By the Well

Fran and Robyn talk about the way resurrection shapes community life in Acts 4:32-35 and John 20:19-31 (with a brief look at Ps 133).

We mention Gail Ramshaw's "Treasures Old and New". 

Fran and Kylie talk about 1 Cor 15.1–11 and Mark 16.1–8. For Good Friday episodes, you can listen to A121 (Fran with Frank Rees), and C115 (Robyn, with Dorothy Lee and Andrew McGowan).

Robyn Whitaker talks with liturgist, Prof. Stephen Burns, about the Palm and Passion Sunday traditions. We discuss Mark 11:1-11 and Mark 14:1-15:47 and ideas for "preaching" without preaching this week.

We mention Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings and the apocryphal text "Acts of John". 

Monica and Stephen Burns discuss Jeremiah31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-12 and Hebrews 5:5-10. 

Monica and Fran discuss Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107 and John 3:14-21

Monica and Kylie discuss Exodus 20.1–17, Psalm 19, and 1 Corinthians 1.18–25. The themes include the context of the ten commandments readings, as the Hebrew people come out of harsh enslavement and Yahweh establishes relationship with them; creation, Torah, and salvation/forgiveness in the Psalm; and Paul's theological reflection on true wisdom and on weakness and strengh. On reflecting on sabbath, we also mention too books: Rest as Resistance by Tricia Hersey (https://thenapministry.com/), and Practicing our Faith: A Way of Life for a Searching People, edited by Dorothy C. Bass (https://practicingourfaith.org/the-books/).

Kylie and Robyn discuss Genesis 17.1–7, 15–16, Romans 4.13–25, and Mark 8.31–38. As we contemplate Lent, the themes in the readings we touch on include the promise to both Sarai and Abram, the reality of death and how we approach faith in impossible circumstances, and discipleship. 

For the first week in Lent Robyn and Fran discuss Mark 1:9-14; Psalm 25:1-10 and Genesis 9:8-17

We mention Gail Ramshaw's Treasures Old and New

Fleming Rutledge's The Crucifixion

Garry Worete Deverell's Contemplating Country: More Gondwana Theology

Robyn and Fran discuss 2 Kings 2:1-12, Psalm 50:1-6, 2 Corinthaisn 4:3-6 and Mark 9:2-9.

We mention Gail Ramshaw's book "Treasures old and new: Images in the Lectionary"

FROM THE ARCHIVES AND REPOSTING FOR 2024:

Both readings this week give profound insight into the nature of God in diverse and complementary ways. Robyn and Fran talk about “Jesus the exorcist” in Mark’s gospel and how healing and exorcism are signs of the capacity of Jesus to liberate humanity from evil. Isaiah 40 poses the question “to whom can you liken God?”. Addressed to exiles to inspire hope, Isaiah offers an expansive, awe-inspiring account of the God who strengthens the weak and overturns the powerful.

We refer to this article by Julia Baird on the “overview effect” and this commentary on Mark by Joel Marcus.