Awakening to Judaism and Jews in Christian Preaching

Preaching is a daring undertaking. Whether through music, sermons, reading scripture, or personal conversation, speaking of God is an interpretive act. One never quite knows how what one plays, says, writes, or depicts is received. The distance between minds is vast. And given that every set of eyes may read the same words differently and each set of ears hear each interpretive utterance differently, hoping to communicate meaningfully with those watching and listening is nothing short of audacious. Among these challenges, one of the most delicate is preaching on Judaism and Jews. Yet Christians cannot avoid it. Judaism and Christianity are one another’s nemeses. Some biblical texts lend themselves to anti-Jewish attitudes and stereotypes that may be unrecognized so deep is Christian contempt for Jews and Judaism. This paper offers suggestions for avoiding anti-Jewish preaching. To do that effectively it will be necessary to awaken a sensibility to the concern that pervades and penetrates Christian thought. That requires slogging through some “unprettiness.” The paper first illustrates anti-Jewish preaching by interrogating a popular text, Luke’s story of the Pharisee and the tax collector. It then briefly considers Christian hymns and sacred choral music and then focuses on four sermons: The Letter to the Hebrews, Melito of Sardis’s On Passover, Augustine’s sermon 122 on John 1:48-51, and a recent sermon on Galatians 3:23-29. It concludes with suggestions for preachers, musicians and congregations and includes guidelines for preaching on Jews and Judaism and a bibliography for further study

Theology, News and Notes - Vol. 43, No. 03

Theology News & Notes was a theological journal published by Fuller Theological Seminary from 1954 through 2014.https://digitalcommons.fuller.edu/tnn/1126/thumbnail.jp

Utilising Reflective Practice Groups as pedagogy in ordination training and theological development

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Practical Theology on 3-5-19, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/1756073X.2019.1609254With the Church of England's ([2014. Formation Criteria with Mapped Selection Criteria for Ordained Ministry in the Church of England. https://www.churchofengland.org/media/2139103/formationcriteriaforordainedministryapprovedhofbpsdec2014.docx]) recent formation criteria now requiring ordinands to have a greater degree of reflexive capability, this article considers the pedagogy of Reflective Practice Groups in ordination training and focuses on how reflexivity can be developed in a group context, towards fostering greater spiritual formation, theological reflection, self-awareness, relational practices for pastoral encounter, resilience and self-care practices for ministry. Some ‘foci for reflexivity’ are advocated for use within Reflective Practice Groups in ordination training

God and the Art of Happiness

Western Christians are generally skittish about happiness, observes Ellen Charry. They live in the hope of heaven but are somewhat nervous about experiencing too much joy this side of paradise. Charry\u27s God and the Art of Happiness questions this way of thinking, reviewing the history of the theological conversation about happiness and offering a constructive proposal for considering it anew. After taking an introductory look at ancient Greek philosophy, Charry surveys the treatment of God and happiness throughout the history of Christian thought, from Saint Augustine through the eighteenth century. She then explores the biblical vision of happiness in the Pentateuch, Psalms, Proverbs, and the Gospel of John, clearly showing how the Bible encourages the happiness and flourishing that accompany obedience to the Creator. For those living in the beauty of holiness and divine love, she argues, this world is no vale of tears -- and there need be no conflict between pleasure and piety, between goodness and happiness. Rising from the ashes of deep personal pain and loss, this highly original theology of the Christian life offers comfort, encouragement, and healing for all who long to experience true happiness here and now.https://scholarlycommons.law.emory.edu/cslr-books/1062/thumbnail.jp

God and the Art of Happiness

Western Christians are generally skittish about happiness, observes Ellen Charry. They live in the hope of heaven but are somewhat nervous about experiencing too much joy this side of paradise. Charry\u27s God and the Art of Happiness questions this way of thinking, reviewing the history of the theological conversation about happiness and offering a constructive proposal for considering it anew. After taking an introductory look at ancient Greek philosophy, Charry surveys the treatment of God and happiness throughout the history of Christian thought, from Saint Augustine through the eighteenth century. She then explores the biblical vision of happiness in the Pentateuch, Psalms, Proverbs, and the Gospel of John, clearly showing how the Bible encourages the happiness and flourishing that accompany obedience to the Creator. For those living in the beauty of holiness and divine love, she argues, this world is no vale of tears -- and there need be no conflict between pleasure and piety, between goodness and happiness. Rising from the ashes of deep personal pain and loss, this highly original theology of the Christian life offers comfort, encouragement, and healing for all who long to experience true happiness here and now.https://scholarlycommons.law.emory.edu/cslr-books/1062/thumbnail.jp

On knowing God (Video)

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Becoming the beauty, wisdom, and goodness of God

https://place.asburyseminary.edu/ecommonslectureships/1551/thumbnail.jp