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Three Philosophies of Life: Ecclesiastes—Life As Vanity, Job—Life As Suffering, Song of Songs—Life As Love
by
Peter Kreeft
"I've been a philosopher for all my adult life and the three most profound books of philosophy that I have ever read are Ecclesiastes, Job, and Song of Songs." These are the opening lines of Kreeft's Three Philosophies of Life. He reflects that there are ultimately only three philosophies of life and each one is represented by one of these books of the Bible—life is vanity
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Paperback, 140 pages
Published
June 1st 1990
by Ignatius Press
(first published October 1989)
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(showing 1-30)
إنه الكتاب الأروع الذي قرأته في حياتي ولأول مرة وبعكس طبيعتي تملأني رغبة في قراءته ثانية. مشكلتي الكبيرة هي أني غير قادر على سماع أحدهم يعظ في سفري الجامعة وأيوب ولا أبغي قراءة تفاسير أخرى لهذين الكتابين.
Ecclesiastes: Life as Vanity
Kreeft states in the books introduction, “The essence of Hell is not suffering but vanity, not pain but purposelessness, not physical suffering but spiritual suffering.” Ecclesiastes is the result of a life lived with God not at the center, a life defined by secularism. Solomon’s philosophy found in Ecclesiastes is useful in our culture today because it is an existential book about human existence that asks the question, “do humans have any reason to be here at all”? ...more
Kreeft states in the books introduction, “The essence of Hell is not suffering but vanity, not pain but purposelessness, not physical suffering but spiritual suffering.” Ecclesiastes is the result of a life lived with God not at the center, a life defined by secularism. Solomon’s philosophy found in Ecclesiastes is useful in our culture today because it is an existential book about human existence that asks the question, “do humans have any reason to be here at all”? ...more
Aug 09, 2014
Sameh Maher
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
فكر-وثقافة,
مسيحيات
الكتاب رائع جدا فى عرض فكرته وهى ان هناك 3 فلسفات اساسية فى الحياة وهى الباطل والمعاناه والحب
وكيف ان كل منهم يوصل للاخر فالباطل هو البداية ان يشعر الانسان بمحدودية عمله تحت الشمس .. نحن نحتاج الى قوة من خارج عالمنا لكى تعطى معنى للحياة
اما المعاناة فهى الباطل مع الاجابة التى يعطيها الرب لايوب فلا فرق بين الجامعة وايوب الا رد الله
ايضا هناك فلسفة الحب وهى التى تعطى القيمة والحياة والمعنى لكل عمل تحت الشمس
الكتاب رائع جدا فى عرض افكاره وقيم من فيلسوف بقدر بيتر كريفت
وقد استمتعت بكل كلمة فيه
قد تكتشف ا ...more
وكيف ان كل منهم يوصل للاخر فالباطل هو البداية ان يشعر الانسان بمحدودية عمله تحت الشمس .. نحن نحتاج الى قوة من خارج عالمنا لكى تعطى معنى للحياة
اما المعاناة فهى الباطل مع الاجابة التى يعطيها الرب لايوب فلا فرق بين الجامعة وايوب الا رد الله
ايضا هناك فلسفة الحب وهى التى تعطى القيمة والحياة والمعنى لكل عمل تحت الشمس
الكتاب رائع جدا فى عرض افكاره وقيم من فيلسوف بقدر بيتر كريفت
وقد استمتعت بكل كلمة فيه
قد تكتشف ا ...more
الحياه باطل ومعاناه .. ومحبه :)!
ولكن اعظمهم المحبه ;)
ولكن اعظمهم المحبه ;)
فقط، كل ما تحتاجه قبل بدء عام جديد، أن أعيد تقييم كل كتبي -هنا- من جديد! او أتركها لتذكيري بمدى سذاجتي في الحُكْم على مجموعة من الأفكار.
Another must read on a regular basis book. It's so rich with thought that I'm sure I missed a lot of it on the first read. If you want some insights to the books of Ecclesiastes, Job and Song of Songs, this is a great view. I love how he introduced Ecclesiastes for the dark silouette that is the backdrop for the beauty and light of the gospel - especially for modern man. Since I've read this, I've seen it in so many conversations that I've had with people. What is the meaning of all this? That s
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Outside of books of the Bible, this is one of only 2 "5-Star" Books I read in 2012. Peter Kreeft is a master and this commentary on Ecclesiastes, Job, and Song of Songs is phenomenal. Kreeft is known for saying that he recommends starting with Ecclesiastes as the first book to study in the Bible, because it presents the case for the pain of living in vanity when God is rejected. What is the meaning of life? While "The Preacher" in Ecclesiastes fails to answer that question, the rest of the Bible
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An exposition of Ecclesiastes (the philosophy of vanity), Job (the philosophy of suffering), and Song of Songs (the philosophy of love).
Peter Kreeft's interpretation of Ecclesiastes is the standard interpretation: Solomon is writing as if he were an atheist. This interpretation, I believe, fails to deal with the book as it was originally intended. Douglas Wilson starts to wrestle with this in his Joy at the End of the Tether. And, I believe, Jeffrey Myers does so successfully in his A Table in t ...more
Peter Kreeft's interpretation of Ecclesiastes is the standard interpretation: Solomon is writing as if he were an atheist. This interpretation, I believe, fails to deal with the book as it was originally intended. Douglas Wilson starts to wrestle with this in his Joy at the End of the Tether. And, I believe, Jeffrey Myers does so successfully in his A Table in t ...more
Three Philosophies of Life is a wonderful set of meditations centered on the biblical books of Ecclesiastes, Job, and Song of Songs. Peter Kreeft does not attempt to write commentary about the books or delve into critical debates about composition, dating, etc. Rather he approaches these three books as books of philosophy, and seeks to understand them in light of what they can teach us about the human condition and the life of the Christian. He focuses on the three books as representing three ph
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(La recensione in italiano qui)
Kreeft affirms that in his life the three most influential philosophical books he ever read are books from the Bible: Qoelet, Job and the Canticle of Canticles. These books represent three different views on life: Qoelet representing nihilism, Job fatalism, and the Canticle mysticism.
In a different perspective, the first is a meditation on Hell, the second on Purgatory, the third on Heaven. The first is the best wisdom a man can reach without God, the second reflec ...more
Kreeft affirms that in his life the three most influential philosophical books he ever read are books from the Bible: Qoelet, Job and the Canticle of Canticles. These books represent three different views on life: Qoelet representing nihilism, Job fatalism, and the Canticle mysticism.
In a different perspective, the first is a meditation on Hell, the second on Purgatory, the third on Heaven. The first is the best wisdom a man can reach without God, the second reflec ...more
This is a book that struck me as a fundamental book. I have listened to a few of Peter Kreeft’s talks on the web, and his conversational tone comes through in this book. Kreeft makes many comparisons of the three books of the Bible that he shares and the one that struck me most was the one to Dante’s Divine Comedy...Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.
The book is full of wisdom and useful insights that can help to provide a good perspective on life. There were plenty of gems in it that I will look forwa ...more
The book is full of wisdom and useful insights that can help to provide a good perspective on life. There were plenty of gems in it that I will look forwa ...more
A interesting book with some valuable insights on Ecclesiastes, Job, and Song of Songs. Though the interpretive lens that Rome requires led to several errors in interpretation. It was really my first book about philosophy so most of his references I did not understand fully. Others more acquainted with philosophy may like it more than I did.
Peter Kreeft's Three Philosophies of Life (1989) is a philosophical, theological, and practical exploration of the the themes of vanity, suffering, and love. He explores each of these "philosophies of life" through the biblical wisdom literature. In particular, ecclesiastes represents vanity, Job represents suffering, and the Song of Songs represents love.
The longest section dealt with Ecclesiastes, which Kreeft regards as one of the finest philosophical "books" ever produced because it deals s ...more
The longest section dealt with Ecclesiastes, which Kreeft regards as one of the finest philosophical "books" ever produced because it deals s ...more
This is one of those books that I think everyone should read, openly and prayerfully. I am thankful to have stumbled across it in an Old Testament wisdom literature class, as it greatly deepened my understanding of these three books.
Kreeft has a talent for breaking even complex things down into an easy-to-understand format. Beyond just giving a broad overview of Ecclesiastes, Job, and Song of Songs, he delves into how they explore the age-old philosophical questions of human existence: Why was ...more
Kreeft has a talent for breaking even complex things down into an easy-to-understand format. Beyond just giving a broad overview of Ecclesiastes, Job, and Song of Songs, he delves into how they explore the age-old philosophical questions of human existence: Why was ...more
Kreeft's premise is that there are only three philosophies in life, and each is best illustrated by three books of the Old Testament. The three books are known as wisdom books (aptly named) and are Ecclesiastes--life as vanity, Job--life as suffering, and Song of Songs--life as love. These parallel closely to hell, purgatory, and heaven. (Please do not be turned off by the theological term of purgatory. As Kreeft explains, it is a time full of hope, of transformation, a building of deep faith.)[
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Nov 22, 2014
The other John
rated it
it was amazing
Recommended to The other John by:
Michael Adeney
Shelves:
theology,
philosophy
Back in the day, on a visit to Harvest Logos bookstore, Michael directed my attention to a collection of books by Peter Kreeft, a philosphy professor who had just been in town for a lecture. I politely looked at the collection and noticed his book Three Philosophies of Life, which is an overview of the Biblical books of Ecclesiastes, Job and Song of Songs. I was gearing up to lead a Bible study at church on Job, and on last minute impulse I grabbed the book. I was not disappointed. Three Philoso
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I've been meditating on the concept of "love" recently. My friend got me to do the First Corinthians reading for her wedding and I bought this book for my Kindle app shortly after. As Kreeft notes, the Corinthians reading is foreshadowed by the the Old Testament for sure. The three Old Testament books that Kreeft explores all add to the meaning of love in our lives. I have a conflicted view towards love (God, as God is love) as the "answer" to everything. Isn't that rather trite? Yes, Kreeft ack
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Have you ever wondered, What's the deal with Ecclesiastes? Me too. Peter Kreeft does a wonderful job teaching with great depth without making you feel lost or bored. He's honest, forthright and even funny at times. Some points he makes about Ecclesiastes are: it is the question and the rest of the Bible is the answer, it is modern, it is all monologue, not dialogue- but inspired monologue. I would say read Ecclesiastes then read the first section of this book, then read Ecclesiastes again. I app
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deserves more than 5 stars...Will definitely read it again..it left me in awe so many times with either the explanations or the expressions itself...I wish I have found that book earlie..Kreeft, in this book, explained the meaning behind the struggle of Ecclesiastes and the suffering of Job ..only to end with connecting it all to the greatest purpose of life in the Song of songs ...in spite of some symbolic catholic beliefs which don't really contradict or refute the core, it is still more than
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What a beautifully written collection of philosophical thoughts. Kreeft here tackles existentialism, life as suffering, and life as love which he proposes are the three main philosophies adopted by most people. He rightly deems Ecclesiastes the first existentialist piece of writing, and I found his analysis of the concepts intriguing and eloquent. Job is his reference to address the problem of suffering, and he uses Song of Songs to expound on 26 realities of love, and the reason that Love is th
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A pretty conventional predictable Christian apologetic focusing on the Books of Ecclesiastes and Job and the Song of Songs. As is almost universally the case for similar explorations, the author seems a bit stumped by Ecclesiastes and resorts to some significant interpretive leaps and twists. To his credit, he at least gives it its disruptive voice and appreciates the problems it poses to mainline Christian theology. But basically, he cuts off a deeper investigation of this most difficult of bib
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I could proudly give out my five-star rating to this book even when I am still lingering it's first chapter. And with all respects I believe I would not change it even after my journey through the book is finished.
Kreeft's presenting his idea on the three books of the OT is logically sound and concise, with no much wavering or attempts to beating around the bush. He's straightforward on our times fear and proud and he bluntly, yet not with strong reason, provide the answers. I am marvelled at h ...more
Kreeft's presenting his idea on the three books of the OT is logically sound and concise, with no much wavering or attempts to beating around the bush. He's straightforward on our times fear and proud and he bluntly, yet not with strong reason, provide the answers. I am marvelled at h ...more
How should we view life? What is the purpose of life? Peter Kreeft gets to the heart of these questions by using three books from the Hebrew Scriptures--Ecclesiastes: Life as Vanity; Job: Life as Suffering; and Song of Songs: Life as Love. This compact book (only 140 pages) extracts the essence of these three timeless books. The last section, with 26 truths about love, I found especially powerful. How do you view life? Perhaps this book will help you clarify your answer.
I like the general idea of classifying philosophies or ways of living based on Ecclesiastes (existential despair), Job (perservering in suffering), and the Song of Songs (ecstatic faith). This is really a good book, and Kreeft is a good thinker.
He seems to be trying to emulate G.K. Chesterton, which is an admirable endeavor, but some of the Chestertonian paradoxes and ironies are a little heavy-handed.
He seems to be trying to emulate G.K. Chesterton, which is an admirable endeavor, but some of the Chestertonian paradoxes and ironies are a little heavy-handed.
Kreeft is a clear thinker and communicator and brings a wonderful broad learning to the wisdom literature which I really appreciated and have been challenged by. but . . . I don't actually buy his exegetical material. That said, I really appreciated it and found it helpful in my sermon prep.
The book is great, it show you how to get away from the Ecclesiastes' struggle of finding the meaning of life and Job's world view as a suffering and then he turns to The Songs of Solomon as the answer for all the existential questions that anyone has about life's meaning... "Love".
What a fantastic book - every Christian should read it. Perfect for a short Bible study, small group discussions, or individual prayer. A clear, sensible, and luminous introduction to philosophy and Christianity.
Wow. This was fascinating- and it made sense! While this was not my first religious book, it was my first philosophy book! Very interesting.
I can't wait till I get to these books in my bible.
I am definitely going to look into this author's other titles.
I can't wait till I get to these books in my bible.
I am definitely going to look into this author's other titles.
En español!
EL eclesiastes, Cantar de los cantares y JOB. muuuuuy bueno
EL eclesiastes, Cantar de los cantares y JOB. muuuuuy bueno
An excellent use of OT wisdom literature to look at the way people live their lives today: vanity, suffering, and love.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life would be empty and meaningless without God in it. | 2 | 3 | Jan 10, 2015 11:19AM | |
| Life would be empty and meaningless without God in it. | 5 | 10 | Jan 10, 2015 11:19AM |
Peter Kreeft is a Catholic apologist, professor of philosophy at Boston College and The King's College, and author of over 45 books including Fundamentals of the Faith , Everything you Ever Wanted to Know about Heaven , and Back to Virtue . Some consider him the best Catholic philosopher currently residing in the United States. His ideas draw heavily from religious and philosophical tradition,
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“انما الحكيم وحده يعرف الحماقة. اما الحمقي فلا يعرفون الحكمة ولا الحماقة. فكما نحتاج الي حكمة لنعرف الحماقة, والي نور لنعرف الظلمة, كذلك نحتاج الي عمق كي نعرف الباطل, الي معني كي نعرف اللامعني. ويقول باسكال: "اي شخص لا يري بطلان الحياة لابد ان يكون بالحقيقة باطلا جدا".”
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“god is love, and music is the language of love; therefore, music is the language of god. music is a language more profound than words. how often have you heard a great piece of music and felt that? great music does not just make you feel good; great music suggests some profound truth or mysterious meaning that objectively true but not translatable into words. attempts to translate music's meaning into words always fail. it is like trying to allegorize a symbol, trying to reduce to one literal, verbal meaning something that has many nonliteral, nonverbal meanings.”
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