Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany (Year C, RCL)

I wonder what Isaiah is expecting when he raises his hand.

Was I wrong to preach that Jesus wrecks our lives?

“Anyone who thinks he knows the orthodox consensus can always be shown to be wrong,” says David Bentley Hart.

The Bible offers conflicting answers.

In Oberammergau, the keepers of a centuries-old tradition have made
big changes—including efforts to expunge antisemitic material.

Let’s see how they measure up to Indeed.com’s suggestions.

The disciples focused on what they could control: the state of their nets.

When words fail, the church sings—especially on Trinity Sunday.

“If we don’t understand the Judaism of Jesus’ time, how can we understand him and his message?”

As if fishing for people sounds any easier.

Jesus calls Peter. But there's a catch.

The beloved song can contain God’s glory no more than the scripture it’s based on.

The church at Corinth had many problems. Some simple kindness would have helped.

It's no surprise that Nicodemus goes home befuddled. If discipleship doesn't come with some confusion, it probably isn't Jesus you're following.

The preacher faces several challenges in these Ascension texts. How can we present Jesus’ departure from the earth as an occasion for not sorrow but celebration? How to translate the kingship and hierarchical language into imagery that speaks to a world no longer governed by kings and monarchs?

Feminist biblical scholars note a third challenge: How can we counter Luke-Acts' use of the Ascension to exert a degree of social control?

These Trinity Sunday texts show God moving graciously—and persistently—toward people while they struggle to stay on their feet.