Jimmy Denneny
Phil. of Religion
Speidell
May 2, 2005
Philosophy of Job: Theodicy
The Book of Job is one of the most celebrated pieces of biblical literature, not only because it explores some of the most profound questions humans ask about their lives, but also because it is extremely well written. The work combines two literary forms, framing forty chapters of verse between two and a half chapters of prose at the beginning and the end. The poetic discourse of Job and his friends is unique in its own right. The lengthy conversation has the unified voice and consistent style of poetry, but it is a dialogue between characters that alter their moods, question their motives, change their minds, and undercut each other with sarcasm and innuendo (Hontheim). Although Job comes closest to doing so, no single character articulates one true or authoritative opinion. Each speaker has his own flaws as well as his own lofty moments of observation or astute theological insight. The main theological and philosophical topic of discussion in Job is Theodicy or the problem of evil. Job is a good person who has terrible things happen to him out of the blue. These events cause him to question the reason God does things a certain way. This questioning is questioning why the evil exists and thus creates Theodicy. The book of Job is an excellent example for a case study of Theodicy for the reason that horrible things happen to Job, an outstanding person.
Job is a wealthy man living in a land called Uz with his large family and extensive flocks. He is "blameless" and "upright," always careful to avoid doing evil (1:1). One day, Satan ("the Adversary") appears before God in heaven. God boasts to Satan about Job's goodness, but Satan argues that Jo ...