Deconstructing Theodicy: Why Job Has Nothing to Say to the Puzzle of Suffering

by David B. Burrell

An ancient commentator called Job a "strange and wonderful book." For many readers, "strange" might do. Though Job has been characterized as an answer to the problem of suffering, for many the book... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1587432226
• ISBN13: 9781587432224
• Release Date: March 2008
• Publisher: Brazos Press
• Length: 146 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A Psychologist finds support in the language of philosophy/theology

Mrs. Job It is really totally inappropriate for me to assign stars to this book, because the language of philosophy/theology is so different from the psychological language that's familiar to me. But I really want to do what I can to convey my excitement about Burrell's book. My interest, of course, stems from my amateur fascination with the book of Job, which led to my own fictional "Mrs. Job." I jumped at the chance to communicate with Professor Burrell when I thought about the implications of his title, and read a review of his work in "The Christian Century," because it sounded like I might have been fortunate enough to hit on the conclusion he conveys in his book. Actually reading what he had to say makes it clear to me that I'm partially right and partially wrong on that. There is a danger as I go on with this that I might make the error that's so often perpetrated when people make their way through an important book. (Think of how we treat the Bible, for example.) That is, there are sentences that reach out and grab me, and I need to be cautious about latching on to them as telling the whole story while they support my own private point of view. But what I think is safe for me to do is to admit to the thoughts I have taken away from my reading. I hope Professor Burrell will read and correct me on this. The theme that stands out to me in reading this is that Job speaks TO [caps replace italics] the Creator, while his "friends" talk ABOUT God. On page 124 I find the quote that makes it easiest for me to support that view: "Job is commended in the end because he dared to address the creator-God; his interlocutors are castigated for purporting to speak knowingly about that One. Speaking ABOUT something veers toward explaining, while speaking TO someone can engage both in a relationship of exchange open to yet other forms of understanding. Indeed, what is most telling, structurally, in the book of Job is that the creator-God does answer Job's extended complaints. Yet those looking for an explanation will find themselves scrutinizing WHAT the voice from the whirlwind says, while the dynamic of the unfolding relationship should lead us to what is most startling of all: THAT God responded to him." I (Mona) think this means that the interlocutors imposed their own explanations on the Creator while Job trusted in the relationship. In a couple of places (pp. 117,131) Professor Burrell makes reference to "grace." I think that's the piece that Job "got." If I did, indeed, "get" Professor Burrell's point, I'll go back to the book's page 38 and support it with the following: "The framing legal irony of the book escapes the dogmatist, whose deliberate recasting of Job's own story mimics those self-justifying strategies endemic to ideologues in every time and place." In other words, I think maybe I got it sort of right in my "Mrs. Job," that God punished those who would claim to know God's plan, even dictating what God's justice would, or should,

at least the first half was good. . .

One nugget that I spotted at SBL Boston is this small examination of Job by Notre Dame philosophy professor, David Burrell. What especially stood out to me is captured in the subtitle: "Why Job Has Nothing to Say to the Puzzle of Suffering". Although I would hesitate to use nothing here (it is a vast overstatement, especially from a professional philosopher), this gave me the indication that the perspective here would certainly be on the right path (N.B., Job is about wisdom, for those wanting to play the home version). It would certainly follow that if Job's suffering was the vehicle for the discussion of wisdom, there most likely is something to be said to the puzzle of suffering . . . let's not count it out just yet. The book is light by weight (only 125 pages of text), but does contain some heavy thoughts. The first four chapters provide an overview and brief reading of Job. I must say that Burrell gets it completely right on this (perhaps some more seasoned scholars will find a few minor divergences), seeing Job appropriately as a narrative meant to carry a discussion of true wisdom in the world. Burrell is careful to respect the genre here, and allows the storytelling to emerge along with the discussion. For example, "The prologue has completed its task once Job's palpable affliction has brought this archetypal figure down to earth" (26). Further, Burrell sees the speeches given by Job's friends for what they are meant to represent - poorly constructed theology packaged in pithy statements designed to give comfort to themselves rather than discuss the pain of Job: "Eliphaz purports to know all about the ways of the Lord, yet axioms distilled from traditional narratives carefully avoid addressing Job's plight" (28). Going from bad to worse, he captures the words of Eliphaz in ch. 22 with, "Prefacing with, 'Is not your wickedness great? There is no end to your guilt' (22:5), he goes on to rewrite the life story that God had recounted to Satan to laud Job" (38). These are all necessary points to understanding the narrative which most readers simply do not understand. Overall Burrell gets the narrative reading right, though it would have been good to see a bit more emphasis on Job's repentance in ch. 34 than is given here. As for the rest of the book, you are either interested in the subject matter or you are not. There is not a whole lot to endear those who do not already have a desire to follow the issues which are presented. Chapter 5 is an essay presented by A. H. Johns, "A Comparative Glance at Ayyub in the Qur'an". Though some will find value here, from my perspective as a biblical theologian I did not find much fruit for understanding Job. Chapter 6 then goes to examine classical commentaries on the book (Saadiah, Maimonides, Aquinas, and Gersonides). I confess that I do not quite understand why these four alone without other regard for church history. The final two chapters discuss Job's contribution to theodicy. B