I am posting on N.T. Wright‘s Lent for Everyone: Luke, Year C (Westminster/John Knox, 2012) even in the midst of Lent so that some additional people may benefit from this great resource. I find most devotionals pretty schmaltzy. Not so this work by noted New Testament scholar N.T. Wright. The book follows readings in Luke. Wright’s commentaries are a brief exposition of the text that really do comment on the text rather than use it as a springboard for some “inspiring thoughts”. He concludes each day with a “Today” section that gives relevant and sometimes pointed direction for reflection, prayer and action based on the text of the day.
Question/comment by the editor: Have you been blessed by a Lenten devotional that you desire to commend to others? On Monday, I had the opportunity to talk with Eleonore Stump, Ph.D., Robert J. Henle Professor of Philosophy, Saint Louis University. She shared with me The Sunday Website of St. Louis University, to which she is a contributor, and gave ESN permission to re-post her devotionals (stay tuned). If you are looking for an online Lenten resource, I encourage you to visit The Sunday Website of St. Louis University, InterVarsity’s The Well, Christine Sine’s Godspace: Soul Travel from Lent to Easter 2014 (you may remember ESN’s Peek of Week recommended An Irish Blessing for St Patrick’s Day), and Keeping Lent 2014 — all of which are collaborative endeavors. If you have Lenten resources to suggest, please share in comments below. Thank-you. ~ Thomas B. Grosh IV, Associate Director, Emerging Scholars Network
Bob Trube is Associate Director of Faculty Ministry and Director of the Emerging Scholars Network. He blogs on books regularly at bobonbooks.com. He resides in Columbus, Ohio, with Marilyn and enjoys reading, gardening, choral singing, and plein air painting.
Ann Voscamp’s _One Thousand Gifts_ has been instrumental for me this year, and has led quite a perspectival shift, and namely my Lenten resolution of NOT COMPLAINING, and instead GIVING EUCHARISTEO. Along with my Anglican parish, I am also being blessed with N.T. Wright’s series _Surprised by Hope_ (on YouTube and PDF online), as well as with Kerry Webber’s _Mercy In The Streets_ (the big Lenten hit of American Cathos this year). I am a big fan of collecting Lenten devotionals and reading through them every year, just to be somehow inspired daily. Two of my favourites are Nouwen’s _From Fear to Love_ and Alice Camile’s _Desert Blessings_… Dunno how easy those are to find (Desert Blessings is Lenten Readings for 2003 :-))
Thank-you Madelaine!
Lent for Everyone is such a good book, and a great review. Thanks. One little thing to tweak — it isn’t published by Cokesbury (which is a chain store, perhaps where the reviewer bought it) it is published by Westminster/John Knox.
Thank-you for the correction Byron. This was my error.
Thanks for the shout-out for “Keeping Lent”!
Wondrous Encounters: Scripture for Lent by Richard Rohr was recommended by my pastor and has been blessing me immensely!
“Lent for Everyone” is available as a (free) daily devotional on YouVersion, if you use that app.
My privilege Charlie!
Thank-you to Jacquelyne and John for the heads up on Rohr and Wright. I’ll explore these recommendations.
The one that most helped me was the one I wrote – “Lent for Non-Lent People.” Of course, it may that the writing was more helpful than reading it.