Many scholars find the legal metaphor of an Oath of Innocence inappropriate, though for different reasons. Some liberal scholars opt for an aesthetic, not a moral, resolution of the question of evil in the world. They find a sublime beauty in God's review of the animal and physical worlds, Behemoth and Leviathan. But that is all they find. They find no suggestions of moral purpose in God's creation and control of evil. Indeed, they feel none could be forthcoming. God is beyond good and evil so no moral resolution is possible. Since no moral resolution is possible, a legal mataphor such as a lawsuit dramatizing the moral question is inappropriate. They interpret Job to understand that position. And they interpret him to retract the lawsuit in its entirety. This author feels such liberal scholars miss a moral resolution for five reasons. (a) First, they fail to give adequate weight to Satan's first speech in heaven setting out the moral solution. (b) Second, they misinterpret Job's struggle with God to be a request for a restoration of his former position, rather than a request to know the reason behind evil in the world. (c) Third, they fail to appreciate the moral restrictions under which God has to operate. God cannot reveal any moral answers directly without defeating his very purpose in the creation and control of evil. As a result, they miss the suggestions of moral purpose in God's two speeches and the inferences God would have Job draw. (d) Fourth, they fail to fully appreciate the legal dynamics of the enforcement mechanism of Job's Oath of Innocence. In particular, they fail to appreciate the distinction between causal responsibility and moral blameworthiness. Thus, they do not understand God's comments concerning vindication and condemnation in his first speech to Job. And they do not understand Job's hesitation to proceed beyond his own vindication to a condemnation of God in Job's first speech to God. Ultimately, they fail to see Job's adjournment and continuation of his Oath of Innocence implied by the allusion to the story of Abraham and Sodom and Gomorrah in Job's final speech. (e) Finally, they fail to give full expression to God's ultimate judgement on Job. Job and only Job spoke rightly about God. In the face of such a judgement, there is no room to deny the ultimate propriety of the moral and legal question as a way of framing man's encounter with God. Some conservative scholars opt for a moral resolution of the question of evil in the world, but their resolution is equally unsatisfying. They interpret Job's so-called excessive words and his Oath of Innocence to be sins of presumption. Thus they would have Job retract his lawsuit in its entirety and repent morally for either his so-called excessive words, his raising of the lawsuit or both. This author feels such conservative scholars miss a satisfactory moral resolution for three reasons. (a) First, they fail to understand the depth of Satan's challenge to God. It is not merely that Job will curse God. It is that God is wrong in his judgement on Job's goodness. God missed sin in Job's life. Such scholars think their moral resolution is possible, because although Job sins, Job does not actually curse God. Their resolution actually makes Satan right in his challenge of God so that God should step down from his throne and destroy mankind. (b) Second, they fail to give proper weight to Job's blamelessness and integrity. The raising of the Oath of Innocence is an expression of that blamelessness and integrity. It is what God expects of Job, though he cannot tell him that directly. (c) Finally, they fail to give full expression of God's ultimate judgement on Job. Job and only Job spoke rightly about God. In the face of such a judgement, there is no room to attribute sin or wrongdoing to Job for either his so-called excessive words or for his Oath of Innocence. My personal interpretation charts a new middle course between these two-fold horrors

This book addresses the problem of religion, ethics, and public policy in a global technological civilization. It attempts to do what narrative ethicists have said cannot be done--to construct a cross-cultural ethic of human dignity, human rights, and human liberation which respects the diversity of narrative traditions. It seeks to do this without succumbing to either ethical relativism or ethical absolutism. The author confronts directly the dominant narrative of our technological civilization: the Janus-faced myths of "Apocalypse or Utopia." Through this myth, we view technology ambivalently, as both the object of our dread and the source of our hope. The myth thus renders us ethically impotent: the very strength of our literal utopian euphoria sends us careening toward some literal apocalyptic "final solution." The demonic narrative that dominated Auschwitz ("killing in order to heal") is part of this Janus-faced technological mythos that emerged out of Hiroshima. And it is this mythic narrative which underlies and structures much of public policy in our nuclear age. This book proposes a coalition of members of holy communities and secular groups, organized to prevent any future eruptions of the demonic. Its goal is to construct a bridge not only over the abyss between religions, East and West, but also between religious and secular ethics.

Joseph Woodward brings fresh perspective and real clarity, in a way that will renew your faith in the unfailing goodness of a magnificent heavenly Father. Your love for the Lord and your love of His Word will be perceptibly enhanced as you assimilate the timely and important message contained in this volume. As you begin to understand that it is not your heavenly Father that is arranging and setting in motion the bitter trials and tragedies in your life, your love for Him will immediately, naturally, and sweetly increase. There are many sources of severe trials, but your heavenly Father is not one of them. In "Understanding Trials, To Better Understand God," those sources, and how to close the door on many of them, are clearly revealed.

The Historical Dictionary of Holocaust Cinema examines the history of how the Holocaust is presented in film, including documentaries, feature films, and television productions. It contains a chronology of events needed to give the films and their reception a historical contex...

Flowing in Gods Purpose offers different perspectives concerning spiritual warfare. It was written with theology as its theme. It is intended to show areas of our lives where the enemy may not be discernible. In our humanity, it is normal to observe trials, tests, and annoyances from a physical or psychological realm; however, we miss the bigger picture when we take an improper perspective. God understands our initial reactions because he gave us emotions. Emotions do have a place in our lives and are often manifested at the outset of trial. Flowing in Gods Purpose was not written to seek agreement; it was written to offer different perspectives.

The Passion of Christ is observed by people all around the world as one of the more significant days on the Christian calendar. In certain parts of the world, such as the Philippines, the re-enactments of the crucifixion can go so far as to include actual nails driven through the hands of participants as they wail in pain. Is this the way we are to learn about the crucifixion? Will a re-enactment teach us the truth of the cross? The text of John 18 and 19 teaches us clearly the facts of the crucifixion and is surrounded by intrigue and mystery. For too long, Protestant Christianity has neglected the years of scholarship in pre-reformation and post-reformation Roman research. In The Trials and Passion of Christ, Michael Cannon brings together the best of Protestant and Roman scholasticism to uncover significant details surrounding the trials and the drama of the crucifixion on Golgotha. This book is a journey, reading nearly like an eye-witness report, through the trials, the suffering, and the passion of Christ.