Matthew Schlimm: From Fratricide to Forgiveness

A lot has been written about the disfunctionality of the first family of faith in Genesis, much of it undeniable, but Matthew Schlimm's new book traces the theme of anger in Genesis from its tragic primitive outburst in the murder of righteous Abel to the far-greater and gracious outburst of forgiveness in Joseph's revelation to his guilt-ridden brothers. 


Dr. Schlimm's dissertation will be especially welcome to Year D readers, since only with Year D do such texts as Genesis 4 and Genesis 13 find their way into the preaching rotation of the liturgical year (in the 5th and 3rd Sundays of Lent, respectively). 


In addition to treating the accounts of Cain and Abel, Abram and Lot, and the Joseph cycle, Matt also offers constructive readings of the following texts that preachers may well wish to include in lectio continua (or at least semi-continuous) series:

• Sarai/h and Hagar (Gen 16 and 21)
• Isaac and the Philistines (26:12-22)
• Jacob and Esau (27:41-45; 33)
• Rachel, Leah, Jacob, and the subject of (in)fertility (30:1-4)
• Jacob and Laban (31:35-55)
• The rape of Dinah (34; 49:5-7)
• Potiphar, his wife, and Joseph (39:17-20)
• Pharaoh and his servants (40:1-3)

One need only take a cursory glance at the hair-raising headlines each morning to see the need and the timeliness of my Methodist colleague's searching, considered, and constructive work, From Fratricide to Forgiveness. May it inspire your preaching of Year D, and (even more important) the gospel of reconciliation!

What? Another football post?

Well, not exactly. But I have to say, I like these guys, and evidently they like Tim Tebow. They, and a few others these days, are remembering an all-important distinction, not just for life in general, but, as I preach to my preaching classes, it is all-important for preaching as well: the infinite qualitative difference between irony and earnestness. It's an old point made by Kierkegaard (the so-called master of irony, whose earnest writing has yet to been taken seriously as such) and running through his authorship from beginning to end. More on this if (Lord willing) my sabbatical request is approved.

An old poem you might enjoy

Here's a wee thing that made its way into print almost ten years ago now. Phew! Where does the time go? Anyway, I thought you might enjoy it round about this time of year. It looks better on, you know, paper (remember paper?) than in the herky-jerky format of an on-line cached file, but it still sounds good, if you give it the tone and the tempo of the poetic.

Instead of the idealized view we harbor of Mary, I like the idea that she was tired, but graciously polite and respectful, when receiving the visitors from the east, even if their visit may have seemed a bit intrusive. Is this not the way it is with grace, which theologians such as George Hunsinger and Walter Brueggemann have rightly describe as disruptive?


My favorite lines are these:

  The visitors beam with eyes full of starfirelight

  taking the passive child and passing him lightly

  with expert elder hands of night

May the Lord bless you this Advent and Christmas with his joyful Spirit of the sacred poetic, and may grace disrupt every moment when you find yourself at risk of slouching into drudgery and despond. 

     

UPDATE: The first link is bad, though I'm not sure why. Meanwhile, the poem is included in my new volume, The Just, Quiet Wind.

"Groans of the Spirit" garners its first review on Amazon

Who says pastors don't read books anymore? After only a year on its own in the world, my little toddler, Groans of the Spirit, has garnered its first review on Amazon, and from a fine preacher at that. Thanks, Gregg!

Year D's curriculum vitae

Since questions are often asked regarding the sources and origins of lectionaries and the modifications and developments they undergo, let me offer, for the sake of posterity, a historical timeline of this project, with all glory, laud, and honor to the Triune God for inspiring it, of course. (Others have proposed four-year lectionaries before, such as the Joint Liturgical Group, headed by the late Methodist pastor, the Rev. Raymond George. But that one never took off.) In the forthcoming introduction to the print version of Year D, three more recent (yet very different) proposals are acknowledged that became known to me after The Year D Project website was launched. There may be others; but here are a few selected events in the emergence of the present project. 

• January 1999 - "The Psalter of the Disappeared," with "A 'Hit' List" and the missing texts from the Gospel of John presented to classmates at Columbia Theological Seminary.
• Fall 2002 - Year D proposed in a Comprehensive (doctoral) Exam on worship at Princeton Theological Seminary. [NB: Didn't flunk.]
• Summer 2004 - Key gospel and epistle texts identified as missing from the RCL.
• Fall 2004 - Gospel, epistle, and psalm texts assigned to specific Sundays of the liturgical year.
• Advent 2004 through Christ the King 2005 - Year D is implemented and preached at the First Presbyterian Church, Titusville, NJ, with Old Testament lections identified and elements written on a weekly basis.
• Summer 2005 - First draft of rationale written on study leave in SC.
• May 8, 2007 - "Year D: A Proposed Supplement to the Revised Common Lectionary,” Presbytery of New Brunswick.
• August 2007 - “Expand the Lectionary! The Need for and Features of Supplementary Year D,” submitted to The Academy of Homiletics: Papers of the Annual Meeting, 42nd Mtg. (2007).
• January 2008 - “Fresh Inspiration for the Resurrection Cycle,” Continuing education event, Princeton Theological Seminary.
• April 2008 - "Year D: A Proposed Supplement to the Revised Common Lectionary,” presented to faculty and students at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. [NB: Got the job.]
• February 23, 2010 - “Preaching at Easter, in Eastertide, and Beyond,” at the Presbytery of Great Rivers.
• March 2010 - The Year D Project website launched: http://theyeardproject.blogspot.com
• January 2011 - Year D: A Quadrennial Supplement to the Revised Common Lectionary contracted with Cascade Books.
• August 31, 2011 - Year D final draft ms. submitted to Cascade Books (forthcoming in 2012).
• October 2011 - "To Hear the Voice of Texts Long Silenced, Consider Year D,” in The Presbyterian Outlook, Vol. 193, No. 22 (October 31, 2011).
• November 8, 2011 - "Year D: Scriptural & Nutritional Supplements for the Body of Christ" (A Presbyterian Outlook 90-minute Webinar).

UPDATED:

• February 20, 2012 - "Fit to Burst: Dialectical Reading and Preaching in Lent using Supplementary Texts from Year D," South Dakota Presbytery.

Posting Dates Correspond to Event Dates

Dear Year D Readers:


For your ease of use, I am in the practice of "bumping" the posting dates for all worship events from week to week so as to make them correspond with the actual upcoming events. Thus, the front or home page of this site will normally be the next upcoming liturgical event, Sunday or feast day. (Other posts are then shuffled in so that the latest appear near the top of the stack.)


In addition to searching the archives by month, you can also search the site using the search box at right, or by way of the RSS button in the URL address bar of your browser.


Blessings and peace in Christ,


TMS

UPDATE (October 5, 2012): You may have noticed the system of dating described above no longer applies, since Google/Blogger has eliminated the possibility of posting things ahead of time. One can schedule their appearance at a specific time, but one cannot show the actual publication date of a post ahead of the actual tick of the clock in real time. Darn. As a result of this change, I'm now trying to post the next coming event with a few days lead time (i.e., bump it up to the top of the stack) so that it will be most useful and you won't have to search deep in the archives. But the date as such will not be the forthcoming Sunday. Sorry about that. 

Meet the new Director of Theology, Worship, and Education

As a colleague of Chip Hardwick from our days in the doctoral program at Princeton Seminary, I take this as decidely good news. 

I don't do a lot of football posts, but this is pretty cool ...

This story is a month old now, but the hearts of many Iowans, Dubuquers, and University of Dubuque students, parents, alums, faculty, staff, trustees, etc., ... are still bursting with pride at this young man's accomplishments. Please note the phrase: "all divisions." Besides breaking this twelve-year-old record, Michael Zweifel is also a 2011 recipient of one of sixteen National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame's National Scholar-Athlete Awards, with a 3.9 GPA. Congratulations, Michael!