Hard Words for Interesting Times: Biblical Texts in Contemporary Contexts

This is the second collection of sermons and addresses where John L. Bell proves that he is not one to shy away from the challenges provided by biblical stories. And likewise he proves startingly adept at articulating the often uncomfortable questions the Bible poses for contemporary life. Paul, Job, Jeremiah, Elijah and Zachariah are among the biblical characters the author examines, his reflections covering a wide range of life issues and situations from patience and love to transfiguration and death, and incisively, in what is the longest piece in the collection, the events of September 11th 2001.