Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes)
Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes)
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Hardback
£39.99
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Publisher: Liturgical Press
ISBN: 9780814681237
Number of Pages: 280
Published: 06/03/2020
Width: 15.2 cm
Height: 22.9 cm
2021 Catholic Media Association Award third place award in academic studies
Qoheleth, also called Ecclesiastes, has been bad news for women throughout history. In this commentary Lisa Wolfe offers intriguing new possibilities for feminist interpretation of the book's parts, including Qoheleth's most offensive passages, and as a whole. Throughout her interpretation, Wolfe explores multiple connections between this book and women of all times, from investigating how the verbs in the time poem in 3:1-8 may relate to biblical and contemporary women alike, to noting that if 11:1 indicates ancient beer making it thus reveals the women who made the beer itself. In the end, Wolfe argues that, by struggling with the perplexing text of Qoheleth, we may discover fruitful, against-the-grain reading strategies for our own time.
Qoheleth, also called Ecclesiastes, has been bad news for women throughout history. In this commentary Lisa Wolfe offers intriguing new possibilities for feminist interpretation of the book's parts, including Qoheleth's most offensive passages, and as a whole. Throughout her interpretation, Wolfe explores multiple connections between this book and women of all times, from investigating how the verbs in the time poem in 3:1-8 may relate to biblical and contemporary women alike, to noting that if 11:1 indicates ancient beer making it thus reveals the women who made the beer itself. In the end, Wolfe argues that, by struggling with the perplexing text of Qoheleth, we may discover fruitful, against-the-grain reading strategies for our own time.
Contents
Acknowledgments ix
List of Abbreviations xi
List of Contributors xv
Foreword: "Tell It on the Mountain" -or, "And You Shall Tell Your Daughter [as Well]" xvii
Athalya Brenner-Idan
Editor's Introduction to Wisdom Commentary: "She Is a Breath of the Power of God" (Wis 7:25) xxi
Barbara E. Reid, OP
Author's Introduction: A Feminist Toolbox for Interpreting Qoheleth xli
Qoheleth 1:1-18 Learning Qoheleth's Language 1
Qoheleth 2:1-26 A Test: Is Pleasure Hevel? 17
Qoheleth 3:1-22 What Time? 37
Qoheleth 4:1-5:20 [19] From Hevel to Carpe Diem and Much in Between 63
Qoheleth 6:1-7:14 Good, Better, Wise 83
Qoheleth 7:15-29 On Wisdom and Women (or Woman Wisdom) 99
Qoheleth 8:1-9:6 From Wisdom to Death 127
Qoheleth 9:7-18 Carpe Diem and Related Imperatives 141
Qoheleth 10:1-12:14 Closing Advice and Epilogue 151
Afterword: Qoheleth as a Model for Feminist Hermeneutics 167
Works Cited 173
Index of Scripture References and Other Ancient Writings 185
Index of Subjects 197
Acknowledgments ix
List of Abbreviations xi
List of Contributors xv
Foreword: "Tell It on the Mountain" -or, "And You Shall Tell Your Daughter [as Well]" xvii
Athalya Brenner-Idan
Editor's Introduction to Wisdom Commentary: "She Is a Breath of the Power of God" (Wis 7:25) xxi
Barbara E. Reid, OP
Author's Introduction: A Feminist Toolbox for Interpreting Qoheleth xli
Qoheleth 1:1-18 Learning Qoheleth's Language 1
Qoheleth 2:1-26 A Test: Is Pleasure Hevel? 17
Qoheleth 3:1-22 What Time? 37
Qoheleth 4:1-5:20 [19] From Hevel to Carpe Diem and Much in Between 63
Qoheleth 6:1-7:14 Good, Better, Wise 83
Qoheleth 7:15-29 On Wisdom and Women (or Woman Wisdom) 99
Qoheleth 8:1-9:6 From Wisdom to Death 127
Qoheleth 9:7-18 Carpe Diem and Related Imperatives 141
Qoheleth 10:1-12:14 Closing Advice and Epilogue 151
Afterword: Qoheleth as a Model for Feminist Hermeneutics 167
Works Cited 173
Index of Scripture References and Other Ancient Writings 185
Index of Subjects 197
"Lisa Wolfe is quick to acknowledge that the book of Qoheleth is not an easy read for feminists. Yet her ability to engage Qoheleth's questioning of orthodoxy with a feminist questioning of Qoheleth lays the groundwork for a rich commentary that uncovers ancient and modern religious absurdities about hierarchy, gender, and class. Through the process Wolfe begins to create a place in Qoheleth for women-both ancient and modern."
Thomas B. Dozeman, Professor of Old Testament, United Theological Seminary "Wolfe's is the first thoroughgoing feminist interpretation of Ecclesiastes. The result is neither a condemnation of the ancient author nor a whitewash of his offensive passages but a skillfully nuanced approach to the book that can lead to respect for the ancient author's contribution to the hermeneutic of suspicion."
The Bible Today "This book contributes numerous valuable, gender-critical insights to our understanding of the ethic of Ecclesiastes."
Interpretation "This is a good example of how feminist/womanist biblical scholarship creates new readings of texts many have long ago written off. The Afterword, 'Qoheleth as a Model for Feminist Hermeneutics' is a stand-alone essay that could fruitfully be studied in classes. Readers will find that the section on women as makers of beer (Ecclesiastes 11:1) shatters a few more myths as craft makers prove today!"
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