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When you preach, you know from experience that what happens in the preaching event is uncontrollable and, therefore, full of mystery. The liturgy and the sermon are part of it and are related to something that happens, but we know this ‘something’ is uncontrollable. Investigation and reflection on resonance in preaching are on the trail of the mystery of the sermon as an event. We know that something mysterious happens when we preach that cannot be controlled by the preachers or listeners. In this article, I discuss the concept of uncontrollability in Hartmut Rosa’s scholarly contributions and mystery in the work of John de Gruchy. I then discuss four Christmas sermons of the Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, in search of the mystery of uncontrollability. In trying to understand preaching that resonates, I ask: How does the preaching event reflect the aspects of uncontrollability and transcendence in Archbishop Makgoba’s sermons? Archbishop Makgoba is known for his thought-provoking sermons that often delve into complex issues. The mystery in his sermons lies in his ability to explore profound spiritual concepts and connect them to everyday life. He uses metaphorical language to convey deeper meanings, leaving room for interpretation and contemplation. The mystery in his sermons also stems from his engagement with the unknown aspects of faith and the divine, encouraging his audience to grapple with the mysteries of existence.

This article contains a study, edition, and translation of a fragment of an Old Norse Christmas sermon, which survives in the fourteenth-century manuscript AM 655 XX 4toat the University of Copenhagen. The extant part of this text is based on a sermon from theSpeculum ecclesiaecollection, written by Honorius Augustodunensis around the beginning of the twelfth century. The Old Norse sermon is an important witness to Honorius’s influence on medieval Icelandic and Norwegian religious literature. Another sermon in the same manuscript deals with the subject of confession. Two exempla from this second sermon are transcribed and translated in an appendix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kindness, Heroes, and Good Sermons Bob Kerrey, former senator from the state of Nebraska now serving as President of New School University in New York City, has written a memoir [...]

Tagore's relationship with Christianity is a subject that tends to be avoided, because of the sensitivities that were aroused in India under British rule by Christian missionaries. Those who read his translations in Gitanjali and subsequent books were often misled by their 'biblical' prose style into thinking they were more Christian than they were. Nevertheless, Tagore's reflections on Christianity, as expressed in a series of Christmas Day sermons that started in Santiniketan in 1910, provide ample evidence of the importance that aspects of Christianity had for him, though his interpretation of Christ's life and teaching was entirely unconnected with any Christian church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a speech by Richard Haglund of Vanderbilt University, delivered at the Green Hills Ward sacrament meeting held December 27, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee, in which he reflects on the meaning of the Christmas season. Referencing an quote from the play "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare, he explores the significance of the words wholesome, hallowed, and gracious to Christmas, Christianity, and Biblical literature.

The article presents a sermon based on the Biblical text of Titus chapter 3, given by Victoria Mellor, Associate Priest of St. Mary’s, Charlton-on-Otmoor and St. Andrew's, Oddington in Oxfordshire, England, on Christmas day, December 25. Topics discussed include the birth and incarnation of Jesus Christ as an act of God's kindness; God's use of a human baby to make himself known and accessible to his followers; and the love of God in the midst of the darkness of sin in the world.

The article presents biblical reflections regarding the birth of Christ in the society. It states that Jesus' birth symbolizes the end of war between Judah and Assyria, the birth of a crown prince to the kingdom of Judah, and the thanksgiving for the end of hostilities and elements of an enthronement ritual. It further reveals that Christmas is the time of the proclamation of God's rule. Lectures based from the Gospel of Christ's birth are provided.

The article offers the author's insights on the pastoral reflections which engaged the text of the gospel for Christmas Eve on December 24, 2016. Topics mentioned include the Gospel of Luke that proclaim the good news on the release from oppression, the gathering in the worship service that offers great joy, and the suggestion to understand the Christmas Eve sermon.