By Jin Han
I am delighted to invite you to this new issue of The Living Pulpit that focuses on the resurrection. As many of our readers know, The Living Pulpit devoted a past issue to Easter, and many would fondly remember it. The current issue is not a reprint. It is a totally new edition with feature articles freshly written by biblical scholars, church leaders, preachers, and a rabbi.
Read the full story »Whether we think of the first century or the twenty-first, the resurrection is both a central and a controversial part of Christian theology and experience. Today, however, we often hear about those who challenge the possibility of resurrection–whether Christ’s or ours–both outside and inside the Christian church. Richard Hays, the highly respected New Testament professor and dean at Duke Divinity School, bluntly describes the situation this way:
On the issue of resurrection, many preachers and New Testament scholars are unwitting partisans of the Sadducees. Because they deny the truth of Scripture’s proclamation that God raised Jesus from the dead—or waffle about it—they leave the church in a state of uncertainly, lacking confidence in its mission, knowing neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. (“Reading Scripture in Light of the Resurrection,” pp. 216–38 in Ellen F. Davis and Richard B. Hays, The Art of Reading Scripture [Eerdmans, 2003], here p. 216).
Hays goes on: “the recent history of theology is replete with attempts to reinterpret the meaning of the New Testament’s resurrection in ways that will not conflict with a modern scientific worldview” (p. 216). Hays points out the views of the most influential voices of the last one hundred years, including Rudolf Bultmann, Gerd Lüdemann, Bishop John Spong, and Robert Funk as well as the stream of new atheists who try to debunk the entire Christian faith.
By Stephen Reed
In a dialogue between Jesus and the Sadducees we learn that they did not believe in the resurrection. One might think that we should use only the New Testament when we want to preach and teach about resurrection. Still, New Testament writers do use resurrection language from Old Testament texts.
By Rabbi Jo David
A first century C.E. rabbi reflects a deep skepticism about messianism, which serves as an illustration of how resurrection is still viewed within the Jewish world. To understand the historical and current view of resurrection in Judaism, a knowledge of how Jews process theology is essential.
By Deok-Weon Ahn
The shout: “Christ is risen today!” is the most basic tool of the missionary and the minister. The general consensus tends to view it as a command, but it gives ministers a question for self-reflection–a vital tool for preachers preparing sermons on resurrection.
By Kimberly S. Credit
While we tell the intricate details of the Christmas story about the birth of Christ, when it comes to Resurrection Sunday, we only shout about Jesus being raised from the tomb, hardly ever explaining just what that means for humanity.
By Harold Dean Trulear
When Jesus Christ died on the cross, he was an inmate. Incarceration in America carries more than the punishment of “doing time.” Shame and stigmatization plague an inmate his or her whole life. Those twin maladies spread like a virus to relatives left behind.
By Earl Kooperkamp
A crucial question is whether resurrection can make a difference in our world and our lives. Paul’s witness gives insight on resurrection as powerful transformation or transformational power. Resurrection is standing for solidarity in the midst of struggle—perhaps even the Occupy Wall Street Movement…
By Robert Owens
This article offers insights as to how having a lectionary from which to choose Sunday bible readings is a practice that can expand a church’s knowledge of Holy Scripture. It provides a framework that forces the preacher sometimes to go outside his or her comfort zone and grapple with difficult texts to help clarify their original intent and make them relevant to contemporary society.
This month's Cover Art: The New Beginning (Acrylic on Canvas, 36"x36") by Piety Choi is a reflective piece that portrays the transformation of butterflies. They are emerging from the cocoons that symbolize death, proclaiming the good news to the world. It is currently on display at the Invitational Solo Exhibition at the Philadelphia Sketch Club.
If you would like to submit an article or book review for The Living Pulpit, email us at livingpulpit@nyts.edu
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