Reviewed Book: Schmitz, Barbara G. The Life of Christ and the Death of a Loved One: Crafting the Funeral Homily. Lima, Ohio: CSS Pub, 1995

Lisinski, Peter

English

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 22Issue 2 Essays Ecumenical and Historical Article 1911-1-1996The Life of Christ and the Death of a Loved One:Crafting the Funeral HomilyPeter LisinskiFollow 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 CitationLisinski, Peter (1996) "The Life of Christ and the Death of a Loved One: Crafting the Funeral Homily," Consensus: Vol. 22 : Iss. 2 ,Article 19.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol22/iss2/19152 ConsensusThe Life Of Christ And The Death Of A Loved One:Crafting The Funeral HomilyBarbara G. SchmitzLima, Ohio: CSS Publishing Co., 1995107 pp.This very fine little book is divided into two parts. Part I is a method-ology, and Part II contains the resulting sermons of Barbara Schmitz, theRector of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Hazel Park, Michigan.As I read Part I, I felt like a companion in ministry. I could identifywith Schmitz’ sensitivity to the challenges of preaching at funerals: theunchurched in the congregation; the expectation/temptation to eulogizethe deceased; over-familiarity or lack of familiarity with the deceased; thestress of adding a funeral, and all its attendant activities, to an alreadybusy schedule.But even more importantly, I appreciate Schmitz’ sensitivity to theprimary pastoral task of the funeral, its liturgy as well as its homily, andhow it can best be fulfilled. Citing a gem from Henri Nouwen, she suggests“that one of the chief purposes of the funeral homily is to relate the churchyear and specific events in the life of Christ to. . .the death of a loved one”(17).Once the seasonally-appropriate theme has been identified, it is joinedto the theological themes of death and dying. Schmitz offers somegood advice, and also refers us to a variety of resources, which help toshape a homily containing four movements: “. . .a Christian understand-ing of grief;. . .gratitude for the life of the deceased; proclamation of theWord;...and an evangelistic thrust ” These are the four G’s of sermonstructure: grief, gratitude, God, grappling (23).Part II consists of twenty homilies—one for every season of the liturgicalcalendar; major and lesser festivals, such as Ascension, Trinity, Presenta-tion, Holy Cross Day, etc., also receive some representation.For the most part, these homilies present liturgical and biblical preach-ing at their best. The four G’s are not evident in every one, but I attributethis to the deep pastoral sensitivity Schmitz reveals in her preaching.I cannot think of any book of funeral sermons I have read that I wouldrecommend more than this one. The homilies in it are, in and of themselves,“worth the price of admission”. And the introductory part is a wonderfulbonus!Peter LisinskiFaith Evangelical Lutheran Church,Fergus, Ontario

The Life of Christ and the Death of a Loved One: Crafting the Funeral Homily

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The Life of Christ and the Death of a Loved One: Crafting the Funeral Homily

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