Ecclesiastes as a PoMo Survival Guide
Studying the book of Ecclesiastes this quarter in Sabbath school is doing the following for me:
1. It serves as a check on my seemingly unending, at times elaborate quest for novelty. Nothing is new.
2. It provides a balance to my staunch hold on what I believe to be true and timeless. Everything disappears.
3. It tells me not to take what I do, e.g., theology or blogging, too seriously. Much knowledge increases sorrow.
4. It teaches not to obsess over the theological, cultural, sociological, or any other -logical differences that I find with others, especially those within Adventism. We all eat the same food, breathe the same air, drink the same water, dress more or less the same way, excrete, age, and go to the same place when we die. We’re all on the same existential boat.
5. It challenges me to hang loose and chil out—to celebrate the joy of life and the eternal youth that comes from knowing God.
6. It leads to humility, deference, and healthy dose of bewilderment. I’m nothing but a breath.
7. It begs for an open system, not a self-enclosed stricture. Openness to God and the beautiful randomness of the universe.
P.S.) And I love the juxtaposition of the Air, Wind, Breath, Spirit, Futility, Meaninglessness through interconnected terms. This presents life in an elegantly ambivalent manner.
January 26th, 2007 at 11:40 am
What I like about Ecclesiastes is that even though it questions everything and declares all meaningless, it still holds a certain deference and humility before God. To me it says, that even if I were to question the existence of God or any other aspect of religion, the mere idea of God is so great that it should teach me humility.
January 26th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
I think you missed the most important aspect of the book; questioning can lead to new ways of looking at things even if the one asking doesn’t have the answer. A good example is ch 3, you can check out my blog for more on the lesson study from the other side. http://cafesda.blogspot.com
January 26th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Ron: - Your questioning of my post is making me look at the book slightly differently. Thanks =)
Marko: - Do you remember that time we studied (or tried to study) Eccles. together with Darryl? Wow, that was 20 yrs ago…which is just about the last time we spent time together. This alone is teaching me humility. I wonder…what have I really learned in the last 20 yrs?
January 27th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Julius:
20 years ago I thought I knew everything. I hope that Ecclesiastes or life or something has taught me that now I know a little less. And that something has taught me a little humility.
February 21st, 2007 at 7:06 pm
I agree with all of the above. But something has really been bothering me in the way the quarterly many times has disgraced the repentant, reformed, holy character of Solomon. I refer to the way he is made to “bemoan” life, gripe and complain, like he was the biggest fool around. How can this book be inspired if he wasn’t sanctified and moved by the Holy Spirit?
February 21st, 2007 at 7:28 pm
For those who become too depressed reading Ecclesiastes, just take your Prozac and see how much better life looks!