Christine Havens
Christine Havens graduated in May 2014 with Master’s of Arts in Religion from the Seminary of the Southwest. She is originally from the Diocese of Iowa, and talking about theology, literature, writing and language in any combination makes her smile. Check out her blog at ripplesinthefont.blogspot.com.
Sermons and Bible Studies
Bible Study: Epiphany 7 (A) – 2017
Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 Leviticus: not the most popular book of scripture among many Christians. How does one read text that does not contain a discernible story with engaging characters, but only seemingly arcane rituals and laws that have no apparent relevance in twenty-first century Western Christian culture? We do not practice them or even believe […]
Bible Study: Lent 3 (B) – 2015
Exodus 20:1-17 This week’s Old Testament reading is the first instance in the narrative of the exodus of Israelites from Egypt in which the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) appears. It appears again in Exodus 34, immediately following the making of the golden calf, when Moses carries the tablets down from the mountain. In this narrative, the […]
Bible Study: Proper 15 (A) – 2014
Genesis 45:1-15 A friend, who is a senior Master of Divinity student, and I had a conversation about veterans today. He and a mutual friend, who is an Episcopal priest in the Austin area, work together on the Episcopal Veterans Fellowship here, planning services and pilgrimages; creating safe space for those who served in America’s […]
Bible Study: Easter 5 (A) – 2014
Acts 7:55-60 For the Fifth Sunday of Easter, we hear or read the five verses that are the culmination of Stephen’s ministry and his life. Luke’s description is shocking and disturbing, and amazing, especially when read within the entirety of Stephen’s story. Take a few moments to read it all, starting with Acts 6:1 and […]
Bible Study: Epiphany 1 (A) – 2014
Isaiah 42:1-9 “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet.” Arguably, Juliet’s words about Romeo in the famous balcony scene from Shakespeare’s play are among the most frequently quoted in Western culture. She speaks aloud, unaware that he is below in the garden, listening. […]
Bible Study: Epiphany 7 (A) – 2014
Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 Leviticus: not the most popular book of scripture among many Christians. How does one read text that does not contain a discernible story with engaging characters, but only seemingly arcane rituals and laws that have no apparent relevance in twenty-first century Western Christian culture? We do not practice them or even believe […]
Bible Study: Advent 2 (A) – 2013
Isaiah 11:1-10 “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” As with the rest of Isaiah, especially this passage, this first verse has exerted a strong influence on Christian imagination. For example, in medieval art – illuminations and stained-glass windows, the Jesse Tree these […]
Bible Study: Proper 26 (C) – 2013
Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 What do we do with the sense of loss with which Habakkuk begins his conversation with God: “How long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen?” Think of torah – the law – as a cord of words, a guideline, tying the people to YHWH throughout history. In witnessing a lack […]
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