338 - Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV-Year B

Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV-Year B
By Walter Brueggemann, Charles B. Cousar, Beverly R. Gaventa, James D. Newsome
Louisville, Westminster/John Knox, 1993.616 pp. $32.00.

Four prominent biblical scholars combine a variety of interpretative methods to write brief but helpful comments for preachers on the lessons of the Revised Common Lectionary. Fortunately, the Psalm for each Sunday is included, as well as an index of all the passages. Each set of lessons is introduced with an overview of the themes of the passages. Often these introductions find some thread that unites the four lessons, but seldom does so at the expense of the integrity of the individual readings. Indeed, honesty about the readings is one of the admirable features of this volume. When a particular text is difficult to preach, the authors are not shy about saying so. Among the many lectionary helps for preachers, this one never compromises scholarship for homiletical utility. Of course, the insightfulness of each of the miniature commentaries varies. But on a whole this preaching aid is laudably successful in guiding readers to the heart of each lection.

Robert Kysar
Lutheran Theological Seminary
Philadelphia, PA.