Salix Babylonicus: A Youth / Adult Sunday School Discussion Guide

This review of The Secret of Salix Babylonicus is two years old but, like the book itself, improves with age. I hope one day soon to produce a longer study guide for multiple sessions, but the reviewer has done a good job in identifying some probing questions that are bound to evoke rich discussion. So many themes at work in this story! I remain grateful for the sympathetic review. And what is Salix about if not music therapy, pastoral listening, the ministry of presence, all of which revolve around sympathy?

Christmas at Heritage (2019): "The Sound of Christmas"

Here is the video of the University of Dubuque's Christmas at Heritage. This year (2019) the theme was "The Sound of Christmas," featuring the music and narration of Elisabeth Von Trapp. It was my pleasure once again to serve as "narrative guy." Having selected scripture readings in the Cambridge tradition of Lessons and Carols (2018), arranged and adapted translations of Romanos the Melodist (2017), woven non-traditional scripture readings into other narratives for a fresh perspective à la Year D (2016), and written a three-person play (2015), it seemed time to return to the approach take six years ago (2014) when I was first invited to take part in this lovely, annual event and write some fresh poems for the occasion. The whole video is worth viewing. You will doubtless enjoy the folk style of our distinguish guest, the wind and vocal ensembles, and the full choir which was in fabulous form, but if the time is short and you want to hear my "two bits" (or five bits, actually), you can hear Mrs. Von Trapp deliver these narrative poems at the time codes below:

I. What News is This? (15:11)
II. The Savior Has Appeared! (28:35)
III. The Promised, Pure Daystar is Born. (40:55)
IV. Closer Now, Deeper Down (53:45)
V. The Sound of Christmas (1:04:54)

Oecolampadius bio cited

I was glad to see my little translation of Theophil Stähelin's biography of Oecolampadius cited in Dr. Verne Poythress' recent article on the Basel Reformer, which you can read here.

 

Dr. Poythress' blog, BTW, was ranked #31 on Jeremy Myers' list of the Top 100 Christian Blogs a few years ago. The list is not dated, so it is hard to tell how old it is—some obvious changes will soon be apparent—but the Frame-Poythress blog is quite current and full of good resources.   

Six weeks to Advent: A timely reminder to "Waste Not the Fragments"

Now is a good time to order this inexpensive new commentary on Year D's suggested texts for Advent. Enough fresh texts here for several adult Bible study or Sunday school sessions. Order one per student; put your own questions to text, commentary, and conversation partners.

"Nothing but Joy"

Here is a sermon on James 1:1-21, one of several I have preached on the same text and by the same title. This one was preached on Memorial Day Sunday, 2016, at Second Presbyterian Church, Bloomington, IN. 

More relevant than ever

When I wrote this experimental sermon back in 1997, I little expected it would continue to grow more relevant with every passing year, and in recent years, exponentially so.

   

Someone should write a study guide to go with it, with lessons focussing on (1) the role of grief/weeping in the Christian life, (2) the experience of exile/loss, (3) nonjudgmental listening, (4) pain relief/medication/pharmaceuticals/drugs abuse, (5) music/harp therapy, and (6) the psalms as refuge. That's just off the top of my head, but those six themes sound rather conducive to a Lenten series. 

Waste Not the Fragments: A Commentary for Year D (Advent)

A number of exegetical essays that have been residing here for some time, along with previously unpublished matter, all of it related to texts suggested for Advent, have just been published in the following commentary. Perhaps this Advent is the time to introduce your congregation, Bible study group, or adult Sunday school class to these rich texts, extend their scriptural foundations, and supplement their spiritual diet.

Spread the word!

The Ninth Commandment

Just think how much better the world would be if people took the ninth commandment seriously and actually lived by it: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." For one thing, people would not be constantly having to siphon the bile spewed by the SPLC from the public discourse and defend themselves to the point of bankrupcy from the relentless and inhuman attacks of lawfare. For another, we would not need to see a mild-mannered young person's education interrupted and his character assassinated by false accusers who then invite well-deserved punitive lawsuits for the benefit of righting the public record. For another, preachers would not then need to remind people that the origin of lex talonis itself has its roots in false accusation, namely, that the punishment for false accusation, to be imposed on the false accuser, is precisely what the accused would have received had the false accusation been true. In short, if your self-hatred is such that you feel it necessary to hound someone else to hell with your psychological projections and false accusations, well, don't be surprised when the hounds soon turn on you. They will, you know. And you will be the one to pay, not the one at whom you point your Satanic finger.