And the Word Became Flesh

Matthew S. Collins
Director, Ernest Miller White Library
Associate Professor of Bibliography and Research
September 4, 2014
Fall Convocation
John 1:1-17
Digital technologies now seem to touch nearly every area of our lives, regardless of whether we are one of those who are “always on” or one who is only occasionally online.  The pervasive nature of our digital tech raises questions about how it may or may not affect our personal lives, our relationships, and our communities.  The most significant effects to be addressed will be the decontextualizing and disembodying nature of the information we send, retrieve, and use with our digital tools.  Listen to the address.

When God Talks Back

Tanya Luhrmann
Watkins University Professor of Anthropology
Stanford University

April 14, 2014
Grawemeyer Award in Religion Lecture

How can rational people living in the 21st century believe that God speaks to them, and why should the rest of us take those people seriously?  Listen to the lecture.

Welcomed as a Child

Cynthia Campbell
Former President, McCormick Theological Seminary
Interim Pastor, Highland Presbyterian Church

A sermon in honor of Theological Libraries Month
October 5, 2012
Isaiah 49:13-15
Mark 10:13-16

We should bless the vulnerable and welcome them into the life of the church and the Kingdom of God just as Jesus welcomed children into his presence.  Listen to the sermon.

Becoming the People of God

Frances S. Adeney

William A. Benfield, Jr. Professor of Evangelism and Global Mission
November 11, 2011
1 Peter 2:9,10
1Peter 3:8,9
Read first in Indonesian, then in English
Getting along in community can be a tough job.  Listen to the sermon

Counter-Cultural Preaching

Debra J. Mumford
Frank H. Caldwell Assistant Professor of Homiletics

Caldwell Lecture
March 3, 2008

Counter-cultural preaching is Dr. Mumford’s term for a type of prophetic preaching that critiques various aspects of American capitalism. It explores the devastating consequences of consumer culture on personhood and relationships when consumerism overrides all else. Listen to the lecture. Please note that the lecture begins 7 minutes and 30 seconds into the recording following the introductory remarks and introduction of the speaker. Read the lecture in PDF.

Psalm 133

Patricia Kathleen Tull
A. B. Rhodes Professor of Old Testament

Romans 12:9-21; Psalm 133
Originally preached on April 21, 2006

Psalm 133 describes "kindred dwelling together" as good and pleasant--a surprising description given the large number of stories of sibling conflict in Scripture and the difficulty most people experience living with others in our own families, churches, and societies. The Psalm sets in sharp relief the story of Jacob's stealing of his father's only blessing from his brother Esau. What happened between Jacob and Esau in subsequent years offers important perspective on both the difficulty and the urgency of seeking the blessing of kinship. Listen to the sermon. Read the sermon in PDF.

Tilling and Tending

Dr. Douglas L. Gragg
Associate Professor of Bibliography and Research
Director of Library and Information Technology Services

April 13, 2007
Genesis 2:4b-15.

In this text the human vocation is identified poetically as a responsibility “to till and to tend” the garden that sustains life. While this has obvious implications for human attitudes and responsibilities toward the natural environment, it can also be applied more broadly. What if we were to think of all of our important activities as forms of gardening? Listen to the sermon. Read the sermon in pdf.

“God's Politics of Love”

Johnny B. Hill, Assistant Professor of Theology

“God's Politics of Love”

1 John 4:16-21
November 3, 2006

"...the Apostle John offers us a refreshing and radical vision of God's way of ordering human relationships, community, and public life. By grounding love of God in the creative space of relationships with others John provides enormous insight to what it means to live faithfully, courageously, and prophetically today-not just for interpersonal relations but ordering social life as well." Listen to the sermon. Read the sermon in PDF format.