LAMENT, PENITENCE, AND THE ECO-ANTHROPOLOGY OF JOB

Abstract

Using the methodological frameworks of relational form criticism and ecoanthropology, this dissertation argues that the shift from lament to penitence in the voice of the character Job is attributed to a shift in the character’s worldview, evidenced in the shift in the book’s creation language. Negative creation language and imagery is abundant in the human speeches and frames the self-understanding of these characters. This is especially true for the character Job, when he employs creation language in his lament found in Job 3, and in doing so reveals a particular self-understanding that remains prevalent throughout the human speeches. As the book of Job progresses, the divine speeches subvert the creation imagery and metaphor present in the human speeches and, in doing so, shift the perspective of its main character to such a degree that he repents in his final response. The dissertation is divided into eight chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the topic by surveying the research to date. Chapter 2 establishes the methodological framework and specific steps of analysis. Chapter 3 notes the specific markers of the lament and penitential forms before proceeding with the analysis of form and eco-anthropology of Job’s opening lament in Job 3. Chapters 4 through 7 continue the analysis of the book of Job up to the end of the prologue. Finally, chapter 8 concludes the dissertation by providing a summary of the preceding analysis and some final thoughts that arise from the study.