“The Weekend Wanderer” is a weekly curated selection of news, stories, resources, and media on the intersection of faith and culture for you to explore through your weekend. Wander through these links however you like and in any order you like. Disclaimer: I do not necessarily agree with all the views expressed within these articles but have found them thought-provoking.
“The Glory of Epiphany” – Timothy Jones interviews Fleming Rutledge in The Christian Century: “One of the first women ordained as a priest by the Episcopal Church, Fleming Rutledge is a renowned preacher and teacher. Her many books include the best-selling The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ. Her newest book, Epiphany: The Season of Glory, is part of InterVarsity Press’s Fullness of Time series, which aims to make the liturgical calendar accessible to those who are unfamiliar with it.
You write that this book is “intended not for academic specialists, but for everyone: pastors, church musicians, teachers, worship leaders, students, inquirers, anyone at all who wants to deepen their understanding.” How might people from traditions that have neglected the church calendar benefit from engaging the ancients’ attention to Epiphany?
The rhythm of the seasons, the repeating sequence of observances year after year, the variety of the scripture readings, and especially the larger story the seasons tell us in narrative progression—all these elements of the very ancient liturgical calendar are powerful for Christian formation. Attentive participation in the story that the seasons tell will deepen commitment to the gospel, the church, and especially the church’s mission—a traditional theme of the Sundays after Epiphany. Above all, the church year leads us to Jesus Christ. The sequence of seasons is designed so that the people of God can participate right now in the eternal dimension of the life of Christ. It’s not just a matter of customs and rituals. It’s designed around powerful experiences of the Lord’s living presence. This enables the members of Christ’s body to glorify him in his majesty as we follow him in our various vocations.”
“Considering Hope” – Norman Wirzba at The University of Notre Dame Center for Social Concerns: “I am often in conversation with people about some of the most weighty and challenging issues of our time—issues like anthropogenic climate change, environmental degradation, species extinctions, ongoing racism and income inequality, disease pandemics, the tearing of social fabrics, political polarization, and widely reported increases in personal stress, anxiety, depression, and despair. It is easy to become paralyzed by sorrow and fear in the face of the many forms of eco-socio-systems collapse. I suppose this is why these conversations almost always make their way to the question, ‘What gives you hope?’ A compelling answer, presumably, will help us all feel better. But assurances of hope can be seductive, and it is important not to assume that people want hope. Admonitions to ‘Be hopeful!,’ though earnestly and sincerely meant, can be distracting and anesthetizing because, like a soporific, they lull people into an acceptance of the status quo.”
“American Bible Society Introduces Dr. Jennifer Holloran as President & & CEO” – American Bible Society Press Release: “The Board of Directors of American Bible Society today introduced Dr. Jennifer Holloran as the new president and CEO of American Bible Society. Dr. Holloran will join American Bible Society on March 1, 2024, after 22 years in various leadership roles at Wycliffe Bible Translators USA, most recently as chief operating officer. ‘While we are continuing to support the essential work of Scripture translation, ABS must also develop new ways to make the Bible available to every person in a language and format each can understand and afford – so all people may experience its life-changing message,’ said ABS Board Chair Katherine Barnhart. ‘Jennifer Holloran brings a unique combination of professional experience, servant-leadership mentality, deep passion for the Bible, and great energy for pursuing innovation that together will ensure American Bible Society remains nimble and impactful in this next phase of its work.’…Dr. Holloran becomes the first female president in American Bible Society’s 207-year history at a time when ABS’ own State of the Bible report has illuminated a rapid decline in Bible engagement in the United States.”
“The Top Theology Books of 2023: The Best of Biblical Studies, Theology, Pastoral Theology, and More” – Todd Brewer at Mockingbird: “Some fantastic books this year, with some surprising gems, new books by beloved writers, and some profoundly revelatory scholarship. Happy Reading! For last year’s list, see here. The Church in an Age of Secular Mysticisms, by Andrew Root – This one was a page-turner that I repeatedly dog-eared and underlined. The key to understanding Root’s fantastic book is its subtitle — ‘Why Spiritualities Without God Fail to Transform Us.’ For anyone interested in an acute diagnosis of the ‘spiritual, but not religious’ landscape of modern life — aka … Seculosities — this is a must read. Through many different avenues, secular mysticisms seek transformation through the expansion of the self, or becoming a better version of yourself. True transformation, Root argues by contrast, comes through the theology of the cross: through passivity, surrender to negativity, and an encounter with a God outside ourselves.”
“The top religion stories of 2023” – Paul O’Donnell at Religion News Service: “Some of the biggest stories on the religious landscape this year saw faith communities reckon with changes in society at large, while both globally and in the United States, some of the most dramatic world events had religion at their center. A year in review: 1. Hamas attacks Israel:The brutal assault by Hamas on Oct. 7 — in which 1,200 civilians and soldiers in southern Israel were killed, including whole families, and hundreds of others were kidnapped and raped — shocked Israelis and grabbed headlines around the world. In Israel, the United States and elsewhere, many Jews gathered to share their grief and pledged money for humanitarian aid and to rebuild communities that had been devastated by the attacks. As shocking for many Jews, however, was the outrage at Israel’s ongoing military response in Gaza, as demonstrators in New York, London and Paris, some led by left-leaning Jewish organizations, called for an immediate cease-fire, seeming to focus not on Hamas’ violence, but on Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. Some American Jews, especially those on the political left, felt betrayed by erstwhile allies and connected the protests to the rising antisemitism of recent years.”
“My Word for the New Year” – Steve Smith at The Potter’s Inn Substack: “I’m doing something different this New Year. I’m choosing one, single word that I want to shape my upcoming New Year. In the past, I’ve been resistant to this. I thought: How could one single word capture all that is swirling in my heart of desire. But, this is a good year to try it. And I’m also choosing this one word because of this: I need this word. I need to do this word a lot. Read and on you’ll see why. Sometimes, we need to find new words to describe our current state of being in the world. I often use the Google app which tells me how a word has been used over the millenniums and when that word was most popular and often written or spoken. The word I’m using for 2024 has low usage in modern and crisis filled times. It just might be that the neglect of this one word has resulted in such dramatic spike in mental illness, church drop outs and depression gone rampant in the world. Perhaps, this is precisely why I feel the need to distill all the possible words into this one word. Perhaps, this is why the image of the animal overloaded and drooping could be a great image to describe you or me—when we don’t do this word! Ok. Ready. Here’s my word: Commend!“
Music: Keith & Kristyn Getty with JJ Heller, “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence,” from Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence: The Carols of Christmas, Volume 1
Discover more from Matthew Erickson
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Matthew Erickson 