Job & the Mystery of Suffering

Have you ever had a setback that rocked you right down to the soles of your feet? And then your well meaning friends get busy telling you "everything will be all right," "Just let it go, and go on." Finally, a book that gives you permission to mourn and go through the process that will allow you to heal. This book helped me to tell my friends to back off and give me a chance to grieve. Typical Rohr wisdoms on the gospel and that is just an added gift included in this readable book.

This book is universally sound. I felt spiritually awakened after reading this book. This book is consistent with what I instinctually believe. I am not religious, but this author, although a Franciscan, did not offend me. Quite the contrary. This book lifted me up from the spiritual mire I was in.

This book, outside of the Bible, has been the most inspirational book I have ever read. I had to read it for a class, so I approached it grudgingly. Yet now every other page (literally, I'm not kidding) is dog-eared with highlighted and underlined sentences. This book is amazing and I think every Christian should read it. Non-Christians would probably enjoy it to as it deals with probably the largest block to faith: the problem of suffering.

Richard Rohr has a clear view about suffering. Through Job, Richard, explains away our misconceptions about suffering and leads one into a contemplation of Gods view of the human condition.

Richard Rohr's writing is clear and concise. This is an "easy read", meant in only the best way. It is not so deeply theological that one needs training to decode the message. For a topic as difficult as this, he helps the reader review suffering. The title is truly appropriate since bad things do happen to good people - as Job indeed was good yet suffered intensly. Rohr does an excellent job disecting the book of Job and revealing his (and our) relationship with God within the pain, not apart from it.