For the March 5, 2012 evening lecture, Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson gives the fourth and final presentation in this year’s Perkins Lectures, “Practical Christianity: Lessons From the Letter of James”. Using James 5:13-21, Dr. Johnson develops the theme, “Christian Community: Competition or Cooperation?” Click below to listen, watch or download today’s lecture.

For Monday, March 5, 2012, Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson presents “Faith and the Faithful Use of Possessions” as lecture three of four for the 2012 Perkins Lectures. Using James 1:2:1-26, Dr. Johnson further develops his overall theme for the series, “Practical Christianity: Lessons From the Letter of James”. Click below to listen, watch or download. You may also listen to Dr. Johnson’s comments following the clergy lunch by clicking the link at the bottom of the page.

For the March 4, 2012 evening lecture, Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson uses James 3:1-9 to deliver the second of four lectures, “The Power of Speech for God and Evil” in his series, “Practical Christianity: Lessons From the Letter of James” in the 2012 Perkins Lecture Series. Click below to listen, watch or download this lecture.

2012 Perkins Lecturer, Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson begins the first of four lessons, “Practical Christianity: Lessons From the Letter of James” with his first lecture, “Friendship with the World and Friendship with God: The Need to Choose” using James 4:1-8 for scripture text. Click below to listen, watch or download today’s sermon. Look for the other lectures to be posted as they are delivered.

Our 2012 Perkins Lecturer will be Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson, the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Georgia. Professor Johnson earned a Ph.D. in New Testament Studies from Yale University, as well as an M.A. in Religious Studies from Indiana University, an M.Div. in Theology from Saint Meinrad School of Theology, and a B.A. in Philosophy from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans.  Professor Johnson’s research concerns the literary, moral, and religious dimensions of the New Testament, including the Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts of early Christianity (particularly moral discourse), Luke-Acts, the Pastoral Letters, and the Letter of James.

A former Benedictine monk, Professor Johnson has taught at Yale Divinity School and Indiana University, where he received the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching, was elected a member of the Faculty Colloquium in Teaching, and won the Brown Derby Teaching Award and the Student Choice Award for teaching. At Emory University, he has twice received the On Eagle’s Wings Excellence in Teaching Award. In 2007 he received the Candler School of Theology Outstanding Service Award.

Professor Johnson is the author of more than 25 books, including:

• The Real Jesus: The Misguided Quest for the Historical Jesus and the Truth of the Traditional Gospels;
• The Writings of the New Testament: An Interpretation, which is widely used as a textbook;
• Among the Gentiles: Greco-Roman Religion and Christianity;
• The Creed: What Christians Believe and Why it Matters;
• Living Jesus: Learning the Heart of the Gospel;
• The Gospel of Luke;
• Religious Experience in Earliest Christianity: A Missing Dimension in New Testament Study;
• The Acts of the Apostles;
• The New Testament: A Very Short Introduction;
• Hebrews: A Commentary;
• The Letter of James;
• Faith’s Freedom: A Classic Spirituality for Contemporary Christians;
• The First and Second Letters to Timothy;
• Scripture & Discernment: Decision Making in the Church;
• Reading Romans: A Literary and Theological Commentary;
• Letters to Paul’s Delegates: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus;
• The Jesus Controversy: Perspectives in Conflict
  co-authored with John Dominic Crossan and Werner H. Kelber;
• The Living Gospel; and
• Brother of Jesus, Friend of God: Studies in the Letter of James.

He has also published several hundred scholarly articles and reviews.

Here is the tentative schedule for the 2012 Perkins Lectures, Practical Christianity: Lessons from the Letter of James:

• Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 10:30am
  “Friendship with the World and Friendship with God: The Need to Choose”

• Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 7:00pm
  “The Power of Speech for Good and Evil”

• Monday, March 5, 2012 at 11:30am
  “Faith and the Faithful Use of Possessions”

• Monday, March 5, 2012 at 7:00pm
  “Christian Community: Competition or Cooperation?”

More information will be provided when it becomes available!

- Save Your Receipt: Exchanging Fear for Faith

The Rev. Dr. Alyce M. McKenzie is Professor of Homiletics at Perkins School of Theology. Ordained as an elder 1981, Dr. McKenzie is a member of the North Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Dr. McKenzie received her BA in the History of Religions from Bryn Mawr College (1977), her Master of Divinity degree from the Divinity School of Duke University (1980), and her Ph.D. in Homiletics from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1994. Dr. McKenzie has served several local congregations, in both associate and solo pastoral roles, in several churches in Central and Eastern Pennsylvania. From 1994-1998 she served as Visiting Lecturer in Homiletics at Princeton Theological Seminary and as Consultant in Preaching and Worship to pastors of the Central and Eastern Conferences, UMC.

Her special interests include preaching on biblical wisdom, preaching on the sayings and parables of Jesus, preaching on public (often controversial) issues, and the role of imagination in crafting sermons. Her articles have appeared in a wide spectrum of periodicals: Quarterly Review, Interpretation, Journal for Preachers, The Living Pulpit, Circuit Rider, and Theology Today. Likewise, some of her sermons have appeared in a number of anthologies.

Dr. McKenzie enjoys writing books about preaching for pastors. She is the author of Preaching Proverbs: Wisdom for the Pulpit (1996), Preaching Biblical Wisdom in a Self-Help Society (2002), and Hear and Be Wise: Becoming a Preacher and Teacher of Wisdom (2004). Her book, Novel Preaching: Tips from Top Writers on Crafting Creative Sermons, was published by Westminster John Knox in 2010. A book, co-authored with colleague Dr. John Holbert, is entitled What Not to Say: Practical Advice for Provocative Preaching and will be published in the fall of 2011.

Dr. McKenzie also enjoys writing small group Bible studies for youth and adults. Her Matthew volume of the Interpretation Bible Studies Series was published by Westminster John Knox Press in 1998 and is now in its sixth printing. Her book, The Parables for Today, was published in 2007 by Westminster John Knox and is now in its 4th printing. She is currently working on a study of the Bible’s wisdom entitled Save Your Receipt: Exchanging Fear for Faith, is the recipient of the Perkins Scholarly Outreach Award for 2011. It is written for a popular audience and deals with how the Bible’s wisdom can re-frame the fears that shape our daily lives.

Dr. McKenzie’s blog “Edgy Exegesis,” a reflection on the weekly lectionary gospel text, attracts 2,000-2,500 readers per week.

Dr. McKenzie serves on the Board of Ordained Ministry of the North Texas Annual Conference and is the First Vice President of the Academy of Homiletics. She is a frequently featured speaker at events for both laity and clergy both in Texas and throughout the country.She and her husband Murry have three grown children, Melissa, Rebecca, and Matt. They live in Allen, Texas where they are active in the life of First United Methodist Church of Allen. She sings in the chancel choir and, with her husband Murry, leads the Journey Sunday School Class. The McKenzies enjoy traveling, music, and spending time with friends and family. She is an avid fan of mystery novels, a sporadic practitioner of yoga, an excellent baker, and a novice guitarist.

2011 Lecture Series
- Save Your Receipt: Exchanging Fear for Faith:

• Sunday, March 6, 10:30am:
  The Fear of Everything but God: Cultivating the “Fear of the Lord” (click the link to watch or listen to this lecture)
  Proverbs 3:5-18
  FUMC Trinity, Wesley, Chapel, and Chancel Choirs will sing.

• Sunday, March 6, 7:00pm:
  The Fear of Feeling Others’ Pain: Cultivating the “Listening Heart” (click the link to watch or listen to this lecture)
  1 Kings 3:3-12
  The MSU Concert Chorale will sing.

• Monday, March 7, 12:00noon:
  The Fear of Being Out of Control: Cultivating the “Cool Spirit” (click the link to watch or listen to this lecture)
  Proverbs 17:27; 25:28
  The Hirschi HS Acappella Choir will sing.

• Monday, March 7, 1:00pm:
  Perkins Lectures Lunch Talk (click the link to watch or listen to this lecture)

• Monday, March 7, 7:00pm:
  The Fear of Suffering the Consequences: Cultivating the “Subversive Voice” (click the link to watch or listen to this lecture)
  Matthew 16:24-26
  The WFHS Acappella Choir will sing.