May 22, 2014, marks the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon Baines Johnson’s ?Great Society? address, delivered at the spring commencement for the University of Michigan. Johnson?s speech remains the most ambitious call to date by any president to use the power of the national government to effect a far-reaching transformation of American society.
We continue discussing Solomon’s perspective on work & labor, with excellent commentary from Dr. Eckman on our society’s tendency of valuing our work over our position in Christ.
In 1796, when George Washington decided not to seek a third term as president, he warned the young Republic about the dangers of foreign entanglements. His counsel produced the policy of isolationism.
Solomon shares his experience & perspective in both foolish & wise living, and explains the “meaninglessness” of either from an eternal perspective.
Nearly two years ago, a well-known historian of early Christianity from Harvard Divinity School, Karen L. King, argued that a scrap of papyrus of a Coptic gospel text [30 Coptic words in eight fragmentary lines of writing] was authentic and raised the possibility that Jesus was married.
Dr Eckman leads this discussion of Solomon’s experiment with pleasure-seeking as a means of fulfillment & contentment; how self-indulgence & frivolous living left him empty & unfulfilled.
About two years ago, Vladimir Putin began his third term as President of Russia, with his declared objective being to launch a 21st century resurgence of Russia. Rhetorically, he has embraced Russia?s imperial past, which has brought him into conflict with the West, especially the United States. Ukraine is the most recent manifestation of this resurgence. There are two key elements of his worldview that are germane to his actions in Ukraine and to his vision of a resurgent Russia.
Solomon teaches us about the futility of human wisdom: how knowledge without Spiritual transformation is useless.
That we are free in Christ is a central teaching of genuine biblical Christianity. In the non-moral areas of life, we have the responsible freedom to choose. Christians have often not appreciated this freedom, choosing instead to universalize their convictions in certain entertainment areas of life, as well as in leisure time activities. The result has usually been some form of legalism that ignores God?s grace and the freedom it brings.
Dr. Eckman begins a new study on the book of Ecclesiastes, with a historical overview & discussion of Solomon’s main theme: “The meaninglessness of life apart from God”.
