Monday, May 21, 2018

Book 5 of 2018 -- When Bad Things Happen to Good People

By my count, I first read this almost 30 years ago. And even then it was almost 10 years old.

I chose to re-read it this month because I am planning a series on Job in June/July and I remembered that Kushner uses the story of Job in this book. AS it happens the reflection of on Job was not quite as much of a focus as I remembered but there are still things I am sure will inform my sermons on the book.

But even if nothing from this book makes it into those sermons it was a good thing to re-read. Kushner pushes questions about God: omnipotence? just? good?. He pushes the reader to ask where God is when tragedy (natural, medical, or human-caused) strikes, which is a key question in any era. His discussion on prayer was very good.

At the same time some of the book shows its age. I do wonder what Kushner would say about it now. How have his thoughts changed over the last 40 years?

And now I want to read JB by Archibald Macleish. If I can find it that is.