B 134 - Pentecost 12 (Proper 15)

Howard Wallace joins Kylie and Fran to explore the end of David’s and beginning of Solomon’s reigns in 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14. We talk about the biased picture the lectionary provides of Solomon. We look at the call pattern evident in Solomon’s taking up the kingship and the model of leadership which 1 Kings portrays in him – seeking wisdom being a key feature. We touch on how the good news might be preached through historical narratives like 1 Kings. Psalm 111 provides a context for us to talk about the rich possibilities for preaching and liturgy which the psalms provide the church. We talk about their communal character, their context of worship and the way they plumb the depths and soar to the heights of human emotion. We mention Howard’s books Words to God: Word of God, and Psalms: Readings – A New Biblical Commentary. Howard Wallace’s homepage with Lectionary Commentary. The Distillery Podcast (episode 14th May, 2021, The Wounds of the Soul)  Bonhoeffer’s The Psalter: the Prayer Book of the Bible