Title: Treasures old and new: images in the lectionary. Author: Ramshaw, Gail Treasures old and new 477 p. Publisher: Minneapolis : Fortress, 2002

Jacobsen, David Schnasa

English

Scholars Commons

Consensus
Volume 30
Issue 1 Globalization Article 19
5-1-2005
Treasures old and new: images in the lectionary
David Schnasa Jacobsen
Follow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus
This Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by an
authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.
Recommended Citation
Jacobsen, David Schnasa (2005) "Treasures old and new: images in the lectionary ," Consensus: Vol. 30 : Iss. 1 , Article 19.
Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol30/iss1/19
introduction that Lindbeck’s writings in their entirety, and certainly
those selected for this anthology, are interdependent and universally
centred in a hope for Christian unity.
This anthology, as it has been edited and introduced, raises
questions that are central to relationships within the wider Christian
church. The majority of divisions within the wider Christian church
are dependent upon doctrinal, political and theological disagreements
from times that are not ours. Lindbeck suggests that a reconsideration
of cultural and chronological boundaries could help to reconcile
centuries of division. This suggestion is intended to encourage the
reader to move beyond the theological and doctrinal categorization of
his/her own denomination to reconsider each community’s role in the
movement towards unity. 
Buckley has collected and effectively introduced key samples of
the theological writings of George Lindbeck so that they might be
available to theologians and, more generally, educated readers and
students of religious studies. I would recommend this book for any
person making an attempt to understand Christian relations, as well
as any ordered or lay member of the wider Christian church who
holds ecumenical relations central to his/her Christian identity.
W. S. Cranston
Department of Religion and Culture
Wilfrid Laurier University
Treasures Old and New: Images in the Lectionary
Gail Ramshaw
Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2002
435 pages. $47.25 Hardcover
In this book Gail Ramshaw weaves a wonderful tapestry of images
from the three-year Revised Common Lectionary. She does so in a
way that deepens our appreciation for the fabric of our lives as
bounded by the proclamation of lectionary texts in Christian worship.
In truth, what she develops is a marvelously deep and wondrous
liturgical hermeneutic which takes the weft of the Bible seriously, but
also sets it in the woof of the liturgical year and ongoing sacramental
Book Reviews 135
Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2005
life. One cannot set down this book without a great appreciation for
Ramshaw’s gift. The images of the lectionary come alive on her
pages and refuse to be kept captive to a distant past. Naturally, a few
imperfections become apparent to even the most ardent admirers of
her imagistic tapestry, yet even they fail to diminish significantly the
reader’s appreciation for her work.
The structure of the book is straightforward. An introduction and
an afterword bookend the images she treats. The introduction helps
readers understand the importance of the lectionary and the choices it
makes (Ramshaw was the ELCA representative to the task force
which developed the Revised Common Lectionary) as well as
offering some theoretical underpinnings to explain why and how the
images in lectionary texts are important. The afterword, though quite
brief, allows you as the reader to frame and reflect back on the images
she covers, inviting you poetically to dwell “… in the images, so that,
after the liturgy, the images can be in you.” (435)
The bulk of the book in the middle is made up of forty images.
Naturally, the list is not exhaustive. However, the Biblical “forty”
certainly gives the reader an appreciation for their breadth and power.
Given Ramshaw’s liturgical training, the reader is not surprised by
many of the images chosen: body, clothing, cross, family, fire,
journey, light, marriage, resurrection of the body, temple, water, and
week. Ramshaw begins each image with a series of quotes, one from
the Psalms to ground the image in the history of Israel’s worship, one
from a contemporary act of worship and/or hymn, and a few selected
treatments of that image from important male and female figures in
Church history. What follows over the next few pages is Ramshaw’s
own masterful interpretation of each image. Each treatment begins
with an exploration of scriptural texts (cross-referenced with the
corresponding lectionary pericope) and frequently includes a
placement of that image within a broader history of religions or
anthropological context. Inevitably, Ramshaw also wrestles
theologically with each image.
Nonetheless, the discerning reader has more than just
appreciation for Ramshaw’s efforts. The primary treatment of the
image of the Word of God, for example, occurs under two other
headings: “Prophet” and “Emanation”. Certainly the image of the
Word for a Lutheran liturgical scholar deserves more treatment (and
a more nuanced treatment in other parts of the book than its mere
136 Consensus
http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol30/iss1/19
equation with the scriptures) than that. At points I also wished
Ramshaw would have been a bit more critical with her take on the
lectionary itself, especially its tendencies to reinscribe some
problematic typological readings of Hebrew Bible texts, especially in
Advent. Naturally the issue is not so much whether there should be
some typological thinking, but how to do it in a way that honours both
the lectionary tradition and Jewish-Christian relations.
Yet these concerns do not diminish substantially my appreciation
for Ramshaw’s work. Despite the flaws, preachers and worship
planners alike will benefit from her beautify tapestry of lectionary
images.
David Schnasa Jacobsen
Waterloo Lutheran Seminary
The Angry Christian: A Theology for Care and Counseling
Andrew D. Lester
Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002
308 pages, $30.00 Softcover
Andrew Lester is seeking to de-construct the notion of anger-as-sin
and co-construct an alternative narrative about anger in the Christian
tradition. The alternative narrative views anger as part of God’s
creation especially rooted in the commandment to love. Anger is not
sin but can lead to sin. The terrible misuse of anger that leads to abuse
and violence is sin. However, Lester does not want to throw the baby
out with the bath water. He wants to affirm that anger is a healthy
emotion and to find ways that the expression of anger can lead to life
and not death. Lester argues that this alternative narrative is already
present in Christianity but it is not the dominant narrative. The
dominant narrative is that anger-is-sin and in this view, anger ought
to be rooted out like rooting out weeds. In this book, the apt image
for the alternative narrative about anger is that of a rose bush that
needs to be pruned and gardened and not weeded out. Lester succeeds
in presenting a strong argument for the alternative narrative
The book presents mostly a theological argument for seeing
anger as part of God’s creation, rooted in our biology and an outcome
Book Reviews 137
Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2005


Treasures old and new: images in the lectionary

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 30Issue 1 Globalization Article 195-1-2005Treasures old and new: images in the lectionaryDavid Schnasa JacobsenFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationJacobsen, David Schnasa (2005) "Treasures old and new: images in the lectionary ," Consensus: Vol. 30 : Iss. 1 , Article 19.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol30/iss1/19introduction that Lindbeck’s writings in their entirety, and certainlythose selected for this anthology, are interdependent and universallycentred in a hope for Christian unity.This anthology, as it has been edited and introduced, raisesquestions that are central to relationships within the wider Christianchurch. The majority of divisions within the wider Christian churchare dependent upon doctrinal, political and theological disagreementsfrom times that are not ours. Lindbeck suggests that a reconsiderationof cultural and chronological boundaries could help to reconcilecenturies of division. This suggestion is intended to encourage thereader to move beyond the theological and doctrinal categorization ofhis/her own denomination to reconsider each community’s role in themovement towards unity. Buckley has collected and effectively introduced key samples ofthe theological writings of George Lindbeck so that they might beavailable to theologians and, more generally, educated readers andstudents of religious studies. I would recommend this book for anyperson making an attempt to understand Christian relations, as wellas any ordered or lay member of the wider Christian church whoholds ecumenical relations central to his/her Christian identity.W. S. CranstonDepartment of Religion and CultureWilfrid Laurier UniversityTreasures Old and New: Images in the LectionaryGail RamshawMinneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2002435 pages. $47.25 HardcoverIn this book Gail Ramshaw weaves a wonderful tapestry of imagesfrom the three-year Revised Common Lectionary. She does so in away that deepens our appreciation for the fabric of our lives asbounded by the proclamation of lectionary texts in Christian worship.In truth, what she develops is a marvelously deep and wondrousliturgical hermeneutic which takes the weft of the Bible seriously, butalso sets it in the woof of the liturgical year and ongoing sacramentalBook Reviews 135Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2005life. One cannot set down this book without a great appreciation forRamshaw’s gift. The images of the lectionary come alive on herpages and refuse to be kept captive to a distant past. Naturally, a fewimperfections become apparent to even the most ardent admirers ofher imagistic tapestry, yet even they fail to diminish significantly thereader’s appreciation for her work.The structure of the book is straightforward. An introduction andan afterword bookend the images she treats. The introduction helpsreaders understand the importance of the lectionary and the choices itmakes (Ramshaw was the ELCA representative to the task forcewhich developed the Revised Common Lectionary) as well asoffering some theoretical underpinnings to explain why and how theimages in lectionary texts are important. The afterword, though quitebrief, allows you as the reader to frame and reflect back on the imagesshe covers, inviting you poetically to dwell “… in the images, so that,after the liturgy, the images can be in you.” (435)The bulk of the book in the middle is made up of forty images.Naturally, the list is not exhaustive. However, the Biblical “forty”certainly gives the reader an appreciation for their breadth and power.Given Ramshaw’s liturgical training, the reader is not surprised bymany of the images chosen: body, clothing, cross, family, fire,journey, light, marriage, resurrection of the body, temple, water, andweek. Ramshaw begins each image with a series of quotes, one fromthe Psalms to ground the image in the history of Israel’s worship, onefrom a contemporary act of worship and/or hymn, and a few selectedtreatments of that image from important male and female figures inChurch history. What follows over the next few pages is Ramshaw’sown masterful interpretation of each image. Each treatment beginswith an exploration of scriptural texts (cross-referenced with thecorresponding lectionary pericope) and frequently includes aplacement of that image within a broader history of religions oranthropological context. Inevitably, Ramshaw also wrestlestheologically with each image.Nonetheless, the discerning reader has more than justappreciation for Ramshaw’s efforts. The primary treatment of theimage of the Word of God, for example, occurs under two otherheadings: “Prophet” and “Emanation”. Certainly the image of theWord for a Lutheran liturgical scholar deserves more treatment (anda more nuanced treatment in other parts of the book than its mere136 Consensushttp://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol30/iss1/19equation with the scriptures) than that. At points I also wishedRamshaw would have been a bit more critical with her take on thelectionary itself, especially its tendencies to reinscribe someproblematic typological readings of Hebrew Bible texts, especially inAdvent. Naturally the issue is not so much whether there should besome typological thinking, but how to do it in a way that honours boththe lectionary tradition and Jewish-Christian relations.Yet these concerns do not diminish substantially my appreciationfor Ramshaw’s work. Despite the flaws, preachers and worshipplanners alike will benefit from her beautify tapestry of lectionaryimages.David Schnasa JacobsenWaterloo Lutheran SeminaryThe Angry Christian: A Theology for Care and CounselingAndrew D. LesterLouisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002308 pages, $30.00 SoftcoverAndrew Lester is seeking to de-construct the notion of anger-as-sinand co-construct an alternative narrative about anger in the Christiantradition. The alternative narrative views anger as part of God’screation especially rooted in the commandment to love. Anger is notsin but can lead to sin. The terrible misuse of anger that leads to abuseand violence is sin. However, Lester does not want to throw the babyout with the bath water. He wants to affirm that anger is a healthyemotion and to find ways that the expression of anger can lead to lifeand not death. Lester argues that this alternative narrative is alreadypresent in Christianity but it is not the dominant narrative. Thedominant narrative is that anger-is-sin and in this view, anger oughtto be rooted out like rooting out weeds. In this book, the apt imagefor the alternative narrative about anger is that of a rose bush thatneeds to be pruned and gardened and not weeded out. Lester succeedsin presenting a strong argument for the alternative narrativeThe book presents mostly a theological argument for seeinganger as part of God’s creation, rooted in our biology and an outcomeBook Reviews 137Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2005

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Treasures old and new: images in the lectionary

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