On February 2, at the annual Seminary Scholarship Symposium at Andrews University, Dr. Michael Kinnamon gave a talk entitled, “The Ecumenical Movement and Why You Should Be Involved.” Then Dr. Nicholas Miller, professor of church history and director of the International Religious Liberty Institute, responded. (A brief summary of Dr. Kinnamon's first presentation at the seminary today is here.)

On Thursday, February 2, Dr. Michael Kinnamon spoke at the annual Seminary Scholarship Symposium at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University. Dr. Kinnamon, who received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago Divinity School, is an ordained minister, educator and ecumenical leader of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

After someone close to me preached his first sermon, he was approached by a man who made the following comment: “I work hard all week. When I come to church, I want to get spiritually fed. Your sermon did not feed me.” The man’s statement was revealing: many people come to church simply to feel affirmed and bolstered for the week to come.

“Spiritual Feeding” vs. “Bread of Life”

I propose that there are two kinds of sermons: those that simply set people at ease, and those that challenge the body of Christ.

When Nietzsche wrote “God is dead” in 1882[1] he was not referring to a physical death. He was recognizing a change in worldview from theism to non-theism, a paradigm shift he called the “death of God.” Because Nietzsche saw the moral action of believers being the main function of their belief, this “killing” of God occurred, in Nietzsche’s understanding, through the hypocrisy and lack of ethics present among believers.

In many religious circles it would seem strange to say that study is more important, or even of equal importance, to prayer. In a tradition whose religious adherents probably pray a good deal more than most Christians, the Jewish gathering place (synagogue) is called a “shul.” This word, as may be guessed, comes from the same root word that “school” comes from, the Greek (and then Latin) word schola. On the other hand, a Jewish meeting place can also be called a “house of prayer.” For Jews, study and prayer are not disconnected.