Looking at Life Through a Biblical Lens: A Scholar's Reflections - Paperback

by Robert C. Tannehill (Author), O. Wesley Allen (Foreword by)

It may seem that so many sermons have been preached on biblical texts that there is nothing new to say. Careful reading and imaginative thought, however, can result in new insights, especially if the biblical text becomes a lens through which we freshly view issues of human life. Larger literary units should be considered, rather than isolated Bible verses, and there is often a development in the text that is suggestive for development of the sermon. Clear thinking is necessary about real issues for people today. Discernment of the link between the ancient text and the challenges we face requires both thought and imagination. The result should be new suggestions for ways of expressing the gospel message, appropriate for our time. These sermons are presented as good examples of biblical preaching. They illustrate the qualities noted above. They can also be used in daily or weekly devotions. They are more challenging than much devotional material, but that may add to their value in nourishing a thoughtful life of faith.

Author Biography

Robert C. Tannehill is Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Methodist Theological School in Ohio, Delaware, Ohio. He is the author of The Sword of His Mouth: Forceful and Imaginative Language in Synoptic Sayings; The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts: A Literary Interpretation; and other books.