MAKING SANITY OUT OF VANITY
Christian realism in the Book of Ecclesiastes
By Stanley D. Gale. EP Books. 176 pages. £ 6.99
ISBN 978 0 852 347 454
Stan Gale is clear that Making Sanity out of Vanity is not a commentary on Ecclesiastes, but on life, utilising Ecclesiastes as a lens.
Accordingly, it is not developed exegetically, but thematically, investigating most spectrums of life. The book is well presented and clearly written (although its cultural references best suit a Western context), and contains some good pastoral wisdom. Ultimately, Gale points us away from the ‘Vanity of vanities’ to Christ, the ‘Verity of verities’. Each chapter concludes with a list of ‘Questions from Qoheleth’, suitable for personal or group study.
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