The Book of Job
Winter (4 - 8.5 hours) | This course is completed
Does one worship God “for nought” (without any expectation of reward or punishment)? Is there justice in the world? These are the central questions of the Book of Job. There are no easy answers. Nor is there a settled interpretation of this challenging text.
We will first carefully read the Biblical text, taking care to locate its role in the overall Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. We will then consider several modern interpreters to see what insights they glean from Job.
No prior knowledge of the Bible is required, only an open mind and a willingness to engage vigorous questioning. Required texts for the course are the Bible (Revised or New Revised Standard Version), Bill McKibben’s The Comforting Whirlwind: God, Job and the Scale of Creation, and a reading packet.
- The Bible, New Revised Standard (ISBN-13: 978-0195288803)
- The Comforting Whirlwind: God, Job and the Scale of Creation by Bill McKibben (ISBN-13: 978-0195288803)
Susan McCaslin
A graduate of Smith College and Harvard Divinity School, Susan McCaslin spent her career as a teacher and educational administrator, first at Harvard Divinity School and then for 27 years at Phillips Academy, where she taught in the Philosophy and Religious Studies Department and served as academic dean and associate dean of faculty. She continues to be an active scholar and teacher (this is her sixth Osher course in religious studies).