If you know nothing else about Ecclesiastes, you know chapter three thanks to The Byrds .

Was it written by Solomon? Nope. We’ll explain why we know.

We talk about how the writer of Ecclesiastes seems to be in direct conversation with the writer of Proverbs. We also talk about how Proverbs would be “bad news” with its simple answers about death and suffering, where Ecclesiastes feels more realistic, true to life, than Proverbs.

At the time this was written there was very little understanding of a presence of God individually. There was also no concept of heaven or hell or any kind of afterlife, only Sheol — which sounds a bit like the Greek concept of Asphodel — where people go when they die. The text is pessimistic but also invites more moderation rather than hedonism.

Despite the differences from Proverbs, Ecclesiastes still isn’t a satisfying answer to the question of death, the injustices of life, or about how to live in hope. So, what’s the mature response? Both Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are at their core talking about issues of justice and righteousness. Jesus is the Christian answer, as a prophet and sage. Listen in as Elliot begins to form his (unofficial) thesis on this.

We also talk about Erik Erikson’s stages of development. The final stage is integrity vs. despair, and Ecclesiastes seems to be someone who fell to despair. This episode refers to Rick’s sermon on the Fruit of the Spirit from June 29th, and a few more cultural references including Madonna (the singer) and the movie, “Dazed and Confused.”

Cross Connections is a ministry of ⁠⁠St. David’s Episcopal Church in Wayne, PA⁠⁠. Season two, Cover to Cover is hosted by the Rev. Rick Morley, Elliot VanHoy, and Natalee Hill.

A full copy list of readings for 2025 may be found on our website at ⁠⁠https://stdavidschurch.org/crossconnections⁠⁠

If you have questions for us, you can call us at 484.588.5656 and leave a voicemail with your name, where you’re from, and your question or comment. Please note, we may use your recorded voice in an upcoming episode of Cross Connections. You can also email us at [email protected].

Logo graphic design and podcast production by Natalee Hill. Stock Media Music provided by Marscott and MoodMode / ⁠⁠Pond5⁠⁠.

You are welcome to learn more about all of St. David’s worship offerings and ministries at ⁠⁠ https://stdavidschurch.org/.