Category
Textual or Investigative
Description
Christian counselors can benefit from theological research into effective counseling theory and practice. Biblical wisdom literature has been long overlooked as an effective tool in biblically-informed counseling. Biblical wisdom parallels recent trends in positive-psychology toward emphasizing holistic human flourishing (Hawkins, 2026). Further, interpretations of Ecclesiastes can parallel existentialism, with similar emphases on coherence and meaning-making (Keefer, 2019). In Lee’s (2012) discussion of Ecclesiastes, flourishing is pinpointed in qohelet’s treatment of joy. Lee develops a theology of enjoyment based on qohelet’s diagnosis of the human condition, his description of humanity’s position in relationship with God, and his meditation on injustice. In this vein, gratitude has been shown to positively impact mortality rates, emphasizing the centrality of the cultivation of gratitude, joy, and contentment (Chen et al., 2024). In this presentation, a comparative analysis of Lee (2012) and psychotherapeutic practices that emphasize the cultivation of joy will be conducted. The analysis will highlight parallels between the philosophy of existential positive-psychology and Ecclesiastes’ emphasis on joy and contentment, while underscoring practical, ethical application of psychotherapeutic methods on an empirical basis.
Joy Under the Sun: Ecclesiastes and Existential Positive-Psychology
Textual or Investigative
Christian counselors can benefit from theological research into effective counseling theory and practice. Biblical wisdom literature has been long overlooked as an effective tool in biblically-informed counseling. Biblical wisdom parallels recent trends in positive-psychology toward emphasizing holistic human flourishing (Hawkins, 2026). Further, interpretations of Ecclesiastes can parallel existentialism, with similar emphases on coherence and meaning-making (Keefer, 2019). In Lee’s (2012) discussion of Ecclesiastes, flourishing is pinpointed in qohelet’s treatment of joy. Lee develops a theology of enjoyment based on qohelet’s diagnosis of the human condition, his description of humanity’s position in relationship with God, and his meditation on injustice. In this vein, gratitude has been shown to positively impact mortality rates, emphasizing the centrality of the cultivation of gratitude, joy, and contentment (Chen et al., 2024). In this presentation, a comparative analysis of Lee (2012) and psychotherapeutic practices that emphasize the cultivation of joy will be conducted. The analysis will highlight parallels between the philosophy of existential positive-psychology and Ecclesiastes’ emphasis on joy and contentment, while underscoring practical, ethical application of psychotherapeutic methods on an empirical basis.
