Here's one from Rev. Todd Hunter in Davenport that got me going:
Rich: I have had similar thoughts and agree with your analysis of the RCL. As you know, I take seriously the pastors responsibility to make the necessary contextual connections for the assembly. I do this through the liturgy, though I am not claiming that I have solved the problem. I was taught in Seminary (WTS) that the RCL would keep preachers like me from going off on personal tangents. I have been to enough text studies to know nothing keeps some preachers from dragging their personal "stuff" into a text and into the pulpit.
Here is a question for you: if I scrap the lectionary, do I also scrap seasons? Don't texts also fit seasonal themes like hope in Advent, or repentance in Lent? While I am sure there will be little weeping and gnashing of teeth in most congregations over the loss of the RCL and church seasons, then won't we need some kind of new paradigm for worship?
Regarding the Lectionary, you are absolutely right. It is supposed to keep preachers balanced and off their personal soapboxes, but they’ll preach on their main theme no matter what the text. Always have. Always will. Regarding the new paradigm for worship, you are absolutely right. The year 2005 was a watershed in the history of human technology. It was the year internet use surpassed television screen time among out teens. Anyone under 20 - and every generation after them - will not be satisfied to sit and listen to your show. If they aren't activists in constructing their own worship experience, they'll not sit for 7 seconds - let alone 57 minutes - to watch anything you put on. But that's a topic for another day.
Let me give you “Scrap the Seasons” question some thought.
Off hand, I’d keep Advent.Christmas, Lent/Easter and maybe Pentecost, but I’d dump the rest. I'll tell you why tomorrow.
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