Name: Anonymous 2007-11-24 18:35
Widely praised as one of the greatest books ever written, The Book of Job is a theodicy, an attempt to morally justify the ways of God to man.It is a most provocative theodicy for it is the story of the most righteous man on earth putting God on trial for crimes against humanity and refusing to acquit him.
To the question of why there is evil in the world, The Book of Job offers a non-traditional answer.
(a) God created a world of undeserved and unremitted suffering in order the make the highest form of human love possible: a completely selfless love of man for God. Selfishness corrupts selfless love. If human beings know with certainty that God rewards those who love him, then they will serve God for what they can get from him. Undeserved evil is morally necessary in order to bring the existence of God into doubt and to sever any connection between righteousness and reward.
(b) God cannot reveal this explanation for evil in this life without defeating his own purpose in the creation of the world and the creation of man.
(c) God expects man to challenge him for the creation of such a world. Prima facie, it is an act of injustice to impose evil for reasons other than punishment or character development. The undeserved evil God sends is more punishment than any man deserves. And the undeserved evil God sends destroys character more often than not. Human beings have a moral duty to challenge God for such evil. They have a natural need to know and a natural right to receive the explanation for evil in world. God expects human beings to stand up to him. They sin if they either prematurely condemn or prematurely acquit God for sending evil into the world. They must wait for the answer that only God can give.
(d) God will reveal that answer on the Day of the Final Judgment. At that time, God will resurrect all human beings to give them that answer. God will grant all human beings a special grace to understand the necessity and sufficiency of undeserved evil. God is causally responsible for the evil in the world, but not morally blameworthy for it. At that time, all will know and understand God’s purpose in the creation of a world of undeserved and unremitted suffering. And God will then judge all human beings on the selflessness of their love for God.
To the question of why there is evil in the world, The Book of Job offers a non-traditional answer.
(a) God created a world of undeserved and unremitted suffering in order the make the highest form of human love possible: a completely selfless love of man for God. Selfishness corrupts selfless love. If human beings know with certainty that God rewards those who love him, then they will serve God for what they can get from him. Undeserved evil is morally necessary in order to bring the existence of God into doubt and to sever any connection between righteousness and reward.
(b) God cannot reveal this explanation for evil in this life without defeating his own purpose in the creation of the world and the creation of man.
(c) God expects man to challenge him for the creation of such a world. Prima facie, it is an act of injustice to impose evil for reasons other than punishment or character development. The undeserved evil God sends is more punishment than any man deserves. And the undeserved evil God sends destroys character more often than not. Human beings have a moral duty to challenge God for such evil. They have a natural need to know and a natural right to receive the explanation for evil in world. God expects human beings to stand up to him. They sin if they either prematurely condemn or prematurely acquit God for sending evil into the world. They must wait for the answer that only God can give.
(d) God will reveal that answer on the Day of the Final Judgment. At that time, God will resurrect all human beings to give them that answer. God will grant all human beings a special grace to understand the necessity and sufficiency of undeserved evil. God is causally responsible for the evil in the world, but not morally blameworthy for it. At that time, all will know and understand God’s purpose in the creation of a world of undeserved and unremitted suffering. And God will then judge all human beings on the selflessness of their love for God.