scholarly journals The Sufferings of the Biblical Job as an Icon of Postmodernity: The ‘loneliness’ of God and the human being in a consumerist paradise

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Józef Stala ◽  
Elżbieta Osewska ◽  
Krzysztof Bochenek
Keyword(s):  
Human Life ◽  
Eternal Life ◽  
Human Suffering ◽  
Existence Of God ◽  
Book Of Job ◽  
Spiritual Dimension ◽  
Christian Perspective ◽  
Human Happiness ◽  
Causal Consequence ◽  
Meaning System

AbstractThis article explores ways in which the attitudes of the biblical Job may enrich postmodernist philosophy by addressing some of its inherent problems. The discussion focuses in particular on the biblical Book of Job that can serve as an example of confronting suffering as a dramatic implication of human life that denies the sense of happiness. In an attempt to suppress this fear, the postmodern human contests, in various ways, the truth of their ontic frailty and the fragility of their constructed “happiness”. The questions that the biblical Job posed to God with a distinct air of resentment and regret seem at first sight to be meaningless as they are thrown into the void of a terrifying Universe. The critique offered here comes out of a Christian philosophical and theological base which posits that belief in the sacrum, transcendence, God and the hope of eternal life are key elements in a meaning system that fosters mental health and human happiness. In the postmodern system of meaning, individuals may no longer question the existence of God for the sake of human freedom, nor seek evidence of God’s non-existence, but simply live as if God does not exist. From a Christian perspective, it appears that non-belief in a transcendent spiritual dimension can inline people in postmodern society to feel that they live in an atmosphere of existential anxiety. Similarly, a Christian critique would consider that it is the postmodernist view of fluidity in all aspects of human life that leads to uncertainty and suffering, a causal consequence that people may not advert to. In this way, confronted with many postmodern phenomena, they may unknowingly live in a world of illusion. The Christian critique would also see it is as necessary and important to address constructively the challenges raised by cultural postmodernity. For this reason, the article will reflect on the realism of human suffering, the forgetting and rejection of God, as well as transcendence.

PHILOSOPHY AND THE MEANING OF LIFE

Think ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (60) ◽  
pp. 33-49
Author(s):  
William Lyons
Keyword(s):  
Human Life ◽  
Meaning Of Life ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Eternal Life ◽  
Evolution Of The Universe ◽  
Life On Earth ◽  
The Universe

The author sets out to respond to the student complaint that ‘Philosophy did not answer “the big questions”’, in particular the question ‘What is the meaning of life?’ The response first outlines and evaluates the most common religious answer, that human life is given a meaning by God who created us and informs us that this life is just the pilgrim way to the next eternal life in heaven. He then discusses the response that, from the point of view of post-Darwinian science and the evolution of the universe and all that is in it, human life on Earth must be afforded no more meaning than the meaning we would give to a microscopic planaria or to some creature on another planet in a distant universe. All things including human creatures on Planet Earth just exist for a time and that is that. There is no plan or purpose. In the last sections the author outlines the view that it is we humans ourselves who give meaning to our lives by our choices of values or things that are worth pursuing and through our resulting sense of achievement or the opposite. Nevertheless the question ‘What is the meaning of life?’ can mean quite different things in different contexts, and so merit different if related answers. From one point of view one answer may lie in terms of the love of one human for another.

scholarly journals Christian Personalism versus Utilitarianism: An Analysis of Their Approaches to Love and Suffering*

2020 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-437
Author(s):  
Peter J. Colosi
Keyword(s):  
Historical Context ◽  
Human Person ◽  
Christian Ethics ◽  
Human Suffering ◽  
Christian Anthropology ◽  
Christian Perspective ◽  
Utilitarian Approach ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Polar Opposite

Although Christian ethics and contemporary utilitarian ethics both employ terms such as “love” and “compassion” in their efforts to deal with human suffering, they are in fact polar opposite ethical views. This fact is not at all easy to discern. One key to perceiving the radical opposition between them lies in clarifying their respective concepts of love and suffering and the relation between the two. In Christian personalism, suffering is always understood as the suffering of individual persons, while in utilitarianism, suffering is primarily understood as a quantifiable entity detached from the individuals who experience it. This detachment of suffering from individuals leads to the depersonalizing and commodifying recommendations of utilitarianism. The dignity of persons as understood in Christian anthropology serves as the foundation of Christian ethics and is the only basis on which ethics can avoid commodifying people. The article begins with an explanation of the utilitarian approach to suffering and its concept of love. It then proceeds to express the view of love and suffering that flows from the Christian perspective. The article concludes by exposing the inherently self-defeating structure of utilitarian ethics and offers the hope-filled, if challenging, approach of Christian personalism. Although Christian anthropology and ethics developed within the historical context of Christianity, and in fact could only have developed there, the arguments here are primarily philosophical elucidations of the differences between the two opposing schools of thought discussed, while here and there including occasional theological points. Summary: The article examines the difference between Christian ethics and utilitarian ethics, bringing out their stark opposition on the topics of love, suffering and the human person.

scholarly journals NILAI KETUHANAN SEBAGAI LANDASAN PERBAIKAN KEHIDUPAN BERBANGSA DAN BERNEGARA

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammaddin Muhammaddin
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Religious Values ◽  
State Law ◽  
Existence Of God ◽  
Back Door ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Holy Book

One of the most fundamental identities of a religion is the divine doctrine or doctrine that recognizes the existence of God. It can even be said is not a religion if there is no main characteristic that is the recognition and confidence of God. Reason alone will honestly acknowledge the power that governs nature and includes human life and reason will refuse if any opinion that says the existence of regularity that occurs in this nature occurs by itself. Because in reality there are natural events that occur is believed not to happen by chance but to the belief may God reprove, angry or indeed happened akiabat causal law from human activities that treat nature unnaturally, to the recognition of God who controls nature and life this. One would think anything of his religion about the process of the creation of man by the meeting of a man and a woman's ovum could be born a man whose system is amazing and an impossible thing to happen by itself if no one created (God) and certainly strengthened from the source of religion especially Islam for example very detailed human procession was created by Allah swt. with its very complete stages described in the holy book of the Qur'an and explained by the Messenger of Allah. as his apostle. All religions teach goodness, both individually, society, life of nation and state. These virtues are called morality and this doctrine is very urgent because goodness based on divine values ​​will be a moral fors ie there is no back door to escape responsibility, if he does immoral or immoral, including wrongdoing, he remains contrary to religious values ​​as well as with state law based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution. The divine values ​​teach that people are still guilty of punishment and with sinful sanctions even though their crimes are escaped and escape from the bondage of law convicted by the court for being not discovered by law enforcement apparatus

scholarly journals Thomas Aquinas and Albertus Magnus on the Problem of Evil: Insights from their Commentaries on the Book of Job

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-42
Author(s):  
Franklin T. Harkins
Keyword(s):  
Thomas Aquinas ◽  
Problem Of Evil ◽  
Divine Providence ◽  
Compelling Evidence ◽  
Existence Of God ◽  
Book Of Job ◽  
Albert The Great ◽  
The Problem Of Evil

Abstract This article broadly considers the commentaries on Job of Thomas Aquinas and Albert the Great as offering a helpful theological alternative to some modern philosophical approaches to the ‘problem of evil’. We seek to show that whereas some modern philosophers understand evil as a problem for the very existence of God, whether and how God can coexist with evil was never a question that evil seriously raised in the minds of Aquinas and Albert. In fact, although the suffering of the just in particular led our medieval Dominicans to wonder about divine providence and our ability to know God in this life, they understood the reality of evil as compelling evidence for the existence of God.

Rancangan Undang-Undang (RUU) Pesantren Dan Pendidikan Keagamaan Dalam Perspektif Kristen (P. 69 dan P. 70)

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-30
Author(s):  
Raindy D. D. Prajitno
Keyword(s):  
Christian Education ◽  
Local Church ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Sunday School ◽  
National Level ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Church Development ◽  
Christian Perspective ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive

Lately the phenomenon on religious issues is increasingly tapering. Starting from religious radicalism, pagan stigma to efforts to discredit the Christian faith. One of the issues arising in the year 2019 is about the draft law of Pesantren specifically chapters 69 and 70 governing the Catechization and Sunday School are classified as non-Formal Christian education. This is certainly making unrest in the Christian Kalang specifically the organization of the national level Church that is the fellowship of the Churches in Indonesia (PGI). That is why, the purpose of this research is to enact a Christian perspective on the draft law of Pesantren article 69 and 70. The method used by researchers is a qualitative descriptive or also called Neuroresearch method. This method is a study on the phenomenon of various areas of human life that is measured from the theological context of the exegesis of the biblical text as the Biblical foundation. Results and discussions presented that the Catechisation and Sunday School were part of a church citizen's coaching program that differed from non-Formal Christian education. That is why, the Ministry of Christianity as a representative of Christian society in Indonesia should provide insight and understanding of the local church development program to the central government. Thus, the local church must re-define the term of the church program different from non-Formal Christian education to the central government, the local church should be concerned and evaluating the Ministry of Children and local church can learn about Solidarity for fellow local Church of the synod. Abstrak Akhir-akhir ini fenomena tentang isu agama semakin meruncing. Dimulai dari radikalisme agama, stigma kafir hingga usaha-usaha untuk mendiskreditkan iman Kristen. Salah satu isu yang timbul di tahun 2019 ialah tentang Rancangan Undang-Undang Pesantren secara khusus pasal 69 dan 70 yang mengatur tentang Katekisasi dan Sekolah Minggu diklasifikasikan sebagai Pendidikan Kristen non Formal. Hal ini tentunya membuat keresahan di kalang orang Kristen secara khusus Organisasi Gereja Aras Nasional yaitu Persekutuan Gereja-Gereja di Indonesia (PGI). Itu sebabnya, tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah menelisik perspektif Kristen tentang Rancangan Undang-Undang Pesantren Pasal 69 dan 70 tersebut. Metode yang digunakan peneliti ialah kualitatif deskriptif atau yang disebut juga dengan metode neuroresearch. Metode ini merupakan studi tentang fenomena berbagai bidang kehidupan manusia yang diukur dari konstruk teologis hasil kajian eksegesis teks Alkitab sebagai dasar biblika. Hasil dan pembahasan memaparkan bahwa Katekisasi dan Sekolah Minggu merupakan bagian dari program Pembinaan Warga Gereja yang berbeda dengan Pendidikan Agama Kristen non Formal. Itu sebabnya, Kementerian Agama Kristen sebagai wakil masyarakat Kristiani di Indonesia seharusnya memberikan wawasan dan pengertian tentang program Pembinaan Warga Gereja Lokal kepada Pemerintah Pusat. Jadi, Gereja Lokal harus kembali memahamkan istilah program Gereja yang berbeda dengan Pendidikan Agama Kristen non Formal kepada pemerintah pusat, Gereja Lokal seyogyanya memperhatikan dan mengevaluasi pelayanan Anak dan Gereja Lokal dapat belajar tentang solidaritas bagi sesama Gereja Lokal yang berbeda Sinode.

Divine Justice and Sublime Suffering

2021 ◽  
pp. 28-70
Author(s):  
Damien B. Schlarb
Keyword(s):  
Vantage Point ◽  
Human Suffering ◽  
Book Of Job ◽  
Moby Dick ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Divine Justice ◽  
Textual History ◽  
Bartleby The Scrivener ◽  
The Moment

This chapter shows how Melville draws on the book of Job to discuss issues of divine justice and human suffering. It argues that Melville uses the language and themes of Job to evaluate divine jurisprudence from the vantage point of the human plaintiff, celebrating human perseverance and indicting the arbitrariness of divinely mandated suffering. After sketching out the book of Job’s textual history, the chapter discusses in turn Mardi, Moby-Dick, “Bartleby, the Scrivener,” and The Encantadas on these grounds, detailing how Melville uses typology and intertextual reference to examine the Bible and to apply his findings to comment on natural, social, and cultural phenomena. It concludes that Melville sees the book of Job as a story not of defiance and repentance but of the learning and growth that occur in precisely the moment when one’s preconceptions and expectations of reality are shattered.

Virtue and the “Good Life” in the Book of Job

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Patricia L. Vesely
Keyword(s):  
Good Life ◽  
The Good Life ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Human Flourishing ◽  
Book Of Job ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Living Well ◽  
Presence Of God ◽  
Human Happiness ◽  
External Goods

Abstract In this article, I argue that Job 29 provides an eudaimonic depiction of human happiness whereby virtue, combined with a number of “external goods” is held up as the best possible life for human beings. I compare Job’s vision of the “good life” with an Aristotelian conception of εὐδαιμονία and conclude that there are numerous parallels between Job and Aristotle with respect to their understanding of the “good life.” While the intimate presence of God distinguishes Job’s expectation of happiness with that of Aristotle, Job is unique among other eudaimonic texts in the Hebrew Bible in that expectations of living well are expressed in terms of virtue, rather than Torah piety. In the second portion of the article, I assess Job’s conception of human flourishing from the perspective of the divine speeches, which enlarge Job’s vision of the “good life” by bringing Job face-to-face with the “wild inhabitants” of the cosmos.

scholarly journals Towards a Rigorous Basis for a Natural Law Theory of Integration

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 131-147
Author(s):  
Frederick D. Boley ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Cognition ◽  
Bernard Lonergan ◽  
Existence Of God ◽  
Faith Tradition ◽  
Human Thought ◽  
Human Happiness ◽  
Christian Counselors ◽  
Natural Law Theory ◽  
Human Desire ◽  
Final Answer

Fr. Bernard Lonergan (1904-1984) proposed that human desire can prove the existence of God. The structure of human thought implies a Final Answer to the set of all questions, which can only be what everyone calls “God”—but what implications does this fact have for human happiness, and for counseling? This paper argues that counseling must have, as its ultimate aim, helping people to know Goodness, Beauty, and Truth, which is God. The fact that we can observe the facts about human cognition means that Catholic Christian counselors can ethically and effectively work with people from any faith tradition.

Two Pedagogies for Happiness: Healing Goals and Healing Methods in the Summa Theologiae of Thomas Aquinas and The Śrī Bhāṣya of Rāmānuja

2010 ◽  
Vol 66 ◽  
pp. 51-65
Author(s):  
Martin Ganeri
Keyword(s):  
Human Life ◽  
Thomas Aquinas ◽  
Summa Theologiae ◽  
Intellectual Inquiry ◽  
Human Happiness

The scholastic mode of intellectual enquiry has been looked down upon in Western philosophical circles over the last few centuries, not least because of the central role of authorities shaping the reasoning that takes place and because of the fine distinctions and disputational mode of discourse it employs. The scholastic approach is, however, a prime example of philosophy as therapeia, of intellectual inquiry and reflection concerned with the healing transformation of human life, with what kind of knowledge and behaviour brings about human happiness. The scholastic approach is motivated and determined by consideration of what the final human goal might be and what are the means to achieve it. Authorities are important because they tell us about the goal and means. Distinctions and disputation are important because they help us learn in a way that transforms our minds and actions.

scholarly journals Репрезентация страха смерти в произведениях современной русской литературы о войне

2018 ◽  
Vol 167 ◽  
pp. 481-493
Author(s):  
Maiia Polekhina
Keyword(s):  
Human Life ◽  
Special Kind ◽  
Eternal Life ◽  
Fear Of Death ◽  
Real Possibility ◽  
Culture History ◽  
The Face ◽  
Modern War ◽  
Existential Issues ◽  
Natural Life

Representation of the fear of deathin modern Russian war literatureThis article is focusing on one of the relevant problems of modern war prose, “people in the face of death” through the lens of anthropology and culture history. The concept of war itself is accompanied with a discussion of a number of existential issues, the fear of death in war is reviewed as the state in which a human recognizes the real possibility of his non-existence, something that absorbs and disintegrates the human. The fear of non-existence in this case is not a result of thoughts of natural life cycle, but of the recognition of inevitability of one’s demise as living through one’s own finality, eschatology. The constant presence of the Reaper in war changes the protagonists worldview, shows the fragility of human life, makes them live every moment differently and at the same time devalues life in and of itself. This is what makes the issue of human behaviour at Death’s door relevant. Each and every instance of encountering death creates different reactions, however, the fear of non-existence, its measurement or lack thereof is an indicative of individuality, readiness in the wake of eternity. The opposition of existence and non-existence is expanded through defining a specific and described category of non-existence, which is presented as a special kind of Death’s cultural ontology, the roots of which go into Russian modernism, albeit without characteristic romanticizing of it. Dominant in such mortality are the fear of “the void”, “finality of all being”, bearing in the context of modern prose a diverse spectrum of axiological connotations. The fear of non-existence is also viewed from the point of being afraid of being God-forsaken in case of a global historic disaster, which can only be combatted with recognition of infinite universe and infinity of one’s inner universe, of eternal life and of endless mercy of God.Репрезентацiя страху смертіутворах сучасної російської літератури про війнуУ статті розглядається одна з актуальних проблем сучасної прози про війну: особистість перед обличчям смерті в культурно-історичному та антропологічному контексті. Концепт „війна”, повязаний з осмисленням цілого ряду екзистенціальних проблем, страх смерті на війні досліджується як стан, в якому людина усвідомлює можливість свого не-буття, як дещо поглинаюче і розвтiлюче в людині людину. Страх не-буття породжується не думкою людини про те, що все має тимчасовий характер, а його усвідомленням неминучості власної загибелі, це пережита людиною власна кінцівка, есхатологія. Відчуття постійної присутності смерті на війні змінює уявлення героїв про світ, показує крихкість людського життя, змушує по-особливому відчувати кожну його мить і одночасно знецінює життя як акт існування. Тому так гостро постає питання про поведінку людини перед обличчям смерті. Кожен факт зіткнення індивідуума зі смертю породжує різні реакції, але страх не-буття, його міра або його відсутність уявляє собою маркер індивідуальності, її готовності зустрічі з вічністю. Характер опозиції буття — не-буття поширюється за рахунок введеної і маркованої графічно категорії не-буття, що постає особливим типом культурної онтології смерті, витоки якого криються в російському модернізмi, однак без характерної для нього романтизації. Домінантами такого типу мортальності є страх порожнечі, кінцівки всього сущого, що володіють в контексті сучасної прози різноманітним спектром аксиологiчних конотацій. Страх не-буття розглядається як страх богооставленостi людини в ситуації глобальної історичної катастрофи, протистояння з яким можливо через усвідомлення нескінченності світу і людини, через віру у вічне життя, в безмежну милість Бога.

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