PPC09006
October 5, 2009

Westminster John Knox Press, Columbia Theological Seminary continue feasting on the Word with new gospels commentary

Westminster John Knox Press and Columbia Theological Seminary have announced the continuation of the partnership that led to Feasting on the Word, the incredibly popular new lectionary commentary series. Feasting on the Gospels, an eight-volume commentary series, will be published beginning in 2013. Barbara Brown Taylor and David L. Bartlett will return as co-consulting editors, and Elizabeth Johnson and Cynthia Jarvis will serve as co-general editors.

“We’re delighted to again partner with Columbia in this exciting new phase of the Feasting on the Word series,” said WJK President and Publisher Marc Lewis. “They have provided excellent logistical support in addition to a world-class faculty to draw from as editors and contributors. We hope this will be the first of many additional resources in the Feasting on the Word family.”

“Feasting on the Word and the upcoming Feasting on the Gospels provide a lasting treasure trove of resources for preachers and will be used to strengthen God’s people for years to come,” said Columbia Theological Seminary President Stephen Hayner. “It is a great privilege for us as a seminary community to partner in this remarkable project.”

The twelve-volume Feasting on the Word is unique among lectionary commentaries in that it offers four distinct perspectives on each of the four assigned texts, giving preachers sixteen different ways into the proclamation of the word on any given occasion. For each text, there are four brief essays — one each on the exegetical, theological, pastoral and homiletical challenges of the text.

Feasting on the Gospels will follow this same model to provide fresh commentary on the entirety of the four Gospels. There will be two volumes each on Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. As with Feasting on the Word, several hundred scholars, preachers, teachers, and writers from a variety of denominations will provide essays on each of the four perspectives for the Gospels.

Barbara Brown Taylor said of the Gospels project, “Everywhere I go, people, both lay and ordained, tell me how much they value Feasting on the Word. Since they also tell me they want more, I am very glad that WJK has decided to host a feast on the Gospels as well. I look forward to working with old friends and new on this rich resource for preaching and teaching in Christian churches across the U.S. and beyond.”

David Bartlett added, “Feasting on the Gospels will bring to preaching preparation the same rich variety of perspectives found in Feasting on the Word. It has been a great privilege to learn from all those who contributed to Feasting on the Word, and I look forward to deepening my understanding and appreciation of the Gospels under the guidance of these faithful pastors and scholars.”

“Feasting on the Word was a pleasure for me. Getting to know remarkably gifted writers and hearing from pastors that our work was useful for them only increased the joy of working with the editorial board,” said Elizabeth Johnson, J. Davison Philips Professor of New Testament at Columbia and a member of the editorial board of Feasting on the Word. “While we necessarily dealt with the lectionary’s piecemeal treatment of the Gospels in Feasting on the Word, it will be a delight to treat each of the Gospels as a whole in Feasting on the Gospels, including all those awkward texts preachers sometimes feel free to avoid when the lectionary does.”

Cynthia Jarvis, also a member of the Feasting on the Word editorial board, is Minister and Head of Staff at The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia. “Having had the privilege of working on the editorial board for Feasting on the Word, I am even more excited about Feasting on the Gospels,” she said. “To move beyond the limits and liabilities of lectionary texts and do business with the Gospels from beginning to end makes this preacher’s heart and head glad. I also rejoice that Feasting once again will place pastor-theologians on a par with academics as together we wrestle with the meaning of Scripture for such a time as this.”

A new editorial board, under the leadership of Johnson and Jarvis, will be established for the Gospels project and will begin meeting in 2011. The first volumes are slated to be published in the fall of 2013.

Westminster John Knox Press Executive Editor Donald K. McKim, who was instrumental in developing the Feasting on the Word series, said, “Feasting on the Gospels will be guided by a splendid group of editors whose gifts and expertise will insure the quality and significance of the entries. The contributors will be a diverse group of veteran pastors and scholars who will bring sensitive reflections to each of the four perspectives and whose commitment to providing helpful resources for the church is unsurpassed. These dedicated colleagues will make Feasting on the Gospels a high-quality and dependable expression of the church’s desire for faithful proclamation.”

The editorial board for Feasting on the Word comprises:

• David L. Bartlett, Professor of New Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary (American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A.)
• Barbara Brown Taylor, Adjunct Professor of Christian Theology, Columbia Theological Seminary, and Professor of Religion, Piedmont College (Episcopal Church U.S.A.)
• Charles L. Campbell, Professor of Homiletics, Duke Divinity School (Presbyterian Church [U.S.A.])
• Carlos F. Cardoza-Orlandi, Associate Professor of World Christianity, Columbia Theological Seminary (Christian Church [Disciples of Christ] in the U.S.A. and Canada, and La Iglesia Cristiana [Discipulos de Cristo] en Puerto Rico)
• Gary W. Charles, Pastor, Central Presbyterian, Atlanta (Presbyterian Church [U.S.A.])
• Allen Hilton, Minister for Faith and Learning, Wayzata Community Church (United Church of Christ)
• Cynthia Ann Jarvis, Pastor, Chestnut Hill Presbyterian, Philadelphia (Presbyterian Church [U.S.A.])
• E. Elizabeth Johnson, Professor of New Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary (Presbyterian Church [U.S.A.])
• Thomas G. Long, Professor of Homiletics, Candler School of Theology (Presbyterian Church [U.S.A.])
• Kathleen M. O’Connor, Professor of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary (Roman Catholic)
• Marcia Y. Riggs, Professor of Christian Ethics, Columbia Theological Seminary (African Methodist Episcopal Zion)
• George W. Stroup, Professor of Theology, Columbia Theological Seminary (Presbyterian Church [U.S.A.])
• Emilie M. Townes, Professor of African-American Religion and Theology, Yale Divinity School (American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A.)
• Richard F. Ward, Associate Professor of Preaching, Iliff School of Theology (United Church of Christ)

The first six volumes of the Feasting on the Word series are now available. In addition to Feasting on the Word, Westminster John Knox Press and Columbia Theological Seminary have, since 1992, successfully partnered on the Columbia Series of Reformed Theology. Volumes from both series can be ordered from Cokesbury or the Columbia Theological Seminary Bookstore, as well as other booksellers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.