Book Notes: The Pastor - ch. 2

In ch. 2 of The Pastor; a Spirituality, Dr. Lathrop writes about the spiritual practices associated with preparing and preaching the word. Using Jesus' sermon in Luke 4, and the scene on the road to Emmaus, he notes that preaching is 1) liturgical, 2) exegetical and 3) prophetic. Liturgical: the sermon doesn't stand alone, but within its context of the liturgy, Baptism and the Meal. Exegetical: it interprets the given text of scripture. Prophetic: here he means that it "speaks into the present with divine and revelatory authority" (p. 42).

In approaching the task of preaching he writes:

"I am not going to give a public lecture on the possible significances of ancient texts for modern people. I am not going to expound my own interpretation of current events. I am to arise in the assembly to articulate the meaning of the meeting as an encounter with another in God's present grace, believing that this assembly casts a searing, gracious light on all the world" (p. 55).

In reading the first two chapters, I was suddenly struck by the deep meaning, blessing, trust, and responsibility that is described when the leader or pastor leans into the congregation, "Peace be with you," but especially when they respond, "And also with you."