The Book of Job

1. What is "The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happened to a Good Person" by Harold S. Kushner about?

• Modern Commentary on Job: The book is a contemporary exploration and commentary on the biblical Book of Job, focusing on the enduring question of why good people suffer.
• Personal and Scholarly Approach: Kushner combines personal experience, especially the loss of his son, with deep scholarly analysis of the Job narrative.
• Theological Inquiry: The book examines the nature of God, the problem of evil, and the human search for meaning in suffering.
• Structure of Job: Kushner explains the two-part structure of Job—the Fable (prose) and the Poem (poetry)—and how each presents different theological perspectives.

2. Why should I read "The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happened to a Good Person" by Harold S. Kushner?

• Addresses Universal Questions: The book tackles the age-old dilemma of undeserved suffering, a question relevant to anyone facing hardship or loss.
• Accessible Scholarship: Kushner makes complex biblical and philosophical ideas understandable for general readers, not just theologians.
• Personal Relevance: The author’s own experiences with tragedy lend authenticity and emotional depth to his interpretations.
• Practical Wisdom: Readers gain not only theological insights but also practical advice on coping with suffering and supporting others in pain.

3. What are the key takeaways from "The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happened to a Good Person"?

• Suffering Is Not Always Deserved: The book challenges the idea that all suffering is a result of personal sin or divine punishment.
• God’s Role Is Complex: Kushner suggests that God may not cause or will every tragedy, and that God’s power may be self-limited to allow for human freedom and natural law.
• Honest Faith Includes Doubt: Expressing anger or doubt toward God is portrayed as a legitimate and even necessary part of a mature faith.
• Meaning-Making Is Human: The search for meaning in suffering is a uniquely human trait, and finding or creating meaning can help make pain more bearable.

4. How does Harold S. Kushner interpret the structure and authorship of the Book of Job?

• Two Distinct Parts: Kushner distinguishes between the Fable (prose prologue and epilogue) and the Poem (the central poetic dialogues), arguing they were likely written by different authors.
• Contrasting Theologies: The Fable presents a simple, transactional view of faith and reward, while the Poem offers a more complex, questioning, and even confrontational approach to God.
• Job as Everyman: The character of Job is not specifically Jewish but represents a universal human experience, making the book’s message broadly applicable.
• Editorial Layers: Kushner notes possible later additions and edits, such as the speeches of Elihu, which may not reflect the original author’s intent.

5. What is Kushner’s main argument about the problem of suffering in "The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happened to a Good Person"?

• Rejects Simple Explanations: Kushner argues against the idea that suffering is always deserved or that God is punishing the innocent for hidden sins.
• God’s Power and Goodness: He suggests that God is good but may not always intervene in natural or human-caused tragedies, due to self-imposed limits on divine power.
• Human Responsibility: The book emphasizes the importance of human compassion and action in alleviating suffering, rather than relying solely on theological explanations.
• Faith Amid Uncertainty: Kushner advocates for a faith that persists even when answers are elusive, valuing honesty and relationship with God over doctrinal certainty.

6. How does Kushner explain the roles of Behemoth and Leviathan in the Book of Job?

• Symbols of Chaos and Instinct: Behemoth and Leviathan represent the forces of chaos, randomness, and primal instinct in the world, which even God must contend with.
• Necessary for Creation: These forces are seen as necessary for a dynamic, evolving world, allowing for both creativity and unpredictability.
• Limits of Divine Control: Their presence suggests that not everything is under direct divine control, and that some suffering results from the world’s inherent unpredictability.
• Human Role: Kushner interprets God’s speech about these creatures as a call for humans to accept the world’s imperfections and to find meaning and comfort despite them.

7. What does Kushner say about the human need to find meaning in suffering, according to "The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happened to a Good Person"?

• Meaning-Makers: Humans are unique in their drive to seek meaning in suffering, unlike animals who simply move on from adversity.
• Imposing or Discovering Meaning: When no clear reason for suffering is found, people often create meaning by asking, “What good can come from this?”
• Danger of Self-Blame: The desire for meaning can lead to unhealthy self-blame, as people prefer to feel guilty rather than powerless.
• Transforming Suffering: Finding or creating meaning can help transform suffering into an opportunity for growth, empathy, or action.

8. How does "The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happened to a Good Person" address the question, "Is it okay to be angry at God?"

• Affirmation of Honest Emotion: Kushner strongly affirms that expressing anger or frustration toward God is not only acceptable but can be a sign of a deep, honest relationship.
• Biblical Precedent: He points to Job’s own outbursts and the tradition of biblical figures who challenged or questioned God.
• Anger as Part of Love: True love and faith, Kushner argues, include the freedom to express all emotions, including anger, without fear of rejection.
• God Prefers Honesty: The book suggests that a God worth worshipping would prefer honest anger to insincere praise or flattery.

9. What are the main theological perspectives on suffering discussed by Kushner in "The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happened to a Good Person"?

• Traditional Retribution Theology: The idea that suffering is always a punishment for sin, as argued by Job’s friends.
• Maimonides’ View: Suffering is a means to greater knowledge of God, and what seems evil may not be truly evil from God’s perspective.
• Kabbalistic and Mystical Views: Suffering results from the world’s inherent brokenness, not from God’s will, and humans are called to help repair the world (tikkun olam).
• Modern Theological Responses: Thinkers like Buber and Heschel emphasize God’s hiddenness or self-limitation, and the importance of human response and compassion.

10. How does Kushner interpret God’s answer to Job from the whirlwind in "The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happened to a Good Person"?

• Not a Direct Explanation: God does not provide a direct answer to Job’s questions about suffering but instead emphasizes the vastness and complexity of creation.
• Affirmation of Relationship: The encounter itself, rather than the content of God’s speech, brings Job comfort and a sense of not being abandoned.
• Limits of Human Understanding: God’s response highlights the limits of human understanding and the impossibility of grasping all reasons for suffering.
• Call to Acceptance and Action: Kushner sees God’s answer as an invitation to accept the world’s imperfections and to focus on living meaningfully within them.

11. What practical advice does Kushner offer for coping with suffering in "The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happened to a Good Person"?

• Seek Honest Support: Surround yourself with friends who offer genuine comfort, not just platitudes or theological explanations.
• Allow Yourself to Grieve: Give yourself permission to feel and express pain, anger, and doubt without guilt.
• Find or Create Meaning: Look for ways to bring good out of suffering, whether through helping others, advocacy, or personal growth.
• Embrace Compassion: Focus on acts of kindness and solidarity, both as a way to heal and as a response to the world’s brokenness.

12. What are the best quotes from "The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happened to a Good Person" by Harold S. Kushner, and what do they mean?

• "Any God worth worshipping should prefer honest anger to hypocritical praise." – Emphasizes the value of authenticity in one’s relationship with God.
• "We want so much to believe that we live in a world that makes sense, a world in which everything happens for a reason..." – Highlights the human need for meaning, even when it leads to self-blame or superstition.
• "God is moral, Nature is not." – Distinguishes between the moral will of God and the amoral workings of the natural world.
• "I have experienced the reality of God. I know that I am not alone, and, vulnerable mortal that I am, I am comforted." – Captures the book’s ultimate message: comfort and meaning are found not in answers, but in relationship and presence.
• "Blow on the coal of the heart and we’ll see by and by." – From MacLeish’s J.B., quoted by Kushner, suggesting that love and resilience are the ultimate responses to suffering when answers fail.