First Reading

Lectionary Date: April 10, 2022 [Palm/Passion Sunday, Year C]

Rosy has the scoop on the influence of Isaiah on Christian tellings of Jesus's suffering

Lectionary Date: April 3, 2022 [5th Sunday in Lent, Year C]

Tim preaches from the poetic grammar of Psalm 126

Lectionary Date: March 27, 2022 [4th Sunday in Lent, Year C]

Rachel suggests that we should pause here and appreciate the in-between space.

Lectionary Date: March 20, 2022 [3rd Sunday in Lent, Year C]

This week, we’re grateful to welcome Dr. Roger Nam as our guest on First Reading. Dr. Nam is Professor of Hebrew Bible and Director of the Graduate Department of Religion at Emory University. (That’s homebase and training ground for Rachel, Tim, and Rosy!) A former economic analyst, pastor, and a second-generation Korean American who has lived and worked abroad in Korea, Roger’s recent research focuses on the social structures and economics behind wealth and poverty in the biblical world. Today’s passage from Isaiah is full of economic imagery so we’re especially glad to have Roger’s expertise and insight for this conversation. He’s the author of Portrayals of Exchange in the Book of Kings (Brill, 2012), and he’s got a number of book projects in the pipeline including commentaries (multiple!) on Ezra-Nehemiah and editing the Oxford Handbook for Wealth and Poverty. Besides his own busy research, teaching and administrative tasks, Roger is also passionate about his role as a teacher and mentor to students and learners of all kinds. He’s a contributor to Working Preacher (we love them!) and a frequent collaborator with the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning.

Lectionary Date: March 13, 2022 [2nd Sunday in Lent, Year C]

Rosy explores meaningful themes embedded in an ancient covenant ritual.

Lectionary Date: March 6, 2022 [1st Sunday in Lent, Year C]

Tim avoids a platitudinous reading of the Psalm.

Lectionary Date: February 27, 2022 [Transfiguration Sunday, Year C]

Rachel offers some creative approaches to using the Hebrew Bible text on Transfiguration Sunday.

Lectionary Date: February 20, 2022 [7th Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C]

Rosy points us toward a more complex reading of the Joseph story.

Lectionary Date: February 13, 2022 [6th Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C]

Tim finds some hope hidden in Jeremiah's doom-n-gloom.

Lectionary Date: February 6, 2022 [5th Sunday after Epiphany, Year C]

This week, we’re grateful to have Dr. Ethan Schwartz with us to look at Isaiah's prophetic call. Dr. Schwartz is Assistant Professor of Hebrew Bible at Villanova University. His research focuses on the prophetic literature of the Hebrew Bible, so today’s passage is right in his wheelhouse. Ethan loves to bring biblical studies into productive conversation with contemporary religious life, in synagogues, institutes, and churches. If you’re interested in more of his work, find him on the "Politics of Scripture" blog at politicaltheology.com. Ethan’s career has reached a new high today in being the first guest scholar to appear twice on First Reading!