Seasons Of The Christian Life [Hardcover]

Once liberal Christianity was preached in ways that defined it in the public eye. Now Christianity is identified almost exclusively with its conservative expressions. Seasons of the Christian Life presents a series of sermons articulating a liberal Christianity over against its conservative neighbors. They were preached at the University Church (Marsh Chapel) at Boston University (save for one preached in Memorial Church at Harvard) during the 2004-2005 academic year when President George W. Bush was reelected and the country was at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and at war with terrorists wherever they could be imagined. The sermons follow the Revised Common Lectionary and focus on biblical interpretation as it is applied to the then-current spiritual, cultural, social, and political situation. The author is a professor of theology and at the time was Dean of Marsh Chapel and Chaplain of the University. LONG ENDORSEMENTS--NEEDS TO BE EDITED With this collection of sermons, Robert Neville gives contemporary liberal Christianity an articulate and powerful voice. Here the author's carefully constructed 'theology of symbolic engagement' is perfected in pastoral practice. Each of these homiletic meditations is a spiritual jewel, as Neville's reading of basic Christian symbols is consistently illuminating, also frequently inspirational. Published a dozen years after being preached, the passing of the seasons has only increased the relevance of these sermons for prospective readers. --Michael L. Raposa, Professor of Religion Studies, E. W. Fairchild Professor of American Studies, Lehigh University Some preachers fled to the lectionary to escape current events in the years after 9/11, but not theologian Robert Cummings Neville, formerly Dean of Marsh Chapel.Whether it is the trying [presidential] election of 2004, the failures in the wake of military adventurism in Iraq, or the seemingly endless culture wars at home, Neville preaches into being an irenic, liberal pulpil3�