Between Heaven and Earth: New Explorations of Great Biblical Texts

by Gerhard Lohfink, Linda M. Maloney (Translator)

Overview

2023 Catholic Media Association First Place Award, Author of the Year
2023 Association of Catholic Publishers First Place Award, Scripture

In this book New Testament scholar Gerhard Lohfink interprets a spectrum of biblical texts, some familiar, others not. He explores them in a spirit of curiosity, questions them insistently, and confronts them with the realities of our present day, from COVID-19 to the inner loneliness experienced by so many. 

In light of central biblical texts Lohfink asks: What would a life look like today if it were wholly in the world and at the same time wholly in God—sweeping joyously between heaven and earth—aware of the immeasurable breadth of the universe and still able to marvel at the tiniest flower—knowing the depths of the human heart and being comforted by a child’s smile?

This book takes up the colorful threads of many Old and New Testament texts and weaves from them a many-hued tapestry of biblical theology. It reveals things unknown, sheds new light on things known, and is full of surprises. It speaks not only to the curious or the “nones” who want to know more about the Christian message; it is addressed to everyone who senses a desire to understand the Bible better and more deeply.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814667330
Publisher:	Liturgical Press
Publication date:	08/18/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	376
Sales rank:	996,623
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Gerhard Lohfink (1934-2024), was professor of New Testament exegesis at the University of Tübingen. His many books include No Irrelevant Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth, Is This All There Is?, The Our Father, and Prayer Takes Us Home, all from Liturgical Press.

Gerhard Lohfink (1934-2024), was professor of New Testament exegesis at the University of Tübingen. His many books include No Irrelevant Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth, Is This All There Is?, The Our Father, and Prayer Takes Us Home, all from Liturgical Press.

 

 

Table of Contents

Contents

Foreword xi

          Part I: Basics
Meaningless Existence in the Universe? 3
From Adam’s Rib 8 COVID-19 14
Does God Have a Name? 31
The Two Sides of Faith 35
A World Transformed 41
Walking on Water 45
Compliment and Return Compliment 49
Apparently Contrary to All Reason 54
Where Is the Land? 59
The “Poor” in the Sermon on the Mount 64
Naomi and Ruth 69 The Treasure of “Now” 71
Can Memory Save? 73
Spiritual Communities in Light of the Bible 78

          Part II: Festivals and Feasts
Advent Eschatology 97
How the Son of Man Comes 102
Christmas without a Manger or Shepherds 106  
A Longed-for Child 111
Christmas Peace Is Different 115
The Astrologers from the East 120
Why Did Jesus Let Himself Be Baptized? 124
What Were Jesus’ Temptations? 129
The Problem with Resolving to Fast 133
Jesus’ Fear of Death 138
The Laments of the Crucified 141
The Easter Alleluia 144
Learning from the Disciples at Emmaus 149
The Longest Easter Story 153
The Voice of the True Shepherd 157
A Caricature of Christ’s Ascension 160
A Saga of Resistance 165
Who Is the Holy Spirit? 169
Can Anyone Experience the Spirit of God? 172
The Self-Giving God 177
The Triune God in the Eucharistic Prayer 181
“You Are God’s Temple” 186
There Have Never Been So Many Martyrs! 191
Our Service to the Dead 195
Waiting for the Bridegroom 200
The “Now-ness” of the Feast of Christ the King 204

          Part III: In the Joy of Faith
Zacchaeus’s Joy 211
Why Christians Are Carefree 215
How God Consoles 222
The Burden and the Joy of Being Chosen 227
Discipleship: Hard and Easy 232
Overflowing Riches 237 
“When Kindred Live Together in Unity” 241
Table Arrangements in the Reign of God 247
Does Faith Produce Violence? 252
Cursing, Then and Now 260
A Battle in the Wilderness 265
Elijah Wants to Die 268
A Cloak Flies Through the Air 272
Mary and Martha 276
The Leper’s Plea 280
Sickness and Guilt 285
The Basis of the Biblical Ethos 289
The Heart of Torah 294
How the Reign of God Happens 298
The Biology of the Reign of God 303
The Strangeness of the Our Father 308
Unceasing Prayer 316
Inattentive 320
The Wealth of the Poor Widow 322
How the Church Grows 326
Aloof and Immovable? 331
Baptism as Death and Resurrection 335
Active Waiting 339
The Miracle at Cana 343

Acknowledgments 351
Locating the Individual Chapters in the Church Year 353
Index of Scripture Passages 356

Editorial Reviews

Gerhard Lohfink offers yet another new text that is fully biblical, theological, liturgical, and practical in his presentation of Christian theology for our time. Every page challenges the reader to reconsider, to pray again scriptural texts that have too soon been filed under ‘been there, studied that’ in our minds. Lohfink’s paragraphs sharpen knowledge and faith with a ‘both/and’ dialectic that is harder to put down than a favorite novel.”
Eileen C. Burke-Sullivan, Vice President for Mission and Ministry, Creighton University
 

"Between Heaven and Earth is a reflective work, inviting the reader to a personal encounter with Scripture."
The Bible Today

"Once again Gerhard Lohfink has given us such profound and challenging themes to reflect upon and pray about."
Catholic Books Review

 

"Reverend Gerhard Lohfink is a Scripture scholar with a keen appreciation of the work of the Catholic Church, who presents his beautiful and complex texts in a comfortable, easy and friendly style, opening the doors of wisdom to his readers. He asks questions, even those that he himself has, and proceeds to answer the questions through his journeys through Scripture."
Catholic Media Association
 

From the Publisher