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The Finale

In this special final episode of Chapter, Verse, and Season, podcast creators Joel Baden and Helena Martin share the origins of the podcast, discuss what it was like to work with Yale Divinity School professors in new and different contexts, and try to get to the bottom of a silly rumor.

Transcript

[Voices echoing, overlapping.]

Voiceover Voice:
Soundbites from scripture are wonderful, but setting things in context is even more wonderful.

Helena Martin:
This is Chapter, Verse, and Season: a lectionary podcast from Yale Bible Study.

Let me turn off the music for this one. I’ve got some stuff to say.

This is our 170th episode and our last. We’ve made episodes for each week of the three years of the Revised Common Lectionary, and now it’s time for us to turn these efforts in new directions. We hope you’ll keep listening to old episodes as the lectionary cycles back around again. And remember that there’s always more resources over at YaleBibleStudy.org.

By my count, we hosted 37 different professors from Yale Divinity School on the podcast over these three years. We put out episodes every single week since we started—sometimes a few episodes a week. We recorded at Yale Broadcast, then over Zoom, then all around the YDS campus with my mobile recording studio. And I’ll try not to get too sentimental, and there’s more details at the end, but I’ll say here that I’m really grateful to everyone who’s been part of Chapter, Verse, and Season over the years. Thank you for listening to this fun little project that’s been a huge part of my life.

For our final episode, we recorded a different kind of conversation than the ones we usually have. Instead of two professors talking to each other, it’s me, Helena Martin, your Executive Producer and Host, talking with Creator and Managing Editor of the podcast, Joel Baden. And instead of talking about the Bible, we’re talking about— well, Chapter, Verse, and Season.

This is a behind-the-scenes look at the high aspirations in the original idea for the podcast, plus some thoughts about how things have gone. And be sure to stick around to the end, where we get to the bottom of a rumor I’ve been hearing about him since I arrived at YDS all the way back in 2017.

Here’s the conversation.

Helena Martin:
So in summer 2019, you sent me an email and said, “I have an idea. Do you want a job?”

Joel Baden:
So many of my emails get sent that way.

Helena Martin:
Well where did it come from? I didn’t think of this idea.

Joel Baden:
Did I?

Helena Martin:
Yeah.

Joel Baden:
It’s pretty good. It was, you know, an attempt to say: look, there’s so much knowledge at YDS in our faculty. And we’re not going to put those people in lengthy conversations about, like, Bible studies. But they’re all people who know the Bible one way or another from their different vantage points and areas of expertise.

And this was an opportunity for us to get interesting people into conversation with each other, and it didn’t matter what they said. It wasn’t like, “Ah, what we’re trying to do is provide like a comprehensive view of the historical, or the theological, or whatever it might be.” It was an opportunity to do something that, we could have conversations between people who have maybe never spoken to each other before— or certainly who have never spoken to each other about the Bible before—and, like, some cool stuff could happen.

And I mean, now here we are at the end, and I remember the beginning. I’m pretty sure that I recorded the first of these sessions.

Helena Martin:
Yeah, you and Tisa.

Joel Baden:
With Tisa Wenger. And I mean, we didn’t know what any of this was going to look like. And Tisa and I, despite being quite good friends, have never talked about the Bible before. But we sat down, and it was like… I would never have thought to talk to you about any of this stuff because academia is so siloed, but we had so much to talk about precisely because we’d never talked about it before.

Helena Martin:
Yeah. I mean, it’s different every week. Not really because the texts are different (although I guess the texts are different), but it’s different because the professors are different. And their approaches to the text are different, and their relationships to the text are different, right?

Like, a biblical scholar is going to think about it differently than a theologian. Which is maybe not obvious to non-specialists, right? People think that those are the same thing. But you can hear how different they are if you have them talk to each other. Or if one week you’re hearing biblical scholars talk, and the next week you’re hearing theologians talk, you’re like: these are totally different sets of questions about the text, different methodologies for approaching them, and—depending on the ingredients that you’re throwing together, like the text and then each of the people—you just end up with not just different conversations, but different kinds of conversations.

Like I had some pairs of people who before we recorded, they wanted to pray. Or before we recorded, they wanted to read the text aloud, just to get the words into the room. And that’s a really different vibe than the scholars who came in and they were like, “All right, let’s go.” And just weren’t super interested in, like, dwelling in the text the way that the liturgical people or the art people or the theologian people were doing.

And none of it was wrong, right? The whole framework for it was like: whatever these two people do for this allotted time is correct. And the one of the things that was fun but hard for people to believe was that, truly, your first thought about this text is interesting. Because so many of you are so used to having to think a new thing. Like, “What is the new thing that I can say about 2 Samuel or Mark 5?” And indeed that is very important in academic circles, but that’s actually now what we’re looking for in these conversations. What we’re looking for is like… what do you think about when you hear Mark 5?

Joel Baden:
But what’s so, what was so interesting to me was (especially when I was doing these with non-biblical scholars) those conversations were producing—if not new, like brand new, like earth-shattering, whatever—they were producing productive, fruitful, interesting insights.

You know, I’m a biblical person, I was sitting down with Tisa, who is an American religion person. And we were sitting down talking about the text, and so I’m not talking, like, the high academic biblical stuff. And I remember sitting there thinking, “There’s content here.” Like for me as a biblical scholar, because she’s not, she’s asking questions that are not the questions that we’ve been asking in academia.

So, I have recorded with historians; and a Muslim scholar; and certainly biblical scholars, New Testament and Hebrew Bible; and pastors; and you know, it’s been different and interesting every time.

And so I’m curious, right? You were really actually behind most of the pairings of faculty and how much were you plotting? Like, how much is your hidden hand behind the conversations that we hear now in the podcast?

Helena Martin:
Um, more at the beginning. I think I was more intentional at the beginning. You know, I didn’t know all of the professors that I was pairing and I was working with here. So I had to kind of read about them, and look at their CVs, and figure out like, “What does this person care about?” And then figuring out how to pair them with someone creative, like you and Tisa.

And what was really fun at the beginning is the pairs would always do what I thought they were going to do, even though I didn’t tell them what to do. And so I felt kind of like a sneaky puppet master when you guys just did exactly what I— like, every time you and Tisa would talk about outsiders, I was like, “I knew you guys were going to talk about outsiders.”

So there was more orchestration in the beginning. And then the more I got to know different professors and what they cared about, I let go of the reins a little bit more because it was a little bit easier for me to trust the process and that they’d find something to talk about.

Joel Baden:
And when that happened, did you, in fact, find yourself starting to become surprised by what was happening? Or, knowing them better, were you like, “I pretty much know what’s gonna go on here.”

Helena Martin:
No, because it was always surprising, right? Like I’m not in your brain, so I don’t know exactly what you’re going to say about the outsiders; I just know that the two of you are going to talk about them.

But like you said, I mean, it always produced new thoughts because you know, I have my own education, and my own understanding of the texts, and my own approaches to them. And so, I was very consistently surprised or delighted. Sometimes when someone brought up something that I had a special interest in and knew a lot about, I was like, “Yes, I’m glad we’re getting some representation for disability stuff on the podcast.” But also when, when people said stuff that I was like, “I’ve never thought about how those two things fit together before.”

Joel Baden:
Did you ever find yourself worried that a pair wasn’t going to work, but then it did?

Helena Martin:
Yeah, totally.

When I started I thought that it would be more about matching people’s interests. What I have figured out is that the better way to match people is matching energy, and not matching like whether or not they’re buddies outside of this. The energy level has a lot more to do about the chemistry of the conversation than the, um, the shared fields that people are in.

That’s been surprising to me. Although, of course, in hindsight, it makes perfect sense.

The people who are slow and deliberative and want to dwell in the text in that kind of meditative vibe work better with people who are going to talk at that same pace and think at that same pace. And the people who want to chatter more and be more high energy fit better together. And so that’s definitely something I’ve taken away from this.

Joel Baden:
As I think back to sort of where this all started and one of the reasons that I probably asked you about it in the first place, aside from the fact that you’re an audio engineer. Um, but more so, I mean, I think I’ve for a long time used you as a sounding board for like, “Would working clergy find X, Y, or Z interesting?” And this was definitely, this is a project like that.

So, you know, we’re done now. What’s your sense of like… Does this feel useful? Do you feel like this did the thing that we were hoping that it was going to do?

Helena Martin:
It’s so interesting to have a podcast. So this is not a type of content that I had made before. I’ve recorded a lot of music, I’ve written a lot of blogs, uh, but I have never recorded a podcast. What’s weird about having a podcast is there’s not an immediate mechanism for feedback. So it’s an act of faith to put it out into the world, like, “I hope that someone is listening to this!” I mean, we can see the numbers and stuff, but that’s not the conversational, like, comments on stuff you get below a Facebook post or something.

Joel Baden:
Yeah, but that’s them. What about you?

Helena Martin:
Well, so I found it useful as an active preacher.

Joel Baden:
That’s what I’m saying. You are the person who I know has sat and listened to every single one of these conversations

Helena Martin:
Many times.

Joel Baden:
And you are somebody who has to do a sermon from the lectionary on the regular. So like, I mean, not even when you’re sitting and listen to them post production, but like when you’re sitting in the room listening to these being recorded, do you find yourself going, “Oh yeah, this is worth it because like there was really good stuff there.”

Helena Martin:
Well, yeah, and I don’t preach every week, and the worst thing was when we had a great conversation, and I was like, “Oh, I hope I’m preaching this week!” And then I would look at the calendar and be like, “No!” So yeah, I think it helped me be excited about preaching.

And then I do occasionally hear from my classmates at YDS will reach out to me and be like, “Oh, you know, I stopped listening to the podcast for the summer, but I just started listening again and it’s so helpful.”

So I did occasionally get these breakthrough moments of people being like, “Oh yeah, I listen every week!” Clearly people are finding it useful. And I found it useful.

And I also really like the connection to a school that I went to. I think that that’s helpful. And I think that, um, a lot of our listeners are alumni, and they like hearing from their professors who they miss and loved. And they like hearing from the new professors that weren’t there when they were here.

I think it’s a connection to the school, to a certain way of thinking, right? Like you go out into the world, you’re working clergy, you’re not necessarily thinking about all of the highfalutin, fancy academic stuff, right? Like, you’re… unclogging toilets. And so this is a nice connection to our training and that’s something that I get out of it for sure.

One of the things I’m wondering for you is: you teach the Bible to YDS students who are going to go out into the world and teach it to other people and preach it and stuff. And, you know, working clergy think a lot about the responsibility, I think, of sharing these texts and guiding people’s lives with these ancient texts and telling them what we think they mean. I mean, that’s a that’s a heavy responsibility because people actually listen to you, which surprised me when I became a priest. People really hear what you say from the pulpit.

Joel Baden:
That must be nice.

Helena Martin:
It’s nice! But it’s also… that’s a lot of responsibility.

But you are, then, at a different point in that process. You’re like at an earlier point in that process. And so is this podcast. Um, do you think about that?

Joel Baden:
Yeah, in fact, I would, in a sense, that’s the entire way that I think about what I’m doing here. At least when I’m talking about like, you know… The way that I as faculty here am serving the community that is going on into pulpit ministry or leadership in the church is like:

I’m not here to tell them what to think. But you know, the good that I am doing in the world is less in my academic writing, as it were, and more in the fact that the people who are going to be out there actually making a difference in the world are the students who are going to be out there, leading people and guiding people and showing people, like… how best to encounter and engage with this world. And if I can give them tools to like, think in ways that to my mind are responsibly, um, and carefully and thoughtfully about this text that is at the center of the whole, like the whole deal, then that’s a pretty important thing.

And that in that sense, especially because this podcast does it not just for me, but for me and all of my colleagues. I mean, this is as representative a project of YDS as a whole as almost any that exists.

Helena Martin:
Yeah, I agree.

Joel Baden:
And in that sense, one way for us to think about it is like, this is the school stepping out there and saying, “This is how we as a community think about how we should be thinking about this text.”

It’s not one way, it’s a hundred different ways. And that’s—I mean, there’s a value in that on its own.

Helena Martin:
Yeah. Yeah. I agree.

One of the things that was very fun for me, especially as an MDiv student was the like weird reversal of power that was embedded in me kind of orchestrating this project, right?

Like, I would put these two people together, I would tell them what we were doing, and then we would sit down and we would record. And, you know, these two famous, tenured, fancy professors with all of their publications and stuff would talk to each other for a couple minutes. And they would look at me like they were done, and I would stop recording, and they would turn to me and be like, “Was that okay?”

And, it was like, “What, you’re asking me if it was okay?” But like, yeah, I mean, I guess you are. And it was a very fun way to get to know the faculty in a different context. Like not teaching, not advising, not even making liturgy in Marquand together, but just them looking to me and being like, “Was that good?”

Joel Baden:
Mm hmm. But it’s not just you as, like, podcast person. It’s you as clergy. Which is why, you know, we were so fortunate to have you in this role because you could both do the thing and like understand the thing.

You weren’t just some engineer who was recording whatever we put down and was going to smile and nod. You helped shape it, and you also are the kind of person who’s going to be using it. You could have said to me at any point, “This is terrible. This isn’t what we— this isn’t going to be useful to anyone ever.”

Helena Martin:
Yeah, I would have if I didn’t think it was good!

Joel Baden:
I’m sure, I’m sure you would have! But I mean, what was so nice was like, again, unlike with just some regular audio engineer, you’re sitting in the room while we’re recording, and I’m watching you nod. Like, I’m watching— I can see you responding and being like, “Yep.” And that’s the best feedback we can get. And that only happens because you are who you are.

Helena Martin:
Yeah. Thank you.

I thought I would end by asking you: I have heard a rumor about you that I thought we could clear up on the podcast, and that would make people listen to it:

I heard that you failed an entire class of intro Hebrew Bible students on their midterm. Is this true?

Joel Baden:
Just to teach them a lesson.

Helena Martin:
Just to teach them a lesson. You could set the record straight.

Joel Baden:
It is a wonderful story. But I don’t need it to be true because the story is doing all of the work that the truth would.

Helena Martin:
I’ve been hearing it all seven years that I’ve been here.

Joel Baden:
Which is… amazing.

Helena Martin:
And it always starts, “A couple years ago.” That’s how I can tell it’s a rumor.

Joel Baden:
Which is to say: just before the institutional memory has lapsed. Like, “Just before I got here…” Yeah. Um, Helena, you know that I can’t answer that.

Helena Martin:
Thank you so much for listening: to this extra episode, to any of the episodes, to all the episodes. This project has been a ton of work. It’s been an immense privilege.

Thank you to everyone who’s been involved with Yale Bible Study over the past five years that we’ve been working on this. Thank you to all the professors who gave time to prepare and record these episodes. Thank you to the Center for Continuing Education at Yale Divinity School for producing the podcast.

Thank you to our Creator and Managing Editor Joel Baden for bringing me into this project at the very beginning and giving me so much creative license to make it my own. Thank you to Production Manager Kelly Morrissey for herding cats week after week and doing all the hard behind-the-scenes work to bring these episodes to you on time. Thank you to Associate Producer Aidan Stoddart, to whom I delegated my least favorite audio editing tasks and who jumped right in to keep us going week after week. Thank you to Natalie Owens Pike for stepping in as host when I was out on parental leave. Thank you to everyone who recorded biblical passages for earlier episodes and to Caity Stuart and Crichelle Brice for production help in the first season. Thank you to Lynn Haversat and Elaine Ranciato for letting me take over your space with my recording equipment all the time. Finally, thank you to Calvin Linderman for stepping into my editing and mixing role when I was out on parental leave—and for creating our theme music way back when we were still shaping our voice.

I’m your Host and Executive Producer, Helena Martin. This has been Chapter, Verse, and Season.

Guests

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Dr. Joel S. Baden
Dr. Joel S. Baden

Text

New Revised Standard Version Bible
Copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Credits

Host and Executive Producer: Helena Martin
Production Manager: Kelly Morrissey
Creator and Managing Editor: Joel Baden
Assistant Producer: Aidan Stoddart
Music: Calvin Linderman

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Inaugurated by Touch (Third Sunday of Easter)

Willie Jennings and Adrián Hernández-Acosta discuss wounds, tactility, and boiled fish in Luke 24:36b-48. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday of Easter, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Property and Community (Second Sunday of Easter)

Erika Helgen and Chloё Starr discuss liberation theology, wealth redistribution, and ordered community in Acts 4:32-35. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday of Easter, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Say My Name (Easter Day)

Linn Tonstad and Yii-Jan Lin discuss recognition, situatedness, and destabilization in John 20:1-18. The text is appointed for Easter Day, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Resurrection Mystery (Easter Vigil)

Molly Zahn and Teresa Morgan discuss trauma, uncertainty, and geogrpahy in Mark 16:1-8. The text is appointed for the Great Vigil of Easter, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Suffering, Hope, and Promise (Good Friday)

John Pittard and Kyama Mugambi discuss paradox, salvation, identity, and suffering in Isaiah 52:13-53:12. The text is appointed for Good Friday, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Freed to Serve (Maundy Thursday)

John Collins and Jennifer Herdt discuss liberation, service, and lifestyle in John 13:1-17. The text is appointed for Maundy Thursday, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Triumph and Upset (Palm Sunday)

Almeda Wright and Kate Ott discuss parades, entrances, and subverted expectations in Mark 11:1-11. The text is appointed for the Liturgy of the Palms in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Psalm from the Depths (Fifth Sunday in Lent)

Greg Mobley and Jerry Streets discuss penitence, self-reflection, and love in Psalm 51:1-12. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday in Lent, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Serpent and the Cross (Fourth Sunday in Lent)

Awet Andemicael and Adam Eitel discuss typological hermeneutics, the virtue of patience, and the theology of Irenaeus in relation to Numbers 21:4b-9 and John 3:13-17. The text is appointed for Holy Cross Day, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Ten Commandments (Third Sunday in Lent)

Joel Baden and Andrew McGowan discuss textual criticism, reception history, and genre in Exodus 20:1-17. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday in Lent in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Father Abraham (Second Sunday in Lent)

Mark Heim and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss faith, righteousness, and the interfaith legacy of Abraham in Romans 4:1-5, 13-17. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday in Lent, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Who Broke the Covenant? (First Sunday in Lent)

Kate Ott and Almeda Wright discuss rainbows, natural disasters, and ecological justice in Genesis 9:8-17. The text is appointed for the First Sunday in Lent, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Story About Glory (Transfiguration)

Gregory Mobley and Frederick “Jerry” Streets discuss Godshine, what to do with the moments that illuminate, and the beauty that surrounds all of us in Mark 9:2-9. The text is appointed for Transfiguration, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Power of God Within You (Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany)

Brandon Nappi and Ned Parker discuss rejoicing, pain, and surrendering power to find joy in Psalm 147:1-11, 20c. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Deeper Reality Underneath (Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany)

Greg Mobley and Jerry Streets discuss the prophetic message of the Hebrew Bible, Jesus, and the nature of the prophetic in our time in Deuteronomy 18:15-20. The text is appointed for theFourth Sunday after the Epiphany, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Unwilling Prophet (Third Sunday after the Epiphany)

Kate Ott and Almeda Wright discuss justice work, prophecy, and God changing God’s mind in Jonah 3:1-5, 10. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Between Prophet and Judge (Second Sunday after the Epiphany)

Joel Baden and Andrew McGowan discuss wordplay, prophecy, and numinous experience in 1 Samuel 3:1-10. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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God Still Gets Through (Baptism of Our Lord)

Brandon Nappi and Ned Parker discuss baptism, division, and the Holy Spirit in Acts 19:1-7. The text is appointed for the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Afterglow of Nativity (First Sunday after Christmas)

Gregory Mobley and Frederick J. (Jerry) Streets discuss the spiritual value of routine, Biblical-liturgical expression, and hope in Luke 2:22-40. The text is appointed for the First Sunday after Christmas, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Messianic Hope (Christmas)

Joel Baden and Andrew McGowan discuss reception history, empire, and hope in Isaiah 9:2-7. The text is appointed for Christmas in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Mary’s Yes (Fourth Sunday of Advent)

Kate Ott and Almeda Wright discuss consent, social power, and Biblical mansplaining in Luke 1:26-38. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday of Advent in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Wild Path Forward (Third Sunday of Advent)

Brandon Nappi and Ned Parker discuss wilderness, resistance, and prophecy in John 1:6-8, 19-28. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday of Advent in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Comfort in the Desert (Second Sunday of Advent)

Joel Baden and Bill Goettler discuss audience, promise, and good news in Isaiah 40:1-11. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday of Advent in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Signs of the End (First Sunday of Advent)

Volker Leppin and Vasileios Marinis discuss apocalypse, prophecy, and difficult interpretation in Mark 13:24-37. The text is appointed for the First Sunday of Advent in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Silly Animals (Reign of Christ Sunday)

Joel Baden and Andrew McGowan discuss sheep, shepherds, and the use of political metaphor in Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24. The text is appointed for the Feast of the Reign of Christ (Proper 29) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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When the Gospel is Most for Us (Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

Brandon Nappi and Ned Parker discuss addiction, recovery, community, and “keeping awake” in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. The text is appointed for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 28) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Wrestling the Parable (Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Bill Goettler discuss wealth, disempowerment, and the meaning of parables in Matthew 25:1-13. The text is appointed for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 27) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Apostle, Parent, Nurse (Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost)

Bill Goettler and Joanne Jennings discuss family dynamics and the strengths of congregational life in 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13. The text is appointed for the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 26) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Death of Moses (Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost)

Jennifer Herdt and Jere Wells discuss waywardness, law, and intimacy with God in Deuteronomy 34:1-12. The text is appointed for the Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 25) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Seeing God from Behind (Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost)

Volker Leppin and Vasileios Marinis discuss Moses, theophany, and the dangers of Christocentrism in Exodus 33:12-23. The text is appointed for the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 24) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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An Uncertain Kingdom (Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost)

Kate Ott and Almeda Wright discuss the challenge of problematic parables in Matthew 22:1-14. The text is appointed for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Striving, Hoping, Practicing (Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Bill Goettler and Joanne Jennings discuss Paul’s Jewishness, the work of faith, and Divine aid in Philippians 3:4b-14. The text is appointed for the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 22) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Water from a Rock (Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Sarah Drummond discuss leadership, faithlessness, and providence in Exodus 17:1-7. The text is appointed for the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 21) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Great and Mighty and Awesome and Everything (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Jennifer Herdt and Jere Wells discuss praise, divine mystery, and liberation in Psalm 145:1-8. The text is appointed for the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 20) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Mercy and Debt (Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Bill Goettler and Joanne Jennings discuss the challenge of forgiveness and the role of grace in Matthew 18:21-35. The text is appointed for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 19) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Role of the Prophet (Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Bill Goettler and Joel Baden discuss prophecy, change, and divine threats in Ezekiel 33:7-11. The text is appointed for the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 18) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Heaping Burning Coals (Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Jennifer Herdt and Jere Wells discuss Paul, evangelism, and the transformation of evil in Romans 12:9-21. The text is appointed for the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 17) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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People Before Us and After Us (Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Bill Goettler and Joanne Jennings discuss history, intergenerational community, and the heroic acts of Biblical women in Exodus 1:8-2:10. The text is appointed for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 16) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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When People Dwell Together (Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Sarah Drummond discuss unity, transformation… and beards… in Psalm 133. The text is appointed for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 15) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Still, Small Voice (Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Bill Goettler discuss generational transition, faithlessness, and the voice of God in 1 Kings 19:9-18. The text is appointed for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 14) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Hunger and Abundance (Tenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Jennifer Herdt and Jere Wells discuss justice, abundance, and the spiritual power of leftovers in Matthew 14:13-21. The text is appointed for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 13) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Hidden Face of the Lord (Ninth Sunday after Pentecost)

Justin Crisp and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss praise, transaction, and God’s action in history in Psalm 105:1-11. The text is appointed for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 12), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Jacob’s Rocky Pillow (Eighth Sunday after Pentecost)

Almeda Wright and Kate Ott discuss the messages of dreams and mundane reality in Genesis 28:10-19a. The text is appointed for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 11) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Flower in the Desert (Seventh Sunday after Pentecost)

Bill Goettler and Joanne Jennings discuss applying the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23) to our own dynamic lives of faith. The text is appointed for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 10), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Our Praise, Creation’s Praise (Sixth Sunday after Pentecost)

Volker Leppin and Vasileios Marinis discuss environmental justice, co-creation, and the kingdom of God in Psalm 145:8-14. The text is appointed for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 9) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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To Be Thy Hand Extended (Fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

Bill Goettler and Joanne Jennings discuss hard truths and be in-dwelled by Christ in Romans 6:12–23. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 8), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Forging a New Community (Fourth Sunday after Pentecost)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss Jesus’ scarier proclamations in Matthew 10:24-39. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 7), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Sarah’s Annunciation (Third Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Sarah Drummond discuss hospitality, laughter, and the complexity of Sarah as a character in Genesis 18:1-15. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 6), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Faith of Rabbis and Philosophers (2nd Sunday after Pentecost)

Harold Attridge and John Hare discuss faith, doubt, shame, and mystic union in Romans 4:13-25. The text is appointed for the second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 5), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Chaos and Creation (Trinity Sunday)

Justin Crisp and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss rest, reveling, and revelation in Genesis 1:1–2:4a The text is appointed for Trinity Sunday, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Harmony in the Spirit (Pentecost)

Awet Andemicael and Adam Eitel discuss diversity, reversal, and the power of the Spirit in Acts 2:1-21 and John 20:19-23. The text is appointed for the Day of Pentecost in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Path for the Vulnerable (Seventh Sunday of Easter)

Joel Baden and Tisa Wenger discuss righteousness, liberation, and vulnerability in Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35. The text is appointed for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Systems and Suffering (Sixth Suday of Easter)

Almeda Wright and Kate Ott discuss suffering, meaning, and unjust power structures in 1 Peter 3:13-22. The text is appointed for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Source of Deep Encounter (Fifth Sunday of Easter)

Mark Heim and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss prophecy, interfaith reading, and incarnation in John 14:1-14. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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To Dwell in the House of the Lord (Fourth Sunday of Easter)

Jacqueline Vayntrub and Christian Wiman discuss paradox, poetry, and life beyond death in Psalm 23. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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God Continues to Startle Us (Third Sunday of Easter)

Joanne Jennings and Bill Goettler discuss divine encounter and human conversation in Luke 24:13-35. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday of Easter, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Path Laid Out for Us (Second Sunday of Easter)

Mark Heim and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss interfaith perspectives on the story of Easter in conversation with John 20:19-31. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday of Easter, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Different Kind of Peace (Easter Sunday)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss power, peace and healing in Acts 10:34-43. The text is appointed for Easter Day, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Company in Suffering (Holy Saturday)

John Collins and Jennifer Herdt discuss the problem of suffering, the impact of loss, and the resilience of human nature in Job 14:1-14 and 1 Peter 4:1-8. The text is appointed for Holy Saturday, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Crucified Until the End of the World (Good Friday)

Justin Crisp and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss Christology, glory, and exclusion in John 18:1–19:42. The text is appointed for Good Friday in the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Retrojected Festival (Maundy Thursday)

Joel Baden and Sarah Drummond discuss sacrificial practice, identity markers, and imagined history in Exodus 12:1-14. The text is appointed for Maundy Thursday in the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Even Death on a Cross (Liturgy of the Passion)

Volker Leppin and Vasileios Marinis discuss crucifixion, suffering, obedience, and solidarity in Philippians 2:5-11. The text is appointed for the Liturgy of the Passion (Palm Sunday), in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Unexpected and Remarkable Ways (Fifth Sunday in Lent)

Yejide Peters Pietersen and Bill Goettler discuss miracles, healing, and grief in John 11:1-45. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday in Lent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Dream of Joseph (Fourth Sunday in Lent)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss the role of Joseph, the divine potential of dreams, and membership in the Holy Family in Matthew 1:18-25. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday in Lent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Signs of God’s Faithfulness (Third Sunday in Lent)

Joel Baden and Tisa Wenger discuss life in the wilderness for the Israelites, being tested and testing God in Exodus 17:1-7. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday in Lent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Those Traveling through our Midst (Second Sunday in Lent)

Mark Heim and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss blessing, migration, and the inspiring legacy of Abraham across religious traditions in Genesis 12:1-4a. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday in Lent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Woman and the Serpent (First Sunday in Lent)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss seduction, curiosity, craftiness, and misogyny in Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7. The text is appointed for the First Sunday in Lent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Claiming that Story (Transfiguration Sunday)

Joel Baden and Tisa Wenger discuss leadership, inherited stories, and transfiguring moments in Exodus 24:12-18 and Matthew 17:1-9. The texts are appointed for Transfiguration Sunday, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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You are God’s Field (Sixth Sunday after Epiphany)

Almeda Wright and Kate Ott discuss pedagogy, mixed metaphors, ageism, and spiritual growth in 1 Corinthians 3:1-9. The text is appointed for the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Hypocrites (Fifth Sunday after Epiphany)

Volker Leppin and Vasileios Marinis discuss hypocrisy, reward systems, righteousness, and religious performance in Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12). The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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God Loves the Poor First (Fourth Sunday after Epiphany)

Justin Crisp and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss blessedness, poverty, consolation, and the dangers of transactional theology in Matthew 5:1-12. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Simply a Part of our Being (Third Sunday after Epiphany)

Joanne Jennings and Bill Goettler discuss living with both faith and fear in Psalm 27:1, 4-9. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Behold the Lamb of God (Second Sunday after the Epiphany)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss the story of John the Baptist, a wild and perhaps uncertain character, in John 1:29-42. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Light to the Nations (First Sunday after the Epiphany)

Joel Baden and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss Messianism, prophetic gentleness, and hermeneutical approaches in Isaiah 42:1-9. The text is appointed for the First Sunday after the Epiphany, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Little Lower Than God (First Sunday after Christmas)

Vasileios Marinis and Volker Leppin discuss human nature, sovereignty over creation, and preacherly responsibility with reference to Psalm 8. The text is appointed for the First Sunday after Christmas, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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How the Holy is Present (Christmas)

Yejide Peters Pietersen and Bill Goettler discuss the spirit of children, the multiplicity of interpretation, and pastoral responsibility at Christmas, with reference to Luke 2:1-14 (15-20). The text is appointed for Christmas Eve in the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Mary, Joseph, and the Infant Messiah (Fourth Sunday of Advent)

Mark Heim and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss Christian and Muslim interpretations of the Nativty of Jesus, with special reference to Matthew 1:18-25. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Patience and Prophecy (Third Sunday of Advent)

Judith Gundry and Adam Eitel discuss patience, endurance of suffering, and the challenges of family conflict in James 5:7-10. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday of Advent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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To Look Towards, If Not To Look At (Second Sunday of Advent)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss the imagined future of the glorious kingdom in Isaiah 11:1-10 and Romans 15:4-13. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday of Advent, in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Best Cliffhanger of All Time (First Sunday of Advent)

AndrewMcGowan and Ned Parker discuss the holiness of divine absence and the anticipation of things to come in Matthew 24:36-44. The text is appointed for the First Sunday of Advent in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Where You Start the Story (Thanksgiving U.S.A.)

Joel Baden and Tisa Wenger discuss colonial narratives, indigenous theology, and the downsides of going to a “Promised Land” in Deuteronomy 26:1-11. The text is appointed for Thanksgiving Day (USA), in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Shepherds and Kings (Feast of Christ the King)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss Hebrew vocabulary, shepherd imagery, and the legacy of King David in Jeremiah 23:1-6. The text is appointed for the Feast of Christ the King (Proper 29), in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Not Heaven-on-Earth, but a New Earth (Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss eschatology, aspiration, and ancient Near Eastern curse formulations in Isaiah 65:17-25. The text is appointed for the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 28), in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Reversal in the Kingdom (Feast of All Saints)

John Collins and Jennifer Herdt discuss poverty, apocalyptic imagery, and economic justice in reference to Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 and Luke 6:20-31. The text is appointed for All Saints’ Day, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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How God Comes Looking for Humans (Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost)

Harold Attridge and Greg Sterling discuss redemption, the proper use of wealth, and the strange company Jesus keeps in Luke 19:1-10. The text is appointed for the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 26, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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They Shall Never Again Be Put to Shame (Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost)

Awet Andemicael and Adam Eitel discuss shame, redemption, and rehabilitation in Joel 2:23-32. The text is appointed for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 25, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Less a Promise Than a Threat (Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss punishment, free will, and the dangers of metaphor in Jeremiah 31:27-34. The text is appointed for the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 24, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Guts of a Chicken (Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Jacqueline Vayntrub and Christian Wiman discuss joy, salvation history, and chicken guts in Psalm 66:1-12. The text is appointed for the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 23, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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An Act of Waiting (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss trauma, hope, and poetic Hebrew in Lamentations 1:1-6 and 3:19-26. The text is appointed for the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 22), in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Grace and Transaction (Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss faith, ritual performance, and divine blessing in Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16. The text is appointed for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 21), in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Calling the Market to Account (Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Justin Crisp and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss capitalism, shrewdness, and the logic of parables in Luke 16:1-13. The text is appointed for the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 20), in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Creation and Consequences (Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

John Collins and Jennifer Herdt discuss the undoing of creation, fidelity, and false prophets in Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28. The text is appointed for the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 19, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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God of Creation Destroying (Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Eric Reymond discuss precarity, God as creator and destroyer, and the potter metaphor in Jeremiah 18:1-11. The text is appointed for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 18, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Reversing the Status Quo (Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss humility, reversing the status quo, speaking truth to power in Sirach 10:12-18. The text is appointed for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 17, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Restorer of the Path (Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost)

Christian Wiman and Jacqueline Vayntrub discuss justice, prayer and action, and getting God's attention in Isaiah 58:9b-14. The text is appointed for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 16, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Great Numbers of Heroes (Tenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Erika Helgen and Chloë Starr discuss faith heroes through history, triumphant faith, and the role of sin in Hebrews 11:29-12:2. The text is appointed for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 15, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Act in Faith (Ninth Sunday after Pentecost)

Greg Sterling and Harry Attridge discuss women in early Christian communities, eschatology, and faith as a matter of the heart in Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16. The text is appointed for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 14, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Rich Toward God (Eighth Sunday after Penecost)

Judith Gundry and Adam Eitel discuss possession, wealth, and covetousness in Luke 12:13-21. The text is appointed for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 13, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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For the Sake of Ten (Seventh Sunday after Pentecost)

Tisa Wenger and Joel Baden discuss bargaining, God and Abraham's new relationship, and the righteous of Sodom and Gamorrah in Genesis 18:20-32. The text is appointed for Track 2 on the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 12, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Authenticity and Belonging (Sixth Sunday after Pentecost)

Andrew McGowan and Ned Parker discuss Mary and Martha, extroversion, and authenticity in Luke 10:38-42. The text is appointed for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 11, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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To Help, Not to Judge (Fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

Volker Leppin and Vasileios Marinis discuss poverty, God's expectations, and our responsibilities to one another in Psalm 82. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 10, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Where the Power Lies (Fourth Sunday after Pentecost)

Joel Baden and Eric Reymond discuss kings, skin diseases, and prophetic power in 2 Kings 5:1-14. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 9, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Chariot of Fire (Third Sunday after Pentecost)

Erika Helgen and Chloë Starr discuss prophetic leadership, sudden loss, and mentorship in 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 8, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Everything You Are and Everything You Do (Second Sunday after Pentecost)

Harold Attridge and John Hare discuss gender identity, ethnic dynamics, and changes of the heart in Galatians 3:23-29. The text is appointed for Proper 7, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Delighted by the Human Race (Trinity Sunday)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss joy, multiculturalism, and feminine language in Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31. The text is appointed for Trinity Sunday, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Drunk at Nine O’clock in the Morning (Pentecost)

Volker Leppin and Vasileios Marinis discuss signs and wonders, Hebrew Bible connections, the promise of salvation, and more in Acts 2:1-21. The text is appointed for Pentecost, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Holy Surprise, Holy Heartbreak (Ascension)

Yejide Peters Pietersen and Bill Goettler discuss love-songs, community, and connection in reference to John 17:20-26. The text is appointed for the Feast of the Ascension, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Heaven Down to Earth (Easter 6)

Erika Helgen and Chloë Starr discuss social justice, human failure, and heavenly hope in Revelation 21:10, 22–22:5. The text is appointed for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Hymn About Hymns (Easter 5)

Joel Baden and Eric Reymond discuss poetic structure, creation language, and the mechanics of praise in Psalm 148. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Blood of the Lamb (Easter 4)

Andrew McGowan and Ned Parker discuss whiteness, danger, and comfort in Revelation 7:9-17. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Resurrection Calls to Action (Easter 3)

Harold Attridge and Gregory Sterling discuss Resurrection encounters and calls to action in Acts 9:1-20 and John 21:1-19. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday of Easter, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Stop Doubting and Believe (2nd Sunday of Easter)

Mark Heim and Abdul-Rehman Malik discuss doubt, trauma, and the value of “Doubting Thomas” in John 20:19-31. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday of Easter, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Seeing and Believing (Easter Day)

Harry Attridge and John Hare discuss faith, uncertainty, and the power of emotion in John 20:1-18. The text is appointed for Easter Day, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Big Story (Easter Vigil)

Joel Baden and Tisa Wenger discuss the construction of stories, Christian supersessionism, and the legacy of Christian storytelling in relation to Genesis 22:1-18. The text is appointed for the Easter Vigil, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A King Not of This World (Good Friday)

Judy Gundry and Adam Eitel discuss the innocence of Jesus, divine kingship, and more in John 18:1-19:42. The text is appointed for Good Friday, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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No Longer Servants, but Friends (Maundy Thursday)

John Collins and Jennifer Herdt discuss enslavement imagery, Passover liberation, and models of service in Exodus 12:1-14 and John 13:1-17. The texts are appointed for Maundy Thursday, in all three years of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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As Sacraments of Thee (Palm Sunday)

Andrew McGowan and Ned Parker discuss community, sacrament, and suffering in Luke 22:14-23:56. The text is appointed for the Palm Sunday, the Liturgy of the Passion, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Rivers in the Desert (Lent 5)

Tisa Wenger and Joel Baden discuss divine violence, colonialism, and the notion of “wilderness” in Isaiah 43:16-21. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday in Lent, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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New Creation in Christ (Lent 4)

Yejide Peters Pietersen and Bill Goettler discuss reconciliation, spiritual role-models, and what it means to “become the righteousness of God” with reference to 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. The text is appointed for the 4th Sunday in Lent, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Merciful Pleading (Lent 3)

Judith Gundry and Adam Eitel discuss repentance, leniency, and divine warnings in Luke 13:1-9. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday in Lent, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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This Land to Possess (Lent 2)

Joel Baden and Eric Reymond discuss inheritance, offspring, and the promises of God in Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday in Lent, in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Justification by Faith (Lent 1)

Harold Attridge and John Hare discuss the possibility of being in relationship with God in Romans 10:8b-13. The text is appointed for the First Sunday in Lent, March 6, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Miracle of Compassion (Transfiguration Sunday)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss the healing and transforming power of God in Luke 9:28-43. The text is appointed for Transfiguration Sunday, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Forgiveness and Agency (Seventh Sunday after Epiphany)

Sarah Drummond and Joel Baden discuss forgiveness and the sibling dynamics at work in Genesis 45:3-11,15. The text is appointed for the Seventh Sunday after Epiphany, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Blessings and Woes (Sixth Sunday after Epiphany)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss Jesus’ blessings and warnings in Luke 6:17-26. The text is appointed for the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany, Sunday, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Holy, Holy, Holy (Fifth Sunday after Epiphany)

Jacqueline Vayntrub and Christian Wiman discuss the difference between verse and prose in Isaiah 6:1-13. The text is appointed for the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Jeremiah: Prophet, Collaborator (Fourth Sunday after Epiphany)

Sarah Drummond and Joel Baden discuss reluctant prophets and God’s will in Jeremiah 1:4-10. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Belonging and Separateness (Third Sunday after Epiphany)

Erika Helgen and Chloe Starr discuss the church universal and love as the basis for the exercise of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday after Epiphany, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary

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Unity and Diversity (Second Sunday after Epiphany)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss recognizing God in the midst of community and the diversity of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday after Epiphany, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Noisiness of the Lord (1st Sunday after Epiphany)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss the power of God in Psalm 29. The text is appointed for the First Sunday after Epiphany, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Dazzling Darkness (2nd Sunday after Christmast)

Awet Andemicael and Adam Eitel discuss the mystery, language and lyricism in John 1:1-18. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday after Christmas, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Young Jesus in the Temple (1st Sunday after Christmas)

Gregory Sterling and Harold Attridge discuss the humanity of young Jesus and the role of Mary as mother in Luke 2:41-52. The text is appointed for the First Sunday after Christmas, Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Expectations (Christmas)

Sarah Drummond and Joel Baden discuss birth, kingship and signs of God’s redemption in Isaiah 9:2-7. The text is appointed for Christmas (Proper 1), December 24, Years A, B, and C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Mary’s Vibrant Language (Advent 4)

Felicity Harley-McGowan and Bruce Gordon discuss the Magnificat and our understanding of Mary through the ages in relation to Luke 1:46b-55. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday of Advent (Advent 4), Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

 

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Hope vs. Anesthesia (Advent 3)

Joel Baden and Sarah Drummond discuss hope, apathy, and why the context of prophecy matters in Zephaniah 3:14-20. The text is appointed for the Third Sunday of Advent (Advent 3), Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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A Reason to Hope (Advent 2)

Peter Hawkins and Eric Reymond discuss disaster and hope, glory, and reversal in Baruch 5:1-9. The text is appointed for the Second Sunday of Advent (Advent 2), Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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The Righteous Branch (Advent 1)

Joel Baden and Tisa Wenger discuss messianic prophecy, timelessness, and historic context in Jeremiah 33:14-16. The text is appointed for the First Sunday of Advent (Advent 1), Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Introducing Chapter, Verse, and Season

Chapter, Verse, and Season gives listeners the opportunity to overhear the kinds of conversations that take place in the halls of Yale Divinity School. Each week, professors from different theological disciplines chat about biblical texts from the Revised Common Lectionary. They bring their own interests to the table and hopefully spark new insights into the scripture appointed for each Sunday.

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