The ten best recently published books I read over the last month are (5.0) Evangelical Worship: An American Mosaic by Melanie C. Ross (Oxford University Press, 2021)(5.0) After Jesus Before Christianity: A Historical Exploration of the First Two Centuries of Jesus Movements by Erin Vearncombe, Brandon Scott, and Hal Taussig for the Westar Christianity Seminar (HarperOne, 2021)(5.0) At the Blue Hole: Elegy for a Church on the Edge by Jack R. Reese (William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2021)(5.0) Read More …
Amy-Jill Levine
Great New Books – December 2020 (#1901)
My latest list of great books features ten volumes published in 2020: (5.0) Finding Our Way to the Truth: Seven Lies Leaders Believe and How to Let Go of Them by Sarah Ciavarri (Fortress Press, 2020) (4.5) Without Oars: Casting Off into a Life of Pilgrimage by Wesley Granberg-Michaelson (Broadleaf Books, 2020) (4.5) Republican Jesus: How the Right Has Rewritten the Gospels by Tony Keddie (University of California Press, 2020) (4.5) The Bible With and Without Jesus: How Read More …
Book Recommendations – December 2019 (#1838)
My final monthly list of recommended reads for the year features thirteen books published in 2019, including three focused on Advent. (5.0) Keep Watch with Me: An Advent Reader for Peacemakers by Claire Brown and Michael T. McRay (Abingdon Press, 2019)(5.0) The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall (Simon & Schuster, 2019)(4.5) Light of the World: A Beginner's Guide to Advent by Amy-Jill Levine (Abingdon Press, 2019)(4.5) Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Read More …
Sermon: The Good Hamas Member (#1562)
Sermon Text: Luke 10:25-27 Sermon Excerpt Jesus’ parables should grab our attention! When I shared with one of you that my sermon title was “The Good Hamas Member” your response was “please don’t put that on our sign. We don’t want those driving by to think we support Hamas in any way, shape or form.” If the idea of a Good Hamas Member sounds like an oxymoron to your ears know that this is exactly what Jesus intends. Today, you won’t find Israeli Jews talking about a “Good Hamas Read More …
Sermon: A Radical Recipe (#1560)
Sermon Text: Luke 13:20-21 Sermon Excerpt A few months ago I shared with you how in recent years my wife Susan and I have been intentionally downsizing - moving to smaller and yet smaller residences. While I was truthful about the significant decrease in square footage, I omitted an important part of the makeup of our current home. Even as the overall size of our house shrunk to less than half of the size we had once known, our kitchen remained large. And, even more Read More …
Top 10 Books of 2014 (#1503)
Since 2010, I have published an annual list of my top ten books published that year (each list contains a link to a book review for each book mentioned): 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. My top ten books for 2014 (in alphabetical order by author’s last name) are Marcus Borg Convictions: How I Learned What Matters Most Walter Brueggemann Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now Amy-Jill Levine Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Read More …
October Book Recommendations (#1478)
This month's list features a few well known authors alongside others worth getting to know. All but the lowest rated book below are ones I heartily recommend to those engaged in lay and pastoral leadership roles in communities of faith focused on following the way of Jesus. (5+) Changing Faith: The Dynamics and Consequences of Americans' Shifting Religious Identities by Darren Sherkat (2014) (5) The Mainliner's Survival Guide to the Post-Denominational World by Derek Read More …
Parable of the Good Hamas Member (Good Samaritan) (#1475)
Amy-Jill Levine's latest book is among her finest. Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi explores nine of Jesus' best known parables. Levine not only effectively places each in its context, but also helps establish parameters for the range of possible meaning today. In keeping with her contention that Jesus' parables are more provocative than they are often presented today in lectures or sermons, her contemporary re-telling of the Parable of Read More …
Review of Living the Questions (#0835)
Meet the Authors David M. Felten (pictured at right in a black shirt) and Jeff Procter-Murphy (pictured at right holding a tablet) are United Methodist pastors who serve theologically progressive congregations. Together they created a video resource that brought together some of the "most provocative and authoritative voices" (p.xiii). Known as Living the Questions, this resource seeks to "help people wrestle with the questions they hear asked in their congregations - Read More …
What Was Truly Original About Jesus? (#0693)
In the April 2012 edition of Christianity Today, David Neff interviewed Amy-Jill Levine on the topic of "Jesus Through Jewish Eyes." Levine is one of three dozen Jewish scholars who contributed to The Jewish Annotated New Testament (2011). In addition to co-editing that work, she has written numerous volumes and teaches New Testament at Vanderbilt University. Her response to the question, "So, what was truly original about Jesus?" follows. He's the only person I can find Read More …