Ancient Hebrew Reading Group: Wisdom for Dark Times — the Book of Ecclesiastes
Everything is terrible; why live, why think, anyway? The Book of Ecclesiastes or Qohelet (“the Preacher”) faces these questions with philosophical sophistication, expressed in concise poem-puzzles that have been unpacked through the ages. We will slowly and methodically work our way through the book in the original Hebrew, guided by a wide sample of translations and commentaries, from antiquity to existentialism. We will also consider its context in the biblical and broader Ancient Near Eastern Wisdom tradition—distinguished by an attention to “secular” questions, a concern for the conditions of possibility of human knowledge, and a critical spirit; even as it held a basically conservative view of the social, divine, and natural order. If we understand the logic whereby the Preacher confronts the tragedy arising from life’s inherent contradictions, perhaps we will be more able to confront it ourselves.
Course Schedule
Wednesday, 6:00-8:00pm ETJanuary 28 — March 04, 2026
6 weeks
$335.00
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