Christianity and the Ways of Being Religious

Luke Timothy Johnson

Winner of the 2011 Grawemeyer Award in Religion

Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University

Grawemeyer Lecture
April 12, 2011

Ancient Christians had more in common with their Jewish and pagan neighbors than most people realize. Listen to the lecture

Living with Diversity: A Lesson From Peter

David C. Hester
Dean of the Seminary
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Harrison Ray Anderson Professor of Ministry

May 4, 2007
Acts 11: 1-18
John 13: 1-35

How are we to live into the diversity that we want in our community? Dean Hester addresses this emotionally charged issue as we move from the easy beginning of good intentions to the hard road of loving the "inconvenient differences" among us. Listen to the sermon.

Compassion and Accountability

David R. Sawyer
Director of Lifelong Learning and Advanced Degrees, and Professor of Ministry


1 Samuel 24:1-22
February 23, 2007

The sermon addresses the question, "How do we call each other to account and still be respectful and compassionate with each other?" It draws on the story of David and Saul at the cave at Engedi in which David restrains himself and his fighters from harming Saul, "the Lord's Anointed" but gives a strong speech juggling delicate issues of power and respect. "It's a slippery and difficult road we travel, being a human community, but trying to hold onto our ideals of faithfulness, loving each other, forgiving each other, speaking the truth in love to each other, granting each other grace in the face of the plain acknowledgement of our errors." Listen to the sermon. Read the sermon in PDF format.