Panel: RELIGION, HEALTH, AND WELLBEING 2nd day



165_2.6 - BEYOND VANITIES AND VOIDS: BIBLICAL WISDOM IN DIALOGUE WITH MODERN PSYCHOLOGY

AUTHORS:
Iwanski D. (Nicolaus Copernicus University ~ Torun ~ Poland)
Text:
Most research on religion, health, and wellbeing hasn't made its way into theological discussions. Many theologians see these scientific approaches as separate from how we should interpret sacred texts. My paper tries to bridge this gap with a specific example - looking at surprising connections between Ecclesiastes and Frankl's psychological theories. I've spent years studying Qohelet's puzzling use of ha'olām in Ecclesiastes. What if we translate it as "horizon" instead of "eternity"? This small shift reveals something fascinating - Qohelet's ancient wisdom looks remarkably similar to how Frankl describes meaning-finding after his Holocaust experiences. Both Qohelet and Frankl noticed something similar: people find meaning within boundaries, not by escaping them. This connection across thousands of years suggests some enduring truths about how we make sense of our lives. This kind of conversation between theology and psychology can work both ways. Theology gains new perspectives from psychological research, while offering rich wisdom that prevents reducing religion to just another wellness tool. Together, these approaches might help us tackle today's meaning crises - from social media emptiness to pandemic isolation - with both scientific insight and spiritual depth.