Comfort in the Ashes

"Biblical scholar Michelle Keener has taken up the book of Job and made it sing. And the song it sings, in the hands of this trauma survivor, is surprising and tender. It is a song of grief and loss expressed, of friendship that succeeds and fails, of a shattered world painfully reconstructed. Above all, this book sings of a Scripture that is sensitive to survivors of trauma, and a God who meets them in the ashes."

-Helen Paynter, executive director of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence

"Michelle Keener has provided an excellent resource for those who want to become better stewards of other people's pain. Her research on trauma and the book of Job are insightful and invaluable. This book is instructive for individuals as well as church communities on how to deal with trauma in ways that promote healing."

-May Young, associate professor of biblical studies at Taylor University

"Michelle Keener has given us all a gift to be treasured—whether we have experienced trauma or want to walk well with those who have. Comfort in the Ashes assists readers in understanding trauma and the healing process while offering a perceptive and illuminating reading of the book of Job. Reading Job through the lens of trauma recovery makes space for a healing encounter with God on the pages of Scripture. I'm personally grateful for the way this book taught and ministered to me, and I'm eager to share it with others!"

-Carmen Joy Imes, associate professor of Old Testament at the Talbot School of Theology and author of Bearing God's Name and Being God's Image

"How can churches support those living in the wake of trauma? How do we love those with shattered lives well? Drawing on the latest psychological research into trauma, Michelle Keener provides a way forward that is deeply rooted in the biblical text. Based on extensive research and written with a compassion that comes only from experience, Comfort in the Ashes invites us to minister well to those with shattered lives, providing sanctuary, avoiding additional harm, and inviting their presence as beloved members of our communities."

-Jennifer Brown Jones, professor of Old Testament at Liberty University

"For those who have ever asked, 'Why me?' or 'Where is God?' Michelle Keener offers a path forward in her trauma-informed reading of Job. Keener breaks new ground in biblical studies as she views Job's experiences through the lens of trauma theory. Keener's unflinching focus on hard questions and her multilayered research into trauma's impact make this book a must-read for pastors and scholars, as well as those impacted by trauma. Comfort in the Ashes provides practical steps for churches and individuals to create a safe environment for survivors to resolve their trauma and embrace a deeper understanding of God's comfort and care."

-Lynn H. Cohick, distinguished professor of New Testament at Houston Christian University