A Place to Call Home

Johanna W.H. van Wijk-Bos

Dora Pierce Professor of Bible
Professor of Old Testament

October 16, 2015
Ezra I Selections

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The Search for a Savior

Johanna W.H. van Wijk-Bos
Dora Pierce Professor of Bible and Professor of Old Testament

March 28, 2014
1 Samuel 9-10

Like the ancient Israelites we forget that we have all the guidance we need for living.  We run after saviors and kings to protect us and save us.  Listen to the sermon.

A Yearning for God

Johanna W. H. Bos
Dora Pierce Professor of Bible and Professor of Old Testament

March 18, 2013
1 Samuel 7

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What Shall We Do with the Ark of the God of Israel?

Johanna W. H. Bos
Dora Pierce Professor of Bible and Professor of Old Testament

November 4, 2011
1 Samuel 5:1-12
1 Samuel 6:10-13

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The Vision Thing

Johanna W. H. Bos
Dora Pierce Professor of Bible and Professor of Old Testament

Feb 19, 2010
Habakkuk 1:2-2:4

Parallels are drawn between the burden of violence the prophet saw, and the burden of violence and lack of justice experienced by modern women around the world. Listen to the sermon. (The text of this sermon is not available.)

Hannah's Drunken Desire

Johanna W. H. Bos
Dora Pierce Professor of Bible and Professor of Old Testament

March 13, 2009
1 Samuel 1-18 (Dr. Bos reads her own translation of this passage. The link here is given for reference.)

Hannah’s story is that of a woman coming into her full humanity. She represents the hard stories of many modern women. Listen to the sermon.

Where is the Glory

Johanna W. H. Bos

Dora Pierce Professor of Bible and Professor of Old Testament

I Samuel 4:1-22
November 2, 2007

In this story ancient Israel devises a plan to avoid another defeat by the hand of the Philistines by bringing the Ark of the Covenant into battle. They are defeated anyway and the Ark, Israel’s glory, goes into captivity/exile. Two problems faced the ancient community: they were led by corrupt and venal leaders and they forgot what it means to be a people that views itself as being in covenant with God. Ancient problems that are also contemporary. Listen to the sermon. Read the sermon in PDF.

The Upheaval of Grace

Johanna W. H. BosDora Pierce Professor of Bible and Professor of Old Testament

Amy Plantinga PauwHenry P. Mobley Professor of Doctrinal Theology

Psalm 68:1-20
Baccalaureate Service on May 20, 2007

Psalm 68 is a difficult psalm, full of textual problems and violent imagery. But it brings good news of God’s upheaval of the status quo in favor of the suffering and vulnerable, those who are farthest away from the abundant life God intends for all. This upheaval of grace starts already with the fact that in this psalm women are called to be preachers of this good news. Today we too, women and men alike, are called to participate in the upheaval of grace as we stand with prisoners, outcasts, and the afflicted, and sing the praises of our gracious and righteous God. Listen to the sermon.

The Woman Behind the Wardrobe

Johanna W. H. Bos,
Dora Pierce Professor of Bible and Professor of Old Testament

2 Kings 22:8-17
March 9, 2007

Huldah is a mostly forgotten prophet but a crucial one who authenticates a written document as God's word. She is in the text introduced by her profession, her husband's name and the names of his immediate forefathers as well as her husband's profession, "keeper of the wardrobe." She speaks a word of strong judgment of God against God's people because they have not been faithful to God.

Being faithful to God in ancient Israel, also according to Deuteronomy meant taking care of the stranger, poor women, people without a voice and representation. Today, our communities are trying to change their mentality and practices of inclusion, even as the people of ancient Israel were called to do. We too have fallen short, not just in the past but also in the present. Women have come out from behind the wardrobe, together with Huldah.

Yet, in the light of International Women's Day, celebrated on March 8, we call to mind the fact that more than 400 million women in the world are counted among the unemployed or underemployed and that a great deal still needs to be done to bring down the house of patriarchy and to usher in an age of equality and dignity for women. Listen to the sermon. Read the sermon in PDF.

Is God a Man of War?

Johanna W.H. van Wijk-Bos

Dora Pierce Professor of Bible
Professor of Old Testament Emerita

Isaiah 42:10-17
September 15, 2006

With righteous anger, on can ask if God is truly a man of war?  With her own translation of Isaiah 42 Bos answers this question. Listen to the sermon.