A Workman’s Theodicy’ addresses the question: How can a God of love coexist with evil and suffering? (In the world of theology, such explanations are called ‘theodicies.’)

The book consists of 3 sections on Job—a chapter by chapter review of the entire Bible book.

Job: the Setup. (Chapters 1-2)
Job: The Prosecution (3-32)
Job: The Resolution (33-42)

There is a short section on the Holocaust, followed by two on theologians:

Theologians: Higher Criticism
Theologians: Attributes of God

This is followed by a review of the ‘workman’s theodicy’ itself, then a section of efforts to advertise it, amidst some pushback:

The Workman’s Theodicy
Enemies

At the book’s end is an Appendix section of three parts:

Appendix A1: Does the Bible Condone Slavery?

Appendix A2: The Origin of Life [a critique of the handful of scientists who specialize in this field—what progress have they made?]

Appendix A3: When We Cease to Understand [a review of a historical-fiction book that intertwines the themes of quantum physics, mathematics, world war, and madness]

Enjoy

From book’s back cover:

The theodicy that works advertised by people who don’t know the term? How can that be?

“Why does God permit human suffering?” the Bethel speaker begins. “Well, that’s an easy one, isn’t it? It is one of the first things we learned when we go the truth.”

It’s easy? Easy?! EASY?! It is only one of the hardest questions in theology! The great thinkers throughout history have tied themselves into knots trying to account for it.

“The question of how God could allow evil is a staple in philosophy. In fact, it may even be older than the discipline itself.” - Professor David Kyle Johnson

If there is a benevolent God, why would he coexist with evil and suffering?

From Job to Kant, from the Holocaust to the lecture halls, from the public squares to the quadrangles, with nods to a bevy of philosophers and theologians, see how and why the giants of miss the theodicy of the workmen.

***Dress up your meeting notes for presentable online presentation, and it has the effect that you retain them better yourself. When the Witness mid-week meetings started in on Job, I figured I’d write a synopsis of each week. There they are, for the most part, on my blog. Sort through and combine those notes, merge them with some other writings on how theologians look at Scripture, visit the horrific Holocaust, add in some history and a few appendixes, and out came this book!

Now available at Amazon bookstores—a new book by Tom Harley