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The song of the angels in Luke 2:14, traditionally known as the Gloria, speaks of the heavens and the earth, God and human beings. While the Greek text does not state the word for “heavens” (...)

At first glance, the lectionary’s juxtaposition of this text—God’s promise to David of a permanent dynastic kingdom—with Luke 1:26–38 might suggest it is only useful as a prooftext, in a supporting role to the Gospel (...)

Ezekiel 37 is probably the most well-known passage from this prophetic book. Inevitably, when I tell people of faith that I am writing about Ezekiel, they mention the valley of dry bones. So, the imagery (...)

In difficult times, many of us look for sources and symbols of hope. Sometimes we find them in nature, the arts, humor, or comforting memories. Often, we turn our attention to individuals who seem to (...)

For the Christmas Eve preacher, it may feel challenging to find anything new to say about this familiar story from Luke 2. What might possibly have been missed in the centuries throughout which this story (...)

When clergy invite me to speak at their church, I ask them what they are wanting for their people. I’ve been struck lately by how many say some version of this: “My people are doing (...)

A “zealous” God. Isaiah 9:2-7 (1-6 in the Hebrew) paints a picture of God’s zealousness, which results in the zealousness of God’s people. We take our lead from the final sentence of this reading, “The (...)

On the surface, Proverbs 9:1-6 reads as positive instruction for those seeking to live an ethical life, one that leaves aside “naivety” (Hebrew peta’im) and is grounded instead in “understanding” or “insight” (binah; verse 6).  (...)

The 2020 film Kiss the Ground, narrated by Woody Harrelson, portrays “regenerative farming,” a relatively new practice in the U.S. and around the world, restoring spent land and sequestering carbon in the soil. In one (...)

As I write in February, awaiting spring, Easter, and Earth Day (April 22), outside it is 18 degrees, cloudy and dark. Snow and sleet cover the air, the ground, and the solar panels; the pond (...)