Symposium: "The Wisdom of Job"

Job Rebuked by His Friends
Event time: 
Saturday, February 23, 2019 - 9:00am to 11:00am
Location: 
Sterling Memorial Library (SML), Lecture Hall See map
120 High Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Admission: 
Free; no tickets or registration
Open to: 
General Public
Event description: 

An exploration of the connections between the Book of Job and its theology with poetry, visual art, and music inspired by its message. Noted composer Judith Weir will deliver the 2019 Tangeman Lecture, speaking about her piece In the Land of Uz, a performance of which by Yale Schola Cantorum will follow at 7:30 pm (Christ Church New Haven). She will talk about what led her to create a musical narrative from the Book of Job, and describe the piece with particular reference to the historical tradition of biblical oratorio.

In addition, the afternoon symposium will include presentations by Yale faculty.

Felicity Harley-McGowan will discuss some of the earliest surviving representations of Job in art that present him as a prophet of the resurrection to eternal life, focusing not on his sufferings, but his hope.

Robert Wilson will argue that in contrast to the usual scholarly treatment of Job, the book is best understood to explore a classic theme of wisdom literature: the ultimate unknowability of wisdom.

Chris Wiman will touch on poems by Yehuda Amichai (“From the Book of Esther”; “God’s Hand in the World”), Dan Pagis (“Homily”), and Anna Kamienska (“A Prayer That Will Be Answered”) to talk about what language, wisdom, and form have to do with each other.