A LETTER From the Editors
LIFE Issue

With some trepidation we approach an issue of The Living Pulpit on the theme of Life. Life asserts itself all around us, in us, through us and in spite of us. Life comes in all colors and sizes and moods and intensities. Life, quiet and boisterous, remains persistent and insistent and urgent in all its modes. Life is passionate. In fact, full life without passion is probably impossible. And passion is not easily contained.

This issue of The Living Pulpit, dedicated to the theme of life, will necessarily be full of passion and diversity and surprises. At least that has been our experience as we approached the editorial task of preparing for presentation to our readers articles that not only offer exciting and challenging food for thought but also present alternative positions. From the beginning, The Living Pulpit has proclaimed that our first aim is to facilitate ongoing dialogue among preachers and theologians, biblical scholars, novelists, poets and other wordsmiths. And yet, we were forced to face the question squarely: Do we really want to risk the offense that comes with serious dialogue?

Dialogue, truly claimed, like life, insists on variety, on diversity and on passion. Life calls us into dialogue with one another. Dialogue calls us into life with one another. To listen seriously to opinions other than our own engages us in the act of life itself, ever growing, ever expanding, ever breaching old boundaries and defining new limits until we all attain to the "unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God" (Ephesians 4:13).

Since the first century, Christians have emphasized different aspect of life and eternal life. The different responses to the question, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" recorded by Mark, Luke and John (see bottom of page) offer one example of the richness and diversity of perspective that is part of our Christian heritage.

Believing that interaction with various faith-driven perspectives will give life to the sermons preached and heard, we pray that you will find this issue of The Living Pulpit exciting, challenging and life-enhancing in its diversity.

Faithfully,

David H.C. Read, Walter J. Burghardt, S.J., Robert B. Birge, Ginger Grab, Judith Hoch Wray

What Must I Do To Inherit Eternal
Life

AS he was setting out on journey, a man ran up and knelt
before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit
eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but
God alone.You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit
adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud;
Honor your father and mother.'" He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these
since my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one
thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you
will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." When he
heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving,
for he had many possessions.

Mark 10:17-22

JUST then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to
inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read
there?" He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength, and with all your mind;
and your neighbor as yourself."* And he said to him,
"You have given the right answer;
do this, and you will live."

Luke 10:25-28


AND this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.


John 17:3

*Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18