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37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I had no idea., November 30, 1999
This review is from: Three Philosophies of Life: Ecclesiastes--Life as Vanity, Job--Life as Suffering, Song of Songs--Life as Love (Paperback)
Until I read this book, all I knew about Ecclesiasties was that it was the source of the lyrics for that Byrds song. Kreeft opened my eyes to the wealth of philosophy (in the Bible? ) in this book. It's amazing how modern the thought presented here is. The idea that life has no meaning is by no means a new one, and the author of Ecclesiasties expounds on that fact as well as any modern philosopher. Kreeft says that when he teaches his Bible class at Boston College, he teaches Ecclesiasties first, because the rest of the Bible is the answer to the question Ecclesiasties poses. The other two sections of the book are just as eye-opening, but the one on Ecclesiasties surprised me the most. "Three Philosophies" is a great, thought-provoking little book.
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26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An existentially satisfying book for the Christian..., May 25, 2005
This review is from: Three Philosophies of Life: Ecclesiastes--Life as Vanity, Job--Life as Suffering, Song of Songs--Life as Love (Paperback)
Kreeft's book is an insightful exegesis of some of the most difficult biblical text to understand. In a rough outline form, let me share what I found to be some of the best aspects of the book:
1) He makes a corollary from Ecclesiastes, Job, and Song of Solomon to passing from hell, purgatory, and heaven. He keeps the terms of this analogy well. For instance, he compares the meaningless vanity of Ecclesiastes to the tormenting void of desperation that is hell.
2) I disagree with a previous critic who said Kreeft was fallacious in reasoning. In fact, many of his arguments hinge on the necessity of logic: the fallacies of ambiguous definition (what IS "happiness" and "meaning"?), the logical necessity of syllogism (the famous Augustinian syllogism concerning God's goodness and omnipotence), and the principle of causality: what are the consequences of life choices? No; logic is central to each work of Kreeft's.
3) It is a great book to read as a supplement to biblical text for a time of devotion and reflection each day.
4) It is a great introduction to the questions concerning both philosophy of religion and theology; for instance- what is the role of experience in faith? Is fideism the appropriate stance of Christian faith?
All in all, I think the book is fantastic.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
a rewarding read, February 19, 2005
This review is from: Three Philosophies of Life: Ecclesiastes--Life as Vanity, Job--Life as Suffering, Song of Songs--Life as Love (Paperback)
Three Philosophies of Life looks at three of the most profound books of wisdom - Ecclesiastes, Job, and Song of Songs - in an attempt to answer one of the deepest and most important questions humanity can ask. Each of the three books represents a state of the soul: Ecclesiastes as Hell, Job as Purgatory (as in, any suffering that purges, not necessarily the Catholic sense of Purgatory), and Song of Songs as Heaven. 'All three conditions,' Kreeft writes, 'begin here and now on earth.' In this book, Kreeft takes us on a journey (reminiscent of Dante's Divine Comedy) to find meaning - not only the meaning of life itself, but the meaning of our lives, of my life. Of your life. He discusses the all-vanity philosophy of Ecclesiastes, the theodicy of Job, and the love story of Song of Songs in relation to our lives on earth, our search for meaning, and our need for a personal relationship with God.
This is a very profound book with a wealth of insight to share. I highly recommend it for anyone who has ever wondered what life is all about, or whether it's about anything at all.
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