Is Life Fair? – A Jungian Perspective on the Book of Job

According to Dr Deon van Zyl, the mythical nature of the Book of Job situates the tale more at an archetypal level, where the different characters can be seen as different parts of the personality and deeper psyche, reflecting a timeless and fascinating dynamic. Dr Deon van Zyl founds the story on the doctrine of retribution theology, that piety brings prosperity and that suffering and shortage are caused by sin and ungodliness. In psychology this approach was coined in the 1980’s as a “Just World Belief.” Gradually however, through the story of Job, Dr Deon van Zyl introduces the notion of the amoral nature of life, and its autonomous self-supporting nature. The book ends with a breathtaking Theophany in the form of a poem that depicts this self-governing feature of creation, which has far-reaching implications for our approach to the outer and inner lives of ourselves.