This thesis seeks to illustrate that the classic biblical work on the problem of the innocent sufferer, the Book of Job, is still relevant in twentieth century, Western culture. The exegetical complexity of the Book of Job is outlined in order to show that the work lends itself to diverse interpretations and uses by readers outside the academic community. This thesis then focuses on the writings of Gustavo Gutierrez, a Peruvian Catholic priest, who uses the Book of Job to empower the people's revolt against dictatorships; Elie Wiesel, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor, who identifies himself with Job and believes that Job must still be arguing with God; Archibald MacLeish, an American poet, professor, and statesman, who creates a modern Job who eventually realizes that humans have only the love of other humans as a raison d'être for life; Carl Gustav Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist, who believed that the Book of Job reflects an honest appraisal of the unconscious/God energy - a dualism which Christianity has suppressed much to its detriment. The four authors discussed are not 'critics'. Their use of the Book of Job is not exegetical in the standard sense of the text as object. To them it is a fundamental theme replete with a myriad of archetypal meanings. The conclusions reached are: The existential angst of the second half of the twentieth century is apparent in the work of these four writers. They chose the Book of Job because it provides a foundation for testimony about crucial world conditions. These four radically different individuals find a similar 'core meaning' in the Book of Job. Subjective interpretation of ancient texts can be useful in presenting controversial subjects to the general public.

From a close reading of both the Book of Job and Deuteronomy I would propose that the former might be intentionally responding to and challenging the prevailing Deuteronomic doctrine of divine retributive justice as it is expressed clearly in the notion of blessings and curses in Deuteronomy (11:26-28; chs. 27-28). It is also claimed that in order not to offend or upset the mainstream theological position too much, the author of Job chooses to adopt another theological position, the principle of divine providence, to balance the radical nature of his/her project. The two theological themes intertwine and they address different circles of audience, the orthodox and the liberal. This may provide an explanation for the existence of the seemingly self-contradictory elements in the Book of Job. / I will place the Book of Job in the post-exilic historical background and relate it to the contemporary intellectual context, that is, the Deuteronomistic historical writings (hereafter DH). While fully acknowledging the scholarly hypothetical nature of the DH, it can nevertheless be observed that the theme of "a just divine retribution" (Noth) works through the writings of the Deuteronomists. It is in this sense that some scholars label the DH as "a theodicy" (Romer), i.e., a defense of divine justice in the face of the national tragedy of exile. Since the Book of Job also seriously questions the validity of divine retributive justice it seems quite reasonable to read it in the light of the Deuteronomistic works and their theological doctrines. / Many biblical scholars have stated, the Book of Job relates to the issue of the validity/applicability of divine justice (Jastrow, Crenshaw, etc.). There are others who disagree and they consider the book offers a strong confirmation of divine providence (e.g. Andersen). This is especially true with YHWH speeches (38:1-40:2; 40:6-41:34) and the so called "happy ending" (42:7-17). Though most scholars would acknowledge the complexity and even contradictions in the book and observe that there is more than one single theme, few would present competing ideas as parallel discourses of comparable significance. To my view, the dimensions of questioning the validity of divine justice and the confirmation of divine providence are juxtaposed in the book. They come into conflicts and contradict one with the other. What the present author intends to do in this thesis is to explore how the two discourses work together in creative tension in the book and why the two seemingly competing theological claims are employed by the author in his/her construction of the text. / This dissertation will employ multiple approaches. Classical theory of poetry, contemporary drama theory, and Intertextual reading strategies will be adopted in different stages of its argument. Basically, the literary-critical method will be relied on in the analysis of the text of Job. / 張纓. / Adviser: Archie C. C. Lee. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: A, page: 0638. / Thesis (doctoral)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 267-288). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / School code: 1307. / Zhang Ying.

This study is a critical analysis of Carl Gustav Jung's interpretation of the book of Job. It presents first the methodological approach adopted in Jung's reading of the book of Job and the epistemology at the basis of his enterprise. It then explores the biographical context of Jung's writings on the book of Job followed by the reconstruction of Jung's interpretation of it with reference not only to Antwort auf Hiob ( Answer to Job) published in 1952, but also to other writings. A series of critiques addressed to Jung's reading of the book of Job are analyzed and followed by a careful study of key concepts of Jung's psychology necessary to properly situate his understanding of the book of Job. The latter is the bulk of this study and emphasizes the relevance of the notion of the self and of the individuation process. All this provides the background for an exploration of the positive aspect of the unconscious. Doing so is necessary to put in a new light the experience of Job, and thus the suffering of the righteous or the innocent. The conclusion widens the issue concerning the reality of evil and suffering in its relation to the divine according to Jung, and it suggests some possible research topics for further examination.

M.A. / We live in a very complex society. Different cultures, languages, religions, and beliefs paint the picture of Southern Africa. Suffering has become the News headlines. Often we hear about civil wars, poverty, calamities, divorces, abuses. On the other hand the "Aids nightmare has already begun." (Naidoo 1999:1-2) In the midst of this pain the Christian church does not change her believe that God is a faithful God who never leaves His own. He has plans to prosper His children and not to harm them. But Christians are not exempt from suffering. In fact sometimes they suffer because they are followers of Christ. From time to time there is persecution of the Christian church by non—Christians. In the midst of suffering, Christians should rejoice. Throughout this paper I seek to understand the nature of this joy that goes beyond one's ircumstances. This study is based on I Peter. I Peter was written to encourage believers to endure suffering and to find meaning in their suffering. I Peter argues that Christians do not belong to this world they have new home in the Kingdom of God where they will experience everlasting joy. There shall be no more suffering. "Even so, how does this family relate to the governing authorities and social institutions with which they must deal everyday? And how does the church respond to a society that is making life miserable for Christians? (Cradock 1995:15). I argue throughout the paper that suffering is not Gods will for human kind. Suffering is caused by evil. Because of sin suffering has entered into the world. Sin subjected all human beings and entire creation to suffering. There is no joy in sin; the results of sin have always been unbearable. The effects of sin are painful. All kinds of suffering (physical, mental, and emotional) were introduced by sin. But Christians are more than conquerors for Christ is Lord. Christians have victory in Jesus Christ. Suffering cannot rob that victory. Therefore joy is possible for Christ's presence and comfort is always present in this life—His power sustains us. At the end of times it will be perfected. There is hope for now and for the future.

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This research conducted according to the phenomenological method investigated the Pauline concept of suffering. It traces the historical development in Paul's thinking on suffering. The two lines of Paul's suffering are his personal suffering - his struggle with the thorn in the flesh; and his suffering through persecution for Christ's sake. It is through his personal suffering that Paul endears himself to his readers. 2 Cor.12:1-10 reveals the function of the thorn - it brings vindication. Paul's personal suffering merges with his suffering for Christ, and the note of joy, hope, glory and vindication is emphasized. Just as Paul shares in Christ's suffering, he will share in the victory and glory too. Paul sees his suffering in the light of Christ's suffering and the suffering of his readers in the light of his suffering. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Religious Studies)

This thesis argues that conversion to Christianity in the Nepali city of Bhaktapur is closely connected with ethical attitudes towards suffering in Bhaktapurian churches. This argument is situated within broader debates in the anthropology of Christianity. Anthropologists have debated the extent to which Christianity is a force for cultural discontinuity, and have often connected it with modernity and individualism. I contribute to these discussions by showing how distinctively Christian conceptions of suffering may promote cultural change by stimulating new understandings of selfhood and ethics. The first three chapters explore the social life of Bhaktapur's Hindu majority. I describe how the last fifty years have seen a process of cultural unsettlement in Bhaktapur; one aspect of this unsettlement has been a disruption of traditional norms of care and deference. It is in this context that the distinctive ethics of Christianity have proved attractive to some. Those who convert have typically experienced a significant episode of suffering, and have felt themselves to be failed by those around them. They find in churches a framework that emphasises the moral significance of inner experience (I call this 'inwardness') and addresses affliction more in terms of ethics than ritual. I describe these ethics in terms of 'care': they stress presence with the afflicted person, engagement with their experience, and appeal to God in prayer. After two chapters describing Christianity in Nepal and Bhaktapur in general terms, I devote four chapters to examining different categories of Bhaktapurian Christians: those who have experienced healing, women, leaders, and youth. I focus on four conversion narratives, and relate these narratives both to other ethnographic materials and to broader trends in Bhaktapurian and global Christianity. I highlight the significance of the values of inwardness and care, and of narrative itself, in the life-worlds of Bhaktapurian Christians.

This research conducted according to the phenomenological method investigated the Pauline concept of suffering. It traces the historical development in Paul's thinking on suffering. The two lines of Paul's suffering are his personal suffering - his struggle with the thorn in the flesh; and his suffering through persecution for Christ's sake. It is through his personal suffering that Paul endears himself to his readers. 2 Cor.12:1-10 reveals the function of the thorn - it brings vindication. Paul's personal suffering merges with his suffering for Christ, and the note of joy, hope, glory and vindication is emphasized. Just as Paul shares in Christ's suffering, he will share in the victory and glory too. Paul sees his suffering in the light of Christ's suffering and the suffering of his readers in the light of his suffering. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Religious Studies)

German text / Die vorliegende Arbeit setzt sich mit der zentralen Leidensthematik des Ersten Petrusbriefes auseinander. Einer vorläufigen Betrachtung der Entwicklung und des Gebrauchs des zentralen Leidens- Begriffs folgt die ausführliche Untersuchung und Darstellung der Urheber des Leidens und der Ursachen und Gründe für rechtes und falsches Leiden. Es folgt unter Berücksichtigung einiger kulturanthropologischer Einsichten und moderner psychologischer Analysen bezüglich der Wirkung von verbaler Gewalt eine Betrachtung der Arten und Formen des Leidens sowie der Begründungen und Ziele des Leiden. Der zweite Hauptteil untersucht Verhaltensanweisungen, Trost und Anleitung zur Leidensbewältigung, die der Verfasser seinen Empfängern zukommen lässt. Dabei wird zum einen ein Vergleich zwischen den Aussagen des Ersten Petrusbriefs und der antiken Konsolationsliteratur vorgenommen, zum anderen zwischen den vorgeschlagenen Bewältigungsstrategien des Briefes und den Strategien der modernen Sozialpsychologie zum hilfreichen Umgang mit Diskriminierung und Verfolgung. Abschließend werden die zentralen Beobachtungen zusammengefasst. / This dissertation addresses the central theme of suffering in the First Epistle of Peter. After a detailed survey of research, it begins with an examination of the development and use of the terminology for suffering. This is followed by a thorough examination of the origin of suffering and the causes and reasons for right and false suffering. Careful attention to Greek lexicography and grammar is combined with rhetorical criticism. Analysis of both the forms of suffering and the reasons and purposes of suffering is combined with insights from cultural anthropology and modern studies of the effects of verbal violence. The second main part examines the behavioural instructions, comfort and ways of coping with suffering. Furthermore, 1 Peter is compared with the comfort given in various ancient consolation literatures. In addition, the strategies for coping with discrimination and suffering in 1 Peter are compared to insights from modern social psychology. A concluding chapter summarises the results and reflects on their present-day significance. / New Testament / M. Th. (New Testament)