By Dr. Marian Ronan

“The Woman at the Well” (John 4: 1-30, 39-42) is a well known and influential New Testament text, where, as a result of the ensuing conversation at the well, Jesus becomes the Messiah of the Samaritan people, and the woman becomes his messenger to those same people. But this is not the way many Christians understand John 4.

By Rev. Dr. Nancy H. Bloomer

Preaching about the environment is a challenge many of us in the church have shied away from. The church’s attention seems to be on other matters; and yet, we need to wake people up so that we can heal the earth and heal ourselves.

By William O’Brien

The question of prayer – what is it, what does it mean, how do we do it – has been grist for the theological and spiritual mill for centuries, resulting in a dizzying array of ideas, forms, and practices. Whether it’s the contemplation of the hermit in the desert or the raucous and rowdy tent revival, Christian prayer has taken an astonishing variety of expressions, from the sublime to the suspect, from the majestic to the manipulative.

By Dr. Akintunde Akinade

CREATION continues to be a paramount theme in Christian theology. The wanton ecological decadence that pervades the whole inhabited earth has given theologians and other scholars the impetus to reflect creatively on how human beings can be more compassionate and less intemperate in their relationship with nature. This article reflects on what African culture and world view can contribute to this important subject.

By Sister Dianne Bergant

Everyone needs to belong to some group. In fact, it is really impossible not to belong. We are born into a family, a cultural group, a nation. No one is a true island. Our entire identity is determined by our natural ties with others and the social ties that we fashion throughout our lives.

By Rabbi Sarah H. Reines

Living as a people without a land is an aberration of world history. Yet, homelessness is also symbolic of the human condition. The Torah begins with an illustration of this universal experience. The origin of humanity is Eden, a womb-like paradise both nourishing and limiting. Forced out, humans are born into independent living. Breathing free, yet yearning for the comfort of security, we seek out belonging in a vast world.

by Rev.Paul Bryant-Smith

We need preachers who can take the text from Isaiah and really preach that God sent us “to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God.”

By Rev. Dr. Dan Moseley

When we go to church on Sunday morning, we’re hungry. We may have stopped by the Pancake Pantry or the Whistle Stop Café for breakfast on the way to worship, but we are still hungry. The belt may press tight on our belly or the pants may look like we were poured into them, but we are still hungry.

by Dr. Mark W. Hamilton

Even if one believes, like that wild-eyed rancher cum prophet, Amos of Tekoa, that God has roared like a lion a message of indictment and hope, still, finding the nerve and stamina and necessary external support of a friend or two requires an effort of will and a streak of independence.

by Rev. Roger R. Gustafson

When our best attempts to live up to that demand run into opposition, what are we to do?

by Michael Monshau

When ethical issues are conveyed within the language of morality and become phenomena to be encountered in the course of virtue formation, the preacher can approach the contentious issues of the day with far greater confidence.

by Ron Allen

I articulated [in the book] a perspective on identifying moments of resurrection today that can be enlarged to interpret life from the perspective of Jesus.