Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

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You are here: Home / Archives for Church Year

Advent 4–Reading Isaiah (cont.)

December 23, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Reading great chunks of Scripture can bring surprising gifts. Don’t get me wrong: I’m also a big believer in spending time with very small passages. I’m passionate about the value of classical lectio divina for instance. But I’ve been reading through the sixty-six chapters of Isaiah during Advent (Here are weeks 1, 2, and 3). Taking this book […]

Filed Under: Bible, Church Year Tagged With: Isaiah, Servant songs

Advent 3–Reading Isaiah (cont.)

December 16, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Reading through Isaiah in Advent provides some breathtaking moments. Yes, there is also some thick slogging: any number of passages are filled with ancient history and unfamiliar names. But scattered throughout the book’s 66 chapters are some of the most beautiful, inspiring, hope-filled moments in all of Scripture. Some of them are familiar as can be. Handel’s […]

Filed Under: Bible, Church Year Tagged With: Advent 3, Context, God's Character, God's intention, hope, Third week of Advent

Advent 2–Reading Isaiah (cont.)

December 11, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Funny things happen when reading Isaiah if (a) you are a Christian and (b) you have a theological education in a mainline Protestant tradition. (a) As a Christian, there is a whole lot of Isaiah, like the series of oracles to the nations (see chapters 13 and following), that just seems like hard slogging. The references […]

Filed Under: Bible, Church Year, Theology Tagged With: Advent, Christian use of the Old Testament, Emmanuel, God with us, Immanuel, Isaiah, Isaiah 7:14, Typology

Advent 1–Reading Isaiah

December 1, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

I’m setting out to read Isaiah again this Advent: 25 days to read 66 chapters. It shouldn’t be a problem but, what with a pile of grading running into preparation for the looming new semester, holiday gatherings, and a sinful nature I seldom seem to reach the end in time. My ancestors in the Reformed tradition jettisoned […]

Filed Under: Bible, Church Year Tagged With: Advent, Advent 1, First Sunday of Advent, Isaiah

Why Is It So Hard to Focus on Easter?

April 25, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen 6 Comments

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to really give your attention to Easter? I mean the actual resurrection. The main event. It isn’t the marshmallow bunnies and chocolate eggs that distract us. Take, as an example, #1 in the sharefaith.com list of “Top 10 Easter Worship Songs” from last year. (I don’t really know […]

Filed Under: Church Year, Music, Theology, Worship Tagged With: Easter, Easter Worship Songs, Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me), Lord I Lift Your Name on High, resurrection

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Theology. It’s good for you.

I'm a Church historian by trade. My writing, speaking, and teaching explores the Christian past to equip today's disciples. Join me here for regular posts on the best of theology, spirituality, community, and ministry. read more…

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