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The Book of Job: A Contest of Moral Imaginations
Carol Newsom illuminates the relation between the aesthetic forms of Job and the claims made by its various characters. Her innovative approach makes possible a new understanding of the unity of the book that rejects its dismantling in historical criticism and the flattening of the text that characterizes many final form readings. Additionally, she rehabilitates the moral perspectives represented by certain voices of the book that modern critics have treated with disdain.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 31, 2019
How do we read the book of Job? Newsom suggests that it is best to see it as a conversation, not only between characters within the book but the various theologies they present of how God can be just when good people suffer. Rather than elevating one theological voice over another, Newsom suggests that the book of Job creates a dynamic argument without resolution, each voice in tension with the other and the reader.
There are two main strengths of this book. One strength is her interpretation of Job and his friends’ dialogue in chapters 3-27; rather than presenting a straw-man view of the three friends, she seeks to understand their theology and the possible compassion behind it, making for a subtle, rich understanding of the nuances of the arguments. Job’s experience is in opposition to the ‘iconic narratives’ that most believers shape their life and beliefs around, so it is threatening to them. Talking about how metanarratives shape our understanding of the world is one of my passions, and I loved this application to Jon.
The other strength of Newsom’s approach is her focus on metaphor and imagery in the book of Job, which brings the book of Job alive and is key for understanding it. Her chapter on the Lord’s monologue, looking in depth at the imagery of the animals, is an absolute delight.
This theology of Job is not for the faint-hearted: Newsom’s writing is so dense and contentful that it makes for slow, though satisfying reading. Her beginning section is very philosophical, based on Mikhail Bakhtin’s literary theory, who is hard to translate at the best of times, and even though I’m a literature graduate I had a little trouble seeing how his analysis of Dostoyevsky applied to Job. However, this overall approach is a fruitful one, and her analysis of the various iconic narratives in Job is revelatory. Highly recommended.
There are two main strengths of this book. One strength is her interpretation of Job and his friends’ dialogue in chapters 3-27; rather than presenting a straw-man view of the three friends, she seeks to understand their theology and the possible compassion behind it, making for a subtle, rich understanding of the nuances of the arguments. Job’s experience is in opposition to the ‘iconic narratives’ that most believers shape their life and beliefs around, so it is threatening to them. Talking about how metanarratives shape our understanding of the world is one of my passions, and I loved this application to Jon.
The other strength of Newsom’s approach is her focus on metaphor and imagery in the book of Job, which brings the book of Job alive and is key for understanding it. Her chapter on the Lord’s monologue, looking in depth at the imagery of the animals, is an absolute delight.
This theology of Job is not for the faint-hearted: Newsom’s writing is so dense and contentful that it makes for slow, though satisfying reading. Her beginning section is very philosophical, based on Mikhail Bakhtin’s literary theory, who is hard to translate at the best of times, and even though I’m a literature graduate I had a little trouble seeing how his analysis of Dostoyevsky applied to Job. However, this overall approach is a fruitful one, and her analysis of the various iconic narratives in Job is revelatory. Highly recommended.
June 11, 2021
A really excellent study of the book of Job. Not a commentary, but a reflection on the different "moral imaginations" and types of discourses that are present in the book, using the literary theories of Bakhtin concerning dialogic and monologic truth (originally outlined in a study of Dostoevsky's writings) to argue for the book of Job as a polyphonic text reflecting different and irreconcilable understandings of suffering and the nature of the world. Erudite, if a bit unnecessarily technical at certain points.
Although I would disagree with the overall perspective of Job as a polyphonic text expressing dialogic truth, the approach allows Newsom to delve deeply into each different speaker and perspective of the book, looking for what they have to offer the text as a whole. Newsom's familiarity with Job, understanding of the literary and cultural context, and sensitivity to the poetic aspects of the text all contribute to the book's overall excellence. I found particularly illuminating the discussion of similar texts from the ANE (ludlul ben nemeqi, Babylonian Theodicy, etc.), the in-depth interpretation of Job's initial poetic responses to God in the prologue, the concept of explanatory narrative in the dialogue of Job's three friends framed by past sin and future restoration, contrasted with Job's emphasis on the fractured "now," the unique idea of Job's "moral geography" and conception of morality expressed in chapters 29-31, and the striking notion of a poetic reversal of expectations in the divine speeches (beginning with creation and ending with a chaos-monster, rather than beginning with a chaos-monster that is slain by the deity in creating the world). I think I have gotten more out of this book on Job than any other I have yet read.
Although I would disagree with the overall perspective of Job as a polyphonic text expressing dialogic truth, the approach allows Newsom to delve deeply into each different speaker and perspective of the book, looking for what they have to offer the text as a whole. Newsom's familiarity with Job, understanding of the literary and cultural context, and sensitivity to the poetic aspects of the text all contribute to the book's overall excellence. I found particularly illuminating the discussion of similar texts from the ANE (ludlul ben nemeqi, Babylonian Theodicy, etc.), the in-depth interpretation of Job's initial poetic responses to God in the prologue, the concept of explanatory narrative in the dialogue of Job's three friends framed by past sin and future restoration, contrasted with Job's emphasis on the fractured "now," the unique idea of Job's "moral geography" and conception of morality expressed in chapters 29-31, and the striking notion of a poetic reversal of expectations in the divine speeches (beginning with creation and ending with a chaos-monster, rather than beginning with a chaos-monster that is slain by the deity in creating the world). I think I have gotten more out of this book on Job than any other I have yet read.
October 23, 2024
High marks for the usefulness of the Bakhtinian/dialogical approach to Job as a polyphonic text, the clarity of the writing style, the organization, and the exegetical insights. Even though I don’t regard Job as entirely open-ended, I derived much value from carefully reading this monograph.
See Eric Ortlund’s “Piercing Leviathan” (pp. 91-97) for a level-headed critique of Newsom’s polyphonic/polyvalent reading as alien to the compositional setting of Job (e.g., the ANE; Ancient Israel).
See Eric Ortlund’s “Piercing Leviathan” (pp. 91-97) for a level-headed critique of Newsom’s polyphonic/polyvalent reading as alien to the compositional setting of Job (e.g., the ANE; Ancient Israel).
April 22, 2019
This is one of those books that you know will be the standard for a very long time. I feel proud to have read it. Anyone interested in the Book of Job who is crazy enough to engage in rigorous thought that is difficult to grasp for anyone should read this exquisite book.
August 23, 2022
unique perspective from a literary perspective. very well done.
April 7, 2010
Newsom uses Bahktin's theory of polyphonic texts to work through some of the standard challenges related to the genre of Job. Lots of good observations, and a number of good leads.
February 21, 2014
So well researched, and so nuanced. A lovely opening up of the text that uses the texts' ambiguity constructively.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews