Word That Sets Free Cycle C

Inspired by the heritage of African-American churches, Mark Ellingsen has created innovative, visionary sermons on Old Testament texts from the Revised Common Lectionary. His messages reflect his unique vantage point as a Lutheran of Norwegian heritage teaching at a historically black seminary, and they are a model for anyone who wants to learn how to relate the Bible to the cutting-edge social issues of our day. Ellingsen suggests that many American Christians have abdicated their responsibility to advocate justice in our society or to talk about what the Gospel can do in our lives and society as a whole from Monday through Saturday.

Ellingsen believes these Old Testament texts are very relevant to our contemporary lives. An all-too-common view of many Christians is look to the New Testament to find the liberating word of God, while viewing the Old Testament as being about the Law and the confining demands of tradition. But Ellingsen says that the history of Christianity proves this is not true. He observes that Martin Luther was primarily an Old Testament scholar, and that African-American churches have based many of their traditions of liberation on Old Testament stories and prophetic traditions.