Vox Podcast With Mike Erre

How does the Book of Job challenge our assumptions about suffering, divine will, and justice? Continuing their Suffering Series, Mike Erre and Andy Lara navigate the emotional, cultural, and theological complexities of recent tragic events—particularly the fatal police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile—while asking the deeper question: Does God cause suffering? Using the poetic narrative of Job as their backdrop, Mike and Andy wrestle with misleading Christian clichés ("God gives and takes away"), reconsider traditional theodicies, and expose how oversimplified views of God's sovereignty can cause real harm. By exploring Job's tale in its ancient Near Eastern literary and cultural context, the episode introduces a more dynamic, complex, and hopeful picture—one that recognizes the reality of spiritual conflict, the limitations of human understanding, and the subversive yet nonviolent nature of God's power. Key Takeaways: • The Book of Job as a Deconstruction of Simplistic Theology – Why Job's st