Dr. Patricia Vesely publishes book on the ethics of friendship in Job
RICHMOND, VA (May 10, 2019) — For classical philosophers, friendship was a serious topic of ethical reflection, yet in contemporary discussions on ethics, this subject is largely absent. Drawing upon Aristotelian ethics based on virtue, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biblical Hebrew Dr. Patricia Vesely examines friendship as a moral category in the Book of Job, illuminating those virtues, motivations, and perceptions that this relationship entails.
In her new book “Friendship and Virtue Ethics in the Book of Job,” Vesely argues that for Job, the virtues of loyalty, compassion, courage, humility, honesty, hospitality, and practical wisdom are essential to a relationship of friendship. These traits of character are most fully embodied in actions of advocacy.
In addition to a detailed examination of friendship in the Book of Job, Vesely addresses topics such as the contribution of virtue to human flourishing, the role of tragic literature in moral formation, friendship in Hellenistic and biblical contexts, and ethics in heroic societies. Her book brings together topics spanning philosophy, ethics, and biblical studies, yielding a work that will appeal to a broad range of audiences.
The book is available for purchase through Cambridge University Press and Amazon.
###
Contact:
Mike Frontiero
Director of Communications
Union Presbyterian Seminary
mfrontiero@upsem.edu
