The Moral Vision of Proverbs
A Virtue-Oriented Approach to Wisdom
Published on 11. June 2024
Book
Paperback/Softback
432 pages
978-1-5409-6720-6 (ISBN)
Description
Wisdom literature is an unfamiliar genre to modern readers and presents many interpretive challenges. In this major new work, respected wisdom scholar Timothy Sandoval argues that the book of Proverbs, though difficult to access for some, provides a coherent moral vision for human flourishing.
The approach Sandoval argues for in The Moral Vision of Proverbs is that of virtue ethics, or character ethics, particularly that which emerges from the classical tradition of Aristotle (as opposed to reading the book, intentionally or unintentionally, through the lenses of modern ethical systems). Sandoval engages with specialists in this ethical tradition as well as biblical scholars to make his case that Proverbs is an ancient, virtue-oriented moral discourse.
This comprehensive critical study of Proverbs analyzes the book's major topics and strives to discern the moral and philosophical presuppositions and logic of its rhetoric, all the while engaging past and present interpretive approaches. Although authored by a Christian scholar, this text will be of great interest to a broadly ecumenical audience, whether students of the Old Testament/Tanakh/Hebrew Bible, biblical scholars, or Christian ethicists and moral theologians.
The approach Sandoval argues for in The Moral Vision of Proverbs is that of virtue ethics, or character ethics, particularly that which emerges from the classical tradition of Aristotle (as opposed to reading the book, intentionally or unintentionally, through the lenses of modern ethical systems). Sandoval engages with specialists in this ethical tradition as well as biblical scholars to make his case that Proverbs is an ancient, virtue-oriented moral discourse.
This comprehensive critical study of Proverbs analyzes the book's major topics and strives to discern the moral and philosophical presuppositions and logic of its rhetoric, all the while engaging past and present interpretive approaches. Although authored by a Christian scholar, this text will be of great interest to a broadly ecumenical audience, whether students of the Old Testament/Tanakh/Hebrew Bible, biblical scholars, or Christian ethicists and moral theologians.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Ada, MI
United States
Publishing group
Baker Publishing Group
Target group
College/higher education
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
567 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5409-6720-6 (9781540967206)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Timothy J. Sandoval (PhD, Emory University) is professor of religion at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. His teaching and scholarly work has focused on the book of Proverbs and the Bible's wisdom literature with special attention to questions of ethics, justice, and poverty in the biblical world. He is the author of Money and the Way of Wisdom and The Discourse of Wealth and Poverty in the Book of Proverbs as well as numerous articles. He has also coedited five other books.
Content
Introduction
Part 1: The Case for Proverbs as Virtue-Oriented Moral Discourse
1. The Undervaluing of Proverbs' Moral Worth: The Role of Biblical Studies and Modern Ethics
2. The Prologue as Hermeneutical Key: Categories of Virtues and Figurative Language
3. The Anthropology of Proverbs: The Nature and Happiness of Human Beings
4. Proverbs' Way of Life: The Priority of Moral Agents over Right Acts
5. The Training of Desire for a Life of Flourishing in Proverbs
6. Desire, Knowledge, and Goodness: Beyond Wise and Just, Foolish and Wicked
7. The Centrality of Social Virtues for Flourishing
8. Practical Wisdom in Proverbs
9. The Efficacy and Limitations of Practical Wisdom in Proverbs
Part 2: The Implications of Proverbs as Virtue-Oriented Moral Discourse
10. Proverbs' Virtue Ethics beyond Proverbs? The Shared Moral Discourse of Proverbs and Amos
11. A Virtue-Ethics Approach to Cosmogony in Proverbs (Part 1): Reconsidering the Interpretive History of Natural Law, the Orders of Creation, and Empiricism in Proverbs
12. A Virtue-Ethics Approach to Cosmogony in Proverbs (Part 2): Reading Proverbs 8:22-31 as a Test Case
13. Wisdom as Practice (Part 1): Overview of Biblical Concepts and MacIntyrian Terms
14. Wisdom as Practice (Part 2): How MacIntyrian Practice Informs an Understanding of Proverbs' Virtue Ethics
Conclusion: Worthy Wisdom, Who Can Find?
Indexes
Part 1: The Case for Proverbs as Virtue-Oriented Moral Discourse
1. The Undervaluing of Proverbs' Moral Worth: The Role of Biblical Studies and Modern Ethics
2. The Prologue as Hermeneutical Key: Categories of Virtues and Figurative Language
3. The Anthropology of Proverbs: The Nature and Happiness of Human Beings
4. Proverbs' Way of Life: The Priority of Moral Agents over Right Acts
5. The Training of Desire for a Life of Flourishing in Proverbs
6. Desire, Knowledge, and Goodness: Beyond Wise and Just, Foolish and Wicked
7. The Centrality of Social Virtues for Flourishing
8. Practical Wisdom in Proverbs
9. The Efficacy and Limitations of Practical Wisdom in Proverbs
Part 2: The Implications of Proverbs as Virtue-Oriented Moral Discourse
10. Proverbs' Virtue Ethics beyond Proverbs? The Shared Moral Discourse of Proverbs and Amos
11. A Virtue-Ethics Approach to Cosmogony in Proverbs (Part 1): Reconsidering the Interpretive History of Natural Law, the Orders of Creation, and Empiricism in Proverbs
12. A Virtue-Ethics Approach to Cosmogony in Proverbs (Part 2): Reading Proverbs 8:22-31 as a Test Case
13. Wisdom as Practice (Part 1): Overview of Biblical Concepts and MacIntyrian Terms
14. Wisdom as Practice (Part 2): How MacIntyrian Practice Informs an Understanding of Proverbs' Virtue Ethics
Conclusion: Worthy Wisdom, Who Can Find?
Indexes