Pandemic & Poetry

Introduction To A New Series Of Devotions —  Pastor Paul Ponders Pandemic & Poetry

     You'll forgive my amateurish alliteration <grin>.

     I will be writing occasional devotions in the coming weeks / months as we live with the reality of COVID19.  You may know that the Hebrew word for "prophet" is actually best translated "poet."  I won't explain the series of translating events which led us to use the English word, "prophet," when it seems clear that Hebrew people of faith understood them as "poets."  If you are curious about that, let me know and we can set up a time to talk.  You may also know that I have been teaching on the prophets/poets  Isaiah and Jeremiah in recent years in the Pastor's Class.

     In this series of devotions I will reflect on poetry in light of the current pandemic.  I will often make scriptural connections for you too, but in every case the poem will be one which has theological import and I will trust the poetry to do among us what poetry has always done in the community of faith — it will open us up to wonder about our settled assumptions and reconsider our life before God.

     Poets such as William Blake, T.S. Eliot, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Mary Oliver, Wendell Berry, David Whyte, Thomas Merton, Ann Weems, and others will supply the poems.

     So be on the lookout for new devotions from pastor Paul in the days ahead!