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| RESPOND: (5 minutes) Take the last 5 minutes of class time to debrief on the drama. Allow students to reflect on the role they had and how they felt in each role. Talk briefly about how the drama is an example of the DH theology taken to an unhealthy extreme that leaves little room for grace and unconditional love. Answer any remaining questions that the students may have. INSIGHTS FROM THE SCRIPTURE: One of the most difficult aspects of our faith is answering questions about suffering. Why do people suffer, particularly faithful people? Does God cause suffering, and is there a reason for it? The Bible gives several answers to these questions. One answer is called the Deuteronomist view of history or the Deuteonomistic historical theology, many times shortened to DH theology. This theology is so named because of its clear articulation in the book of Deuteronomy. This view of God and how God works can be simply put: God rewards or blesses those who are faithful and God curses those who are unfaithful or disobedient. This blessing or cursing is “this worldly.” That is, the blessings or curses happen while we are alive and are usually of the material or physical nature. Many Christians today would have a modified DH theology. Faithful people may be (will be?) rewarded and disobedient people may be (will be) cursed in the afterlife; those rewards or curses may not be reflected here on earth. This theology undergirds much of the prophets’ explanations about why terrible things happen to the Israelites. Josiah rents his royal garments in agony when he discovers that his people have been disobedient. Disobedience only causes one thing—punishment. (II Kings 22) Even in the time of Jesus, most believed that people became sick because they were sinners and God was punishing them. Continued... |
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