Difficult texts

the long version

The Bible presents the preacher with several texts that are difficult to preach because they seem totally out of touch with the world in which we live. Often the problem is these passages oppose basic assumptions of our culture that may well be at odds with the gospel itself. In that case, the passages need to be proclaimed, and yet the sermon must take account of the trouble the congregation will have in hearing such a word. In this book, six such passages are considered, along with some general considerations about approaching difficult texts.