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Arguing with God: A Jewish Tradition
As an old proverb puts it, "Two Jews, three opinions." In the long, rich, tumultuous history of the Jewish people, this characteristic contentiousness has often been extended even unto Heaven. Arguing with God is a highly original and utterly absorbing study that skates along the edge of this theological thin ice―at times verging dangerously close to blasphemy―yet also a source of some of the most poignant and deeply soulful expressions of human anguish and yearning.
The name Israel literally denotes one who "wrestles with God." And, from Jacob's battle with the angel to Elie Wiesel's haunting questions about the Holocaust that hang in the air like still smoke over our own age, Rabbi Laytner admirably details Judaism's rich and pervasive tradition of calling God to task over human suffering and experienced injustice.
It is a tradition that originated in the biblical period itself. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and others all petitioned for divine intervention in their lives, or appealed forcefully to God to alter His proposed decree. Other biblical arguments focused on personal or communal suffering and anger: Jeremiah, Job, and certain Psalms and Lamentations. Rabbi Laytner delves beneath the surface of these "blasphemies" and reveals how they implicitly helped to refute the claims of opponent religions and advance Jewish doctrines and teachings.
The name Israel literally denotes one who "wrestles with God." And, from Jacob's battle with the angel to Elie Wiesel's haunting questions about the Holocaust that hang in the air like still smoke over our own age, Rabbi Laytner admirably details Judaism's rich and pervasive tradition of calling God to task over human suffering and experienced injustice.
It is a tradition that originated in the biblical period itself. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and others all petitioned for divine intervention in their lives, or appealed forcefully to God to alter His proposed decree. Other biblical arguments focused on personal or communal suffering and anger: Jeremiah, Job, and certain Psalms and Lamentations. Rabbi Laytner delves beneath the surface of these "blasphemies" and reveals how they implicitly helped to refute the claims of opponent religions and advance Jewish doctrines and teachings.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
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About the author
Anson Hugh Laytner
9 books1 followerAnson Laytner is a happily retired rabbi, living in Seattle, whose career focused on building positive interfaith and interethnic relations in our community.
During his career, he served as program manager for Seattle University School of Theology and Ministry's Interreligious Initiative, as a hospice chaplain at the Kline Galland Home and a grant-writer for the Jewish Family Service of Seattle, as interim rabbi at Congregation Kol HaNeshamah, and as executive director of the Seattle Chapter of the American Jewish Committee and of Multifaith Works, a Seattle non-profit agency that served people with AIDS. He also directed the Seattle Jewish Federation's Community Relations Council.
He is the author of the cult classic “Arguing with God”; “The Mystery of Suffering and the Meaning of God”; “Choosing Life After Tragedy”; and his first (and probably only) novel “The Forgotten Commandment”. He co-authored with Dan Bridge, “The Animals’ Lawsuit Against Humanity” and co-edited with Jordan Paper “The Chinese Jews of Kaifeng”.
As a volunteer, Laytner serves as president of the Sino-Judaic Institute (www.sinojudaic.org) and edits its journal, Points East. He is a past president of Northwest Interfaith and also served on the advisory board of End of Life Washington. He is an active supporter of the New Israel Fund and J Street.
Laytner has a BA, summa cum laude, from York University in Toronto, a Masters of Hebrew Letters (MAHL) and rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College, a Masters in Not-for-Profit Leadership (MNPL) from Seattle University, and an honorary Doctorate in Divinity from Hebrew Union College.
Rabbi Laytner is married to Richelle Harrell. He has two living daughters, three sons-in-law and five grandkids.
For more information or to contact him, go to www.ansonlaytner.com.
During his career, he served as program manager for Seattle University School of Theology and Ministry's Interreligious Initiative, as a hospice chaplain at the Kline Galland Home and a grant-writer for the Jewish Family Service of Seattle, as interim rabbi at Congregation Kol HaNeshamah, and as executive director of the Seattle Chapter of the American Jewish Committee and of Multifaith Works, a Seattle non-profit agency that served people with AIDS. He also directed the Seattle Jewish Federation's Community Relations Council.
He is the author of the cult classic “Arguing with God”; “The Mystery of Suffering and the Meaning of God”; “Choosing Life After Tragedy”; and his first (and probably only) novel “The Forgotten Commandment”. He co-authored with Dan Bridge, “The Animals’ Lawsuit Against Humanity” and co-edited with Jordan Paper “The Chinese Jews of Kaifeng”.
As a volunteer, Laytner serves as president of the Sino-Judaic Institute (www.sinojudaic.org) and edits its journal, Points East. He is a past president of Northwest Interfaith and also served on the advisory board of End of Life Washington. He is an active supporter of the New Israel Fund and J Street.
Laytner has a BA, summa cum laude, from York University in Toronto, a Masters of Hebrew Letters (MAHL) and rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College, a Masters in Not-for-Profit Leadership (MNPL) from Seattle University, and an honorary Doctorate in Divinity from Hebrew Union College.
Rabbi Laytner is married to Richelle Harrell. He has two living daughters, three sons-in-law and five grandkids.
For more information or to contact him, go to www.ansonlaytner.com.
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