Cruciform Compassion in Christian Preaching and Worship

In this seminar for preachers and worship planners we'll spend a week on one of the great biblical virtues. Prominent in God's Old Testament resumé and in the stories and character of Jesus, compassion is part of the image of God and one of the ligaments of the Christian community. Godly people "weep with those who weep." Studying biblical texts, songs and hymns, seasons of the church year in which compassion is aptly preached and sung, a couple of essays, and at least one short story, participants will have the nap raised on their sense of compassion. We will also write a few prayers to fit with the songs, hymns, and texts.

The director of the seminar is Cornelius ("Neal") Plantinga who is Senior Research Fellow at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and former President of Calvin Theological Seminary. He is the author of a number of books, including Reading for Preaching: the Preacher in Conversation with Storytellers, Biographers, Poets, and Journalists (Eerdmans).

This seminar is geared toward full-time parish pastors who preach on a regular basis and worship leaders who are involved in worship planning and leading.  The application deadline is February 28, 2014. Participants will be selected after the application deadline.

Funds provided by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship with funding by Lilly Endowment, Inc.