All turned against him: Exploring the social dimensions of Job’s suffering in light of the Mediterranean ethos of honor and shame
Park, Cheongsoo
Park, Cheongsoo
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2024-11-13
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Abstract
This project examines the suffering of the innocent—one of the most profound theological-moral topics concerning contingency in human life as found in the Hebrew Bible—by probing into the struggles of the human character, Job, over his sudden calamities in the Book of Job. The aim of this study is to identify the social root of his suffering and the perceptual, rhetorical, and social dynamics this aspect of suffering creates within his dialogues with his three friends, especially in Job 3:1 to 31:40. Specifically, by taking the collectivistic socio-cultural traits implied in the literary representation of Job’s society as a cue to view his case in light of scholarly discussions concerning modern societies with similar socio-cultural contexts, I analyze Job’s lingering attention to his public recognition through the lens of the Mediterranean ethos of honor and shame. This process reveals the collapsed social-theological foundation of his perceived worth and the economic basis of the public’s invalidation of his worth, which functions as the most fundamental and significant hurdle in his effort to confront the injustice he perceives in their collective behavior. This study intends for the proposed analysis to assist Bible readers in coping with similar human relationship issues inherent in their own lives.
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Biblical studies
Religion
Social sciences education
Book of Job
Religion
Social sciences education
Book of Job
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Dissertation
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Brite Divinity School