The politics of pessimism in Ecclesiastes : a social-science prespective / by Mark Ronnie Sneed.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sneed, Mark R.

Series:

Ancient Israel and its literature ; no. 12.

Ancient Israel and its literature ; no. 12

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bible. Ecclesiastes--Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Bible.

Bible. Ecclesiastes--Social scientific criticism.

Bible. Ecclesiastes.

Sociology, Biblical.

Pessimism.

Social scientific criticism of sacred works.

Physical Description:

xvi, 341 pages ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

Atlanta : Society of Biblical Literature, [2012]

Summary:

In a heavily revised version of his 1990 doctoral dissertation at Drew University, Sneed (Bible, Lubbock Christian U.) explores what he calls the strangest book in the Bible: English Ecclesiastes, Hebrew Qohelet, or Preacher. He looks at its heterodox character, its sociohistorical context, the audience's social location, synchronic literary analysis, the problem of evil and cognitive dissonance, the irrational response to the (over-)rationalization of traditional wisdom, the positive power of the book's pessimism, and the sociology of its canonicity. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Contents:

Introduction

Qohelet's heterodox character: non-social science approaches

Explaining Qohelet's heterodox character: social science approaches

Qohelet's socio-historical context

Qohelet and his audience's social location

Synchronic (literary) analysis of the book of Qohelet

Qohelet, the problem of evil, and cognitive dissonance

Qohelet's irrational response to the (over-)rationalization of traditional

The positive power of Qohelet's pessimism

The sociology of the book of Qohelet's canonicity

Conclusion.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 283-317) and index.

ISBN:

9781589836105

1589836103

9781589836358

1589836359

OCLC:

767974508