Seeing Through A Dark Glass

There once was man named Job. It's possible he was the precursor to
postmodernism.

Modernism and its cousin, fundamentalism, hold to objective absolutes.
They came in the form of three theolog's named Eliphaz, Bildad and
Zophar. Their theory (theology) on the acts of the Almighty was based
on history and tradition, which stated: If you live right, do right,
fear God, you'll be blessed. If you do wrong and do not fear God you
will face the wrath of God. Having heard the report that Job had lost
family, herds and health, they concluded that Job was guilty. Even
though they knew, or thought they knew, Job as a moral man, their
theology could not be changed...IT was supreme.

Job, who at one time ascribed to the accepted historical/traditional
theory, was in a quandary. Would he let his theory of God dictate his
life, or would he, dare he, question his theology? Would Job, "Lie
for the glory of God," and confess that, perhaps unknowingly, that he
was guilty of a transgress? ("I don't think I did it, but I must
have done it because my circumstance reveals it. I will seek God's
forgiveness for the secret sin of which I am unaware.")

Job was not only a man of integrity but also a person of indescribable
courage. In the face of criticism by his denomination/fellowship, he
remained (though perhaps arrogantly), unmoved. Absolutes? Yes, he had
at least one...He believed that there was a God. Beyond that,
everything was up for grabs for that One in whom he believed had blown
his theology all to hell. (Actually hell was the instigator of the
circumstance and therefore it was good and right that Job return it
back to that direction rather than maintain a heavenly theology, which
had no validity.)

This ancient postmodernist (surely a contradiction of terms) turned his
back on theory that could not be sustained, while his friends held to
their absolute theory rather than question God. Job was the first to
have the courage to say, "I don't know. What I do know is limited.
I will not waver on my absolutes, though I realize even this is
subjective faith." In the end, God honored Job, for maintaining his
absolutes, for he did not curse God as Lucifer determined he would, and
rebuked those who defended His honor through misguided and false
theology.