Clarissa Moll
Edited and mixed by Mark Owens
Music by The Porters Gate