Books for the Year of Luke

As we approach Year C in the Revised Common Lectionary, I'm beginning to look more closely at a couple of books on Luke.

The first is from Luther Seminary graduate and Augustana College professor Richard Swanson, who has published two similar books, Provoking the Gospel of Mark (2005) and Provoking the Gospel of Luke (2006). Both of them are subtitled, "A Storyteller's Commentary," and they both focus on lectionary texts.

There is a DVD in each book that demonstrates the kind of ensemble storytelling that Swanson writes about in his Provoking the Gospel: Methods to Embody Biblical Storytelling through Drama. (Here is a review.) On the DVD, we see Augustana students acting out portions of the gospel as the group figures out together how best to embody the text in order to tell its story. The Provoking the Gospel Project web site has more information about the project, performances, and workshops.

The book on Luke includes commentary-like material from Swanson on each pericope in the lectionary as well as ideas for "provoking the story" with drama in one's own context. Swanson's books are not really lectionary commentaries in any traditional sense. They do not give as much historical background on a text as a good study Bible's notes would, but that's fine. Why duplicate the Harper Collins Study Bible notes? What Swanson does offer for almost every lection is a story you can't get out of your head all week, or an insight into a detail of the text you had not noticed before. I find the books to be good at "breaking open" texts I've preached on or listened to—or both—for years.

The other book I'm reading more these days is Sharon Ringe's commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Westminster/John Knox, 1995). In the Westminster Bible Companion series, this commentary is non-technical but still careful and worth spending time with when one is preaching a text from Luke. As an exegete, Ringe is concerned with hearing voices in the tradition that have been silenced in the past, or that have gone unnoticed. Some of the readings may seem a little too ideologically driven for those not captivated by feminist or liberation hermeneutics. On the other hand, I usually find even the more ideological interpretations plausible and a good corrective to reading without noticing the way my own social location creates its own hermeneutical lens.

Comments

[Jody Winston]

It is great to see you back blogging again.

[Lawrence]

Thanks for this post! I was asked for recommendations on good Lukan material, and was stuck. This is a great help! I'll link to your blog.
Lawrence

[Monte]

Just posted a sermon on the baptism of Jesus that leaned heavily on Provoking .... It's really helping me - and my church - wrestle with the complex beauty of Luke's storytelling. I found it through your tip on Lawrence's blog. Thanks!