Vol. 1 No. 1, February 2022
A Christian Perspective on Leisure
Paul Heintzman
Abstract
The Bible knows nothing of “a problem of leisure.” . . . The general standpoint of the Bible is that it is “folly” (i.e. sinful) to be idle between daybreak and sunset.... Hence we must not expect to derive from the Bible any explicit guidance upon the right use of leisure. (Richardson, 1952, p. 51)
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References
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Note: This paper is a reprint of the following book chapter. Permission to re-publish this paper has been granted by Dordt
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