Wisdom Literature

2003 second half

Intensive weekend course 30 hr contact time

Dr Leong Tien Fock

Director of OT studies for Church Based Theological Education

B.E. (Hons) in Civil Engineering (University of Malaya, 1981)

M.A. in Old Testament Studies (Wheaton College Graduate School, 1989)

M.A., Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures (University of

California, Los Angeles, 1991, 1994)

Wisdom theology is the biblical counterpart to secular philosophy and

psychology.  This course interprets and applies the Wisdom literature to

contemporary life and thought. It presents a coherent interpretation and

contemporary exposition of Ecclesiastes in the broader context of Old

Testament Wisdom. Thus Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs and the Psalms are not

neglected. Ecclesiastes is chosen as the focus for three reasons. 1) This

book speaks powerfully to the contemporary world like no other biblical book

but it is badly misinterpreted by scholars and largely neglected by

preachers. 2) The interpretation and application of the other Wisdom books

are relatively straightforward and attention will also be given to them in

this course. 3) Ecclesiastes, which addresses the meaning of life, is focal

for integrating and presenting the teachings of the Wisdom literature.

The assignments consist of two short essays and a research paper. The first

essay critiques Michael Eaton's interpretation of Ecclesiastes as presented

in his Tyndale commentary and the second reviews Viktor Frankl's bestselling

book Man's Search for Meaning. The research paper is on the search for

meaning in life in contemporary society that applies Wisdom theology to

contemporary society.