Preaching the passion: interpreting the evangelists

From the beginning, Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection have been the heart and foundation of Christian faith. Beginning with Mark, the first account to be written, these six series of sermons interpret the four Gospel narratives of Jesus' passion and death, taking account of the distinctiveness of each. The author believes that we hear the gospel first in the individual accounts of the evangelists, and neither in any "harmonization" of our own to smooth out the differences, nor even in the work of scholars to establish an historical core behind their divergences. The four Gospels are the authenticated "witnesses" to Jesus' death and resurrection. The differences between them give rise to a range of legitimate interpretations of Jesus' death. It is this richness of meaning and understanding that these sermons explore.

Taking account of critical scholarship, but written in accessible language, this is an exploration of the foundation of Christian faith for those who would like to know more.