Ep. 231 - Dr. Michelle Keener "Comfort in the Ashes" pt. 1

About this episode

Dr. Michelle Keener discusses her book 'Comfort in the Ashes' and offers a trauma-informed perspective on the Book of Job.

In this first part of our conversation, we’re joined by Dr. Michelle Keener , author of Comfort in the Ashes: Explorations in the Book of Job to Support Trauma Survivors . The Book of Job is often cited in conversations about suffering—but just as often, it’s been used to minimize pain, rush people toward answers, or reinforce harmful ideas about God, blame, and endurance. In Comfort in the Ashes , Dr. Keener offers a different approach: one that reads Job through the lens of trauma, care, and lived human experience. In Part 1, we focus on foundations: How the Book of Job has traditionally been taught—and why those interpretations often fail trauma survivors The difference between theological explanation and pastoral care Why certainty can feel safer than honesty, even when it causes harm How questioning inherited beliefs can be an act of survival, not rebellion This conversation isn’t about solving suffering or defending doctrine. It’s about slowing down, listening well, and making room for pain without trying to explain it away. Guest Bio: Dr. Michelle Keener is a scholar, writer, and educator whose work centers on biblical interpretation, trauma-informed theology, and care for…

People in this episode

Host: John Williamson

Guest: Dr. Michelle Keener

Topics covered

• trauma
• theology
• suffering
• pastoral care
• biblical interpretation
• Book of Job

Keywords

• trauma survivors
• comfort in suffering
• religious trauma
• Book of Job
• pastoral care
• theological interpretation
• pain and suffering

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Deconstructionists, www.thedeconstructionsts.org, www.michellekeener.com

Books & works: Comfort in the Ashes: Explorations in the Book of Job to Support Trauma Survivors, The Book of Job

More episodes of The Deconstructionists

• Ep. 238 - Dr. Bart Ehrman "Love Thy Stranger" pt. 1 · May 6, 2026 · 45 min
• Ep. 237 - Lillian Daniels "Failure, Accountability & the Future of the Church" pt. 2 · April 16, 2026 · 46 min
• Ep. 236 - Lillian Daniel "Defrocked: Good News from a Bad Pastor for a Better Church" pt. 1 · April 9, 2026 · 33 min
• Ep. 235 - Dr. Cristy Carr "Reclaiming the Forgotten Self" pt. 2 · April 1, 2026 · 39 min
• Ep. 234 - Dr. Cristy Carr "The Forgotten Self" pt. 1 · March 26, 2026 · 31 min
• Ep. 233 - Violence and the Bible · March 18, 2026 · 30 min