Proclaiming the Christmas Gospel: Ancient Sermons and Hymns for Contemporary Christian Inspiration (Paperback)

by John D. Witvliet (Editor), David Vroege (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
John D. Witvliet and David Vroege offer this outstanding collection of Christmas messages from giants of the Christian faith, such as John Calvin, St. Augustine, Martin Luther, Bernard of Clairveaux, and more. Each classic sermon includes a brief introduction to and interpretation of the message, along with an appropriate hymn text. Layreaders will appreciate the wisdom and insight that these beautiful sermons impart for devotional reflection and pastors and teachers will find wonderful classic ways to express the meaning of Christmas to contemporary listeners.

From the Back Cover
Come and stand amazed, you people, See how God is reconciled! See his plans of love accomplished, See his gift, this newborn child. Rediscover the miracle of Christ's birth with this compelling collection of classic Christmas sermons from legendary figures of the faith, including John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Wyclif, Jerome, Augustine, and Thomas à Kempis. Each sermon includes a brief introduction to and interpretation of the message, along with an appropriate hymn text, inviting you to linger over the oft-told narratives and events of Christmas. Designed to help worshipers pray more deeply, understand more clearly, and touch more truly, these sermons from the past will spark fresh, effective ideas for today's preachers. The words of these classic giants of faith will also bring inspiration and joy to personal Advent devotions. Share in the treasures of the classic Christian tradition through this thought-provoking collection. "This is a wonderfully inspiring collection of some of the church's best preaching on the Incarnation. Ancient wisdom becomes contemporary inspiration in this great collection of sermons and hymns."-William H. Willimon, dean of the chapel, professor of Christian ministry, Duke University

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Baker Books (October 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801064058
• ISBN-13: 978-0801064050
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #992,576 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Year-Round Wisdom for the Ages, May 24, 2005

By	Nathan Bierma (Grand Rapids, MI United States) - See all my reviews

You're supposed to read this book at Christmas, but I can't put it down no matter what season it is. This is a treasure trove of centuries-old wisdom in words that are old but not the least bit out-of-date. One reason I like this book is that I tend to think of the superstars of church history--Jerome, Augstine, Gregory, Luther, Calvin, and others--as names or figureheads but not as preachers, in a pulpit, in a church, preaching to a congregation. To hear them "speak" in their own words is riveting ("Now," says Jerome, "as an honor to Christ, we have taken away the manger of clay and replaced it with crib of silver, but more precious to me is the one that has been removed"). There are 13 preachers (one sermon each) in this volume, which originated as an independent study for Witvliet by Vroege (who, like Witvliet, is a delightful person and who, like Witvliet, is a thoughtful preacher and writer). A meaningful touch was to place a classic hymn alongside each sermon to reiterate its theme with even more timeless words. (And incidentally, this is one of the best designed and laid out of the many publications of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship: see <www.calvin.edu/worship/pub>). My biggest beef with the book is that it has only 13 sermons instead of 18 or 25. But I guess Vroege had to finish his course sometime, and as it turns out, the book's compact size makes it, however unintentionally, an ideal devotional.