The Motif of Search

About the Book

Scholars differ almost on every issue regarding the interpretation of the biblical book Song of Songs. While some see the book as a collection of love songs, others have chosen the allegorical method typical of rabbinic and patristic exegesis, which fails to consider the protagonists in the Song primarily as man and woman. The author proposes reading the Song of Songs literally (anthropologically) as a unified work comprising two parts (2, 8–5, 1 and 5, 2–8, 4) in which the theme of the latter part (love as victory over death) functions as intensification of the spousal theme in the former part. According to him, this approach highlights the theology of the book, especially when understood in the context of the story of origin in Genesis 1–3. It further raises some serious polemical questions on gender relationship.

About the Author

Ignatius Okoli is a priest of the Catholic diocese of Awka, Nigeria. He holds Masters Degree in Religion and Human Relations from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Nigeria. He obtained his Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from Pontifical Biblical Institute Rome and Doctorate in Biblical Theology from Pontifical Gregorian University Rome. Ignatius has Bachelors in Philosophy and Theology from Bigard Memorial Seminary Enugu and Blessed Iwene Tansi Memorial Seminary Onitsha, Nigeria. His research interest is in the area of biblical intertextuality and he has brought this to bear on the question of gender in the Song of Songs and Genesis 1-3. He currently works in Interlaken Switzerland.