12/19/2019

12/6/2019

7/9/2019

Karl Barth, the greatest theologian of the twentieth century, also served as a guest preacher and counselor in the Basel city prison. Because of his service, he was invited to speak to a convention of German prison chaplains and social workers. Questions were given in advance, but Barth’s responses were not scripted (but they were very long).

5/15/2019

3/12/2019

12/4/2018

The pastoral value of Ellen Charry’s book is signaled by her deeply personal introduction: “The gap between eschatological happiness and temporal happiness needs to be addressed because people experience hardship and grief that sets them off balance, and they wonder whether they can ever be happy again in this life, or whether life amounts to no more than a vale of tears simply to be slogged through somehow in hopes of a heavenly reward.”

10/16/2018

The PC(USA) has recently added the Belhar Confession to our Book of Confessions, bringing the total number of creeds, confessions, and catechisms to a dozen. We still don’t know what to do with them, however. Are they a collection of what people in other times and places confessed, or are they central to what we are called to believe and do? Are they are smorgasbord from which we may choose the dishes that suit us, or are we to receive the whole witness of our tradition? Are they to be mined for a list of essential tenets, or are we called to make corporate judgments about what is fundamental and what is marginal?

9/18/2018

9/5/2018

Ezekiel was surrounded by the ‘likeness’ of glory of the LORD, and he heard ‘someone’ speaking: “eat what is offered to you; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel” (Ezekiel 1:28, 3:1). Each week, pastors continue to eat what is offered to them, and continue to speak to the community of faith. From time to time, the Presbyterian Foundation will offer brief studies of Scripture that may be useful to pastors in teaching and preaching God’s word.

8/21/2018

How many English translations of the Bible do we need? New translations appear at a dizzying pace, each one promising superior accuracy and readability. The profusion of translations is evidence that they will all sell at a brisk pace – publishers publish what they think people will buy.

8/7/2018

Fall reading selection: Future of Mainline Protestantism

7/24/2018

Some sermons are like easy listening music on the FM dial – smooth, comforting, in one ear and out the other. Other sermons are unsettling – more like a challenging piece from a contemporary composer on the classical music station. Michael Eric Dyson’s sermon is not easy listening; like modern symphonic music it is bold, taxing, thought-provoking.