Advent is a time for us to rekindle our longing for Christ. What better book to contemplate together than the most stirring love poetry from the ancient world? A long history of Jewish and Christian commentaries on the Song has produced a great variety of commentaries, but it is perhaps rare to hear a series on it in a local church. It seems Christians—especially in the West—aren’t quite sure what to do with the Song. Maybe we even wonder why it appears in our Holy Scriptures! Apparently God thinks we need the perspective the Song offers. Join us for Worship on the Sundays in Advent, beginning November 29, as we seek to fill out our vision of the spiritual life using this… ahem… alluring poetry. (God doesn’t accommodate all our cultural sensitivities. It wasn’t a priority for him to produce a “G-Rated” Bible. We should learn something from that. Nevertheless, this sermon series should be mostly safe for children.)
These are some recommended* resources that might be referenced during this series. Take a look, follow along via online sermons, and invite a friend to visit with us for the Season!
- Robert Alter, Strong As Death Is Love (a translation with commentary)
- Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est
- Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons On The Song Of Songs
- Iain Duguid, The Song Of Songs: An Introduction And Commentary (Tyndale OT Commentary series)
- James Hamilton Jr., Song Of Songs: A Biblical-Theological, Allegorical, Christological Interpretation (Focus On The Bible series)
- Robert Jenson, Song Of Songs (Interpretation series)
- John Paul II, Man And Woman He Created Them: A Theology Of The Body
- Peter Leithart, “Fire Of Love: Notes On The Song Of Songs“
- Peter Leithart, A Great Mystery
- Mike Mason, The Mystery Of Marriage
- Andrew Miller, The Song Of Solomon
- Christos Yannaras, Variations On The Song Of Songs
(*Disclaimer: it should go without saying, but simply because a resource is recommended doesn’t mean every view promoted by the resource is being endorsed. If you need to know that everything someone says is 100% biblical before you’re comfortable listening to him at all, you’ll never be comfortable—not even with yourself. By God’s grace, we can learn good and true things from all kinds of people.)