Out of the Barn!

Your Christmas issue of Gottesdienst has bolted, and is on its way, over the meadow and through the woods, to a mailbox near you! Time to make sure your subscription is up-to-date.

This issue is sure to impress, as always, beginning with the beautiful cover:

And what’s inside, you ask? Below is the Table of Contents. This issue focuses somewhat on preaching. As usual, there are some stellar sermons, also a discourse on how preaching is the Word of God, and another article on hearing a sermon. In addition, a fine Christological monograph that wades from various stages of good and bad scholarship until arriving happily at the altar; then there are more rubrics for mass in a small parish, and some details on the lavabo, the offertory, and the general prayer. There is also the continuation of the marvelous essay that began last issue, on the relationship between the liturgy and politics. There’s also a brief piece that discusses the matter of altar and pulpit fellowship and what it means. We have in addition a bit of commentary on the Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” a new translation of a beautiful sixteenth-century Lutheran chorale for New Year’s Day, and a bit of musing on Isaac and Rebekah. And of course there’s a bonus that always comes with the Christmas issue: a calendar for the Sundays of 2023. So, as Advent is a season of anticipation, you can also anticipate the fact that this issue is on its way!