Revelation – A Manifesto of Joy
Revelation – A Manifesto of Joy will be a six week Zoom discussion of the most fascinating and confusing book in the Bible. (First six Fridays in Lent at Noon, EST) In it we’ll try to discover not just the social and religious background for Revelation, but also try to unearth the Gospel that lies […]
Divergence on the Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B
First Reading Jonah 3:1–5, 10 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly […]
The Second Sunday After the Epiphany – Year B
First Reading 1 Samuel 3:1-10(11-20) optional verses in italics Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – First Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B
First Reading Genesis 1:1–5 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – First Sunday after Christmas, All Years
First Reading Isaiah 61:10-62:3 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Christmas III
Links to the Divergences for the other Christmas lections can be found HERE (Christmas I) and HERE (Christmas II). First Reading Isaiah 52:7–10 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Christmas I
Links to the Divergences for the other Christmas lections can be found HERE (Christmas II) and HERE (Christmas III). First Reading Isaiah 9:2–7 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Christmas II
Links to the Divergences for the other Christmas lections can be found HERE (Christmas I) and HERE (Christmas III). First Reading Isaiah 62:6–12 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the LORD in remembrance, take no rest, and […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year B
First Reading 2 Samuel 7:1–11, 16 (omitted verses in italics) Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Third Sunday of Advent, Year B
First Reading Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 (omitted verses in italics) The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Second Sunday of Advent, Year B
First Reading Isaiah 40:1–11 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – First Sunday of Advent, Year B
First Reading Isaiah 64:1–9 Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence— as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil— to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Christ the King, Year A
First Reading Ezekiel 34:11–16, 20-24 (Omitted verses in italics) “For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 28, Year A (track one)
First Reading Judges 4:1–7 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud died. And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. Then the people of […]
Chapter Three – Some Introductory Questions
Where does healing come from? This question is different from “Who does the healing?” I’ll talk about that in the next section. But before we discuss that topic, I’d like to deal with the origins of healing. That is, where does the Bible understand it to originate? In the Garden, there was no need for […]
Divergence on the Lectionary – Proper 27, Year A (track one)
First Reading Joshua 24:1–3a, 14-25 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the […]
