Ancient Wisdom For The Good Life

In Ancient Wisdom for the Good Life, Ralph K. Hawkins turns our attention to the Bible’s Wisdom Literature (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs) and how it can correct us, train us in righteousness, and ultimately empower us for successful living.

In this volume, the author turns to some of the most inspired writing on the Good Life the world has ever known: ancient Israel’s Wisdom Literature, which includes Job, some of the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. In these books, ancient Israel’s sages wrote about how to live stable, harmonious, productive, and joyous lives. Together, they interlock to cover the entire field of wisdom, providing contemporary readers with the tools to develop a unified world view with God at the center. Ancient Wisdom for the Good Life culls out the guidance of ancient Israel’s sages for a modern society that has been cut adrift from its moorings.

Full of wisdom and practically written, this book could be used as a supplementary text in an undergraduate or seminary course in the Wisdom Literature, and it would certainly be useful for pastors in their sermon preparation or even just general reading.

Table of Contents:

1. Winning and the Wisdom Literature

2. A Mindset of Integrity

3. A Mindset of Community

4. A Mindset of Communication

5. A Mindset of Cause-and-Effect

6. A Mindset of Goal-Setting

7. A Mindset of Work

8. A Mindset of Health

9. A Mindset of Abundance

10. A Mindset of Joy

About the Author

Ralph K. Hawkins (PhD, Andrews University) is professor of religion and director of the Program in Religion at Averett University. He is co-director of the Jordan Valley Excavation Project (JVEP) and the author of several books, including The Iron Age I Structure on Mt. Ebal: Excavation and Interpretation (Eisenbrauns), How Israel became a People (Abingdon Press), and Discovering Exodus: Content, Interpretation, Reception (SPCK/Eerdmans). An Anglican priest, Hawkins has also written pastoral books, including While I Was Praying: Finding Insights about God in Old Testament Prayers (Smyth & Helwys), and Leadership Lessons: Avoiding the Pitfalls of King Saul (Thomas Nelson).