Presentation on theme: "The Book of Job Ca. 5 th century BCE. Focus: A Profound Problem Why does God allow good people to suffer? Why is there misfortune and unhappiness in."— Presentation transcript:
Focus: A Profound Problem Why does God allow good people to suffer? Why is there misfortune and unhappiness in the world?
Our Bewilderment If innocent people suffer for no reason,what kind of order can we find in a world where that can happen? Can you stick to justice and piety if innocent people will not necessarily be rewarded?
Job’s Doctrine The insistence of his innocence and the persistence in his piety toward God.
Job’s Demand To understand the reason for his suffering (Job did not repudiate God for his suffering, as what his wife did.) (Job did not repudiate God for his suffering, as what his wife did.)
The Mistake of Job’s Comforters They confused moral goodness with outward circumstance. God’s ways are not to be reduced to such an easy formula.
The Mistake of Job He is mistaken to think that he and God can meet on such equal terms and that he merits an explanation.
The solution that does not answer our doubt The vast, incommensurable greatness of God
THE TYGER By William Blake Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry? In what distant deeps or skies Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand dare sieze the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art. Could twist the sinews of thy heart? And when thy heart began to beat, What dread hand? & what dread feet? What the hammer? what the chain? In what furnace was thy brain? What the anvil? what dread grasp Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears, And watered heaven with their tears, Did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee? Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Dare frame thy fearful symmetry? (1794)