Taking God to court: Job’s deconstruction and resistance of dominant ideology
Using poststructural criticism, we explore how the book of Job deconstructs the deed/consequence nexus that stands at the core of the Hebrew Bible’s theological framework – i.e. the doctrine of reward and punishment. Building on both Derridean deconstruction and Foucauldian resistance, we show that...
| Authors: | ; |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis
2023
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| In: |
International journal of philosophy and theology
Year: 2023, Volume: 84, Issue: 3/4, Pages: 181-198 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Job
/ Foucault, Michel 1926-1984
/ Derrida, Jacques 1930-2004
/ Justice of God
/ Deconstruction
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| IxTheo Classification: | HB Old Testament NBC Doctrine of God VA Philosophy VB Hermeneutics; Philosophy |
| Further subjects: | B
Resistance
B Deconstruction B poststructural criticism B consequence nexus / deed B Book of Job B Retributive Justice |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | Using poststructural criticism, we explore how the book of Job deconstructs the deed/consequence nexus that stands at the core of the Hebrew Bible’s theological framework – i.e. the doctrine of reward and punishment. Building on both Derridean deconstruction and Foucauldian resistance, we show that the book of Job refuses to comply with the opposite binary of reward and punishment. First, we demonstrate how the friends in their speeches enforce the binary and, thereby, exercise power over Job. Secondly, we consider Job’s resistance and deconstruction of this binary through both his lived experience and desire to argue with God. Finally, we argue how Job’s desire to argue with God challenges God to defend themself in court. In God’s answer, however, one is introduced to a different God than as portrayed by Job’s friends. Moreover, God’s boastful reply, which lacks any justification for Job’s suffering, makes God appear fragile and weak. As such, this article argues that the book of Job may not merely deconstruct dominant ideology, but also God itself. |
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| ISSN: | 2169-2335 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: International journal of philosophy and theology
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/21692327.2023.2296660 |