Encountering Ecclesiastes: A Book of Our Time: A Book for Our Time - Softcover

Limburg, James

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0802830471 ISBN 13: 9780802830470

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2006

Synopsis

Too often neglected or stigmatized as overly pessimistic, the book of "Ecclesiastes" speaks eloquently to the uncertainties and anxieties that people have experienced through the centuries. James Limburg brings to life this ancient book and shows how it still offers wisdom and hope in our probing, questioning twenty-first-century times. Drawing on years of careful study and classroom exposition, Limburg takes readers through this fascinating book systematically, pointing out connections to Jewish festivals and New Testament themes and incorporating interpretations by Martin Luther, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Rabbi Harold Kushner. He illuminates the contemporary existential themes in "Ecclesiastes" - the quest for meaning in life, the incompleteness of our knowledge, the place of work in human lives, and the need to discover God amid life's uncertainties. And Limburg argues that, instead of a summons to flee the concerns of this world, "Ecclesiastes" is really a call to worldly involvement. Not a highly technical, verse-by-verse commentary but rather a fresh, relevant discussion arising from Limburg's extensive teaching experience, "Encountering Ecclesiastes" will be ideal for students, church study groups, and any reader seeking to understand the timeless wisdom of "Ecclesiastes".

About this title

Review:

"Sojourners"
""Encountering Ecclesiastes," by James Limburg. It's perhaps among the more gloomy books of the Bible indeed, one writer Limburg cites says Ecclesiastes has 'the smell of the tomb about it' but Limburg is refreshingly direct and honest. . . He opens Ecclesiastes' wisdom to those of us who find ourselves chasing the wind, wondering if all is really vanity after all.""Christian Century"
"A good choice for an adult Bible study group."Walter Brueggemann
Columbia Theological Seminary
"The book of Ecclesiastes requires an interpreter who is well grounded in tradition, alert to the cranky realities of life, able to sit honestly in the darkness, free to believe against all the data of dailyness, and artistic enough to render the mundane in a way that compels. James Limburg is just such an interpreter. . . His book is as timely and summoning as is Ecclesiastes itself"Rabbi Barry D. Cytron
University of St. Thomas
""Encountering Ecclesiastes"is a learned, lovely, and loving introduction to one of the most captivating books of the Bible. How fortunate we readers are to have the skilled guidance of James Limburg, with his wide reading, keen attention to language, and obvious reverence for this great and profound scroll of the Bible."Patrick Miller
Princeton Theological Seminary
"In"Encountering Ecclesiastes" not your typical commentary James Limburg places this book of wisdom in conversation with many voices, living and dead, from Pete Seeger to Dietrich Bonhoeffer to Limburg's own bored and questioning students. Ecclesiastes comes to life in accessible and sometimes moving ways as Limburg explores its echoes through the halls of Scripture, moving the book from its often isolated place to stand fully with Moses and the prophets as God's word to us about how to live and how to trust.""Expository Times"
"Adeptly and expertly Limburg re-introduces the fascinating themes of Ecclesiastes to modern readers and shows its long, indeed venerable, tradition of interpretation and influence.""Living Church"
"An enjoyable and very accessible introduction to one of the Old Testament's less popular books.""Theological Book Review"
"[Encountering Ecclesiastes] is readable and uncluttered, and wears its learning lightly. Limburg has taught Ecclesiastes for many years and it shows: many memorable illustrations and anecdotes speed the reader on their way.""

"Sojourners" ""Encountering Ecclesiastes," by James Limburg. It's perhaps among the more gloomy books of the Bible indeed, one writer Limburg cites says Ecclesiastes has 'the smell of the tomb about it' but Limburg is refreshingly direct and honest. . . He opens Ecclesiastes' wisdom to those of us who find ourselves chasing the wind, wondering if all is really vanity after all.""Christian Century" "A good choice for an adult Bible study group."Walter Brueggemann Columbia Theological Seminary "The book of Ecclesiastes requires an interpreter who is well grounded in tradition, alert to the cranky realities of life, able to sit honestly in the darkness, free to believe against all the data of dailyness, and artistic enough to render the mundane in a way that compels. James Limburg is just such an interpreter. . . His book is as timely and summoning as is Ecclesiastes itself"Rabbi Barry D. Cytron University of St. Thomas ""Encountering Ecclesiastes"is a learned, lovely, and loving introduction to one of the most captivating books of the Bible. How fortunate we readers are to have the skilled guidance of James Limburg, with his wide reading, keen attention to language, and obvious reverence for this great and profound scroll of the Bible."Patrick Miller Princeton Theological Seminary "In"Encountering Ecclesiastes" not your typical commentary James Limburg places this book of wisdom in conversation with many voices, living and dead, from Pete Seeger to Dietrich Bonhoeffer to Limburg's own bored and questioning students. Ecclesiastes comes to life in accessible and sometimes moving ways as Limburg explores its echoes through the halls of Scripture, moving the book from its often isolated place to stand fully with Moses and the prophets as God's word to us about how to live and how to trust.""Expository Times" "Adeptly and expertly Limburg re-introduces the fascinating themes of Ecclesiastes to modern readers and shows its long, indeed venerable, tradition of interpretation and influence.""Living Church" "An enjoyable and very accessible introduction to one of the Old Testament's less popular books.""Theological Book Review" "[Encountering Ecclesiastes] is readable and uncluttered, and wears its learning lightly. Limburg has taught Ecclesiastes for many years and it shows: many memorable illustrations and anecdotes speed the reader on their way.""

Sojourners
-Encountering Ecclesiastes, by James Limburg. It's perhaps among the more gloomy books of the Bible -- indeed, one writer Limburg cites says Ecclesiastes has 'the smell of the tomb about it' -- but Limburg is refreshingly direct and honest. . . He opens Ecclesiastes' wisdom to those of us who find ourselves chasing the wind, wondering if all is really vanity after all.- Christian Century
-A good choice for an adult Bible study group.- Walter Brueggemann
-- Columbia Theological Seminary
-The book of Ecclesiastes requires an interpreter who is well grounded in tradition, alert to the cranky realities of life, able to sit honestly in the darkness, free to believe against all the data of dailyness, and artistic enough to render the mundane in a way that compels. James Limburg is just such an interpreter. . . His book is as timely and summoning as is Ecclesiastes itself- Rabbi Barry D. Cytron
-- University of St. Thomas
-Encountering Ecclesiastes is a learned, lovely, and loving introduction to one of the most captivating books of the Bible. How fortunate we readers are to have the skilled guidance of James Limburg, with his wide reading, keen attention to language, and obvious reverence for this great and profound scroll of the Bible.- Patrick Miller
-- Princeton Theological Seminary
-In Encountering Ecclesiastes -- not your typical commentary -- James Limburg places this book of wisdom in conversation with many voices, living and dead, from Pete Seeger to Dietrich Bonhoeffer to Limburg's own bored and questioning students. Ecclesiastes comes to life in accessible and sometimes moving ways as Limburg explores its echoes through the halls of Scripture, moving the book from its often isolated place to stand fully with Moses and the prophets as God's word to us about how to live and how to trust.- Expository Times
-Adeptly and expertly Limburg re-introduces the fascinating themes of Ecclesiastes to modern readers and shows its long, indeed venerable, tradition of interpretation and influence.- Living Church
-An enjoyable and very accessible introduction to one of the Old Testament's less popular books.- Theological Book Review
-[Encountering Ecclesiastes] is readable and uncluttered, and wears its learning lightly. Limburg has taught Ecclesiastes for many years and it shows: many memorable illustrations and anecdotes speed the reader on their way.-

From the Back Cover:

The book of Ecclesiastes speaks eloquently to the uncertainties and anxieties that people have experienced through the centuries. James Limburg brings this ancient book to life for readers in our probing, questioning twenty-first-century times. He illuminates the contemporary existential themes in Ecclesiastes -- the quest for meaning in life, the incompleteness of our knowledge, the place of work in human lives, and the need to discover God amid life's uncertainties. A fresh, relevant discussion, arising from Limburg's extensive teaching experience, "Encountering Ecclesiastes" is ideal for any reader seeking to understand the timeless wisdom of Ecclesiastes.

About this edition

• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0802830471
• ISBN 13: 9780802830470
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 155