Which statement about Tan's view on emotional pain is true?

• A. The dark night of the soul is a spiritual aspect of emotional pain
• B. Emotional pain is always caused by sin
• C. Emotional pain has no spiritual aspect
• D. Pain should be ignored

Answer: (A)

Emotional pain can carry a spiritual dimension, and Tan treats the dark night of the soul as that dimension. This term describes a period of deep emptiness, doubt, or desolation that can arise in the process of meaningful growth or spiritual development. In Tan’s view, such pain isn’t simply pathology or punishment for wrongdoing; it marks a spiritual struggle that can lead to greater depth of faith, meaning, or self-understanding. That’s why this statement fits best: the dark night of the soul is a spiritual aspect of emotional pain. The other ideas—pain being always caused by sin, having no spiritual aspect, or being something to ignore—do not align with Tan’s perspective, which sees emotional distress as potentially intertwined with spiritual meaning and transformation.