Spring 2010/Pasadena
OT570
Butler

OT570: JOB AND HUMAN SUFFERING. James T. Butler.


DESCRIPTION: The book of Job will be examined critically from the twin perspectives of its meaning in its ancient context and its continuing significance for the modern community of faith. Lectures will alternate between close exegetical treatment of selected passages of Job and surveys of larger thematic and structural issues, including the place of Job within the contexts of Israelite and ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature. Significant time will be given to discussion of the implications of Job for the theological reflection and praxis of the church: how is suffering consistent with our confessions about God, how can we learn from the suffering of others, and how can we minister faithfully to those who suffer?

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Job offers crucial lessons for ministry to a suffering world: the limits of our theological systems in the face of unexplained suffering; the need for humility and self-scrutiny in our efforts to help those who suffer; the need to recognize and to advocate for those who suffer in our midst and "outside the gate," in the very diverse social and cultural settings of our world.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course will have demonstrated (1) a sound grasp of the book of Job and a consistent, exegetically sound interpretation of its message; (2) an ability to relate Job to the wisdom literature of the Old Testament and to appreciate the distinctive contributions of this literature to biblical theology; and (3) an ability to articulate responses to the theological challenges posed by suffering; (4) an increased awareness of the way that diverse communities experience and interpret suffering.

COURSE FORMAT: This course will meet twice each week for two-hour sessions; the class will include both lecture and structured discussions.

REQUIRED READING:

English text of Job.

One of the following two commentaries:
Hartley, J.E. The Book of Job. NICOT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988. OR

Balentine, Samuel E. Job. Macon, GA: Smyth and Helwys, 2006.
Gutiérrez, Gustavo. On Job: God-Talk and the Suffering of the Innocent. Maryknoll: Orbis, 1987.

MacLeish, A. J.B. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1958.

A published personal narrative or reflection on suffering and its theological implications (a list of suggestions will be provided in class).

RECOMMENDED READING:
Billman, Kathleen D., and Daniel L. Migliore. Rachel's Cry: Prayer of Lament and Rebirth of Hope. Reprint: Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2007.

Hall, Douglas John. God and Human Suffering: An Exercise in the Theology of the Cross. Augsburg, 1986.

Newsom, Carol. The Book of Job: A Contest of Moral Imaginations. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009 (paperback ed.)

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: The requirements will fall into three areas: (1) Weekly preparation for exegetical and theological discussions. (2) The writing of a paper (approximately 12-15 pages) relating the interpretation of Job to some facet of human suffering. (3) The use of lecture notes and syllabus readings to develop answers to study questions from which the final examination will be drawn.

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: MDiv elective. Meets MA program requirement for Old Testament book study (OTBK).

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (Posted February 2, 2010)