Description
This collection of fifty-two sermons shows beloved New Testament scholar David Bartlett at his best. Bartlett, who died in 2017, spent his career teaching and mentoring preachers at The University of Chicago Divinity School, Yale Divinity School, Union Presbyterian Seminary, and Columbia Theological Seminary, as well as serving as a pastor in American Baptist churches. Thus, he has generations of friends and former students who knew him for his quick wit, passion for justice, and deep knowledge of the Bible.
Those traits show through in these sermons. As Nora Tisdale says in the foreword: "All of the sermons in this volume give witness to David's passion for preaching that is solidly grounded in the biblical text. Most of them actually begin, as Karl Barth urged preachers to begin, with the biblical text. If they don't begin there, they always get there fairly quickly. And David's interpretations of texts often surprise the reader with their freshness and clarity."
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Reviews
“The best sermons are live events, but when the preacher is gone, a book of sermons is the next best thing. David Bartlett's voice is alive on these pages, singing with the Spirit and with the mind. Read him to learn how a master conveys the gospel or read him for your own soul's health. Either way, you join the congregation of those who will never stop being grateful for his humor, his humanity, and his never-ending faith both in God and in us.”
—Barbara Brown Taylor, author of
An Altar in the World and coeditor, with David Bartlett, of Feasting on the Word
“While nothing can replace David Bartlett’s powerful voice resonating from the pulpit, I can almost hear him proclaiming aloud the Word of God as I read these sermons. Through this collection, he continues to inspire, comfort, and challenge us with his singular mix of intelligence, wit, and humility.”
—Jamie Brownlee, elder, Trinity Presbyterian Church, Atlanta
“David Bartlett’s sermons reflect the deep learning of a New Testament scholar, the compassion of a careful interpreter of the human condition, and the fierce commitment to social justice of a prophet. Both those who preach and those who listen will learn much and will find their faith challenged and enriched.”
—George Stroup, J. B. Green Professor Emeritus of Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary
“Bartlett demonstrates the utter delight of being so fortunate as to be among those sharing that amazing and daunting calling in which one finds oneself positioned between the living, lively text and the cries of the moment.”
—The Presbyterian Outlook