The selecting and ordering of sermons is extremely difficult. Some order them according to the Church Year Lectionary. The value of this is very limited. It is a foreign language to many people and the scripture passages chosen often seem quite arbitrary and certainly very conservative. The Lectionary dates back to the 3rd century and this in itself raises quite a few questions. As Rob Bell commented “My first car was an Oldsmobile. They don’t make tOldsmobiles anymore and, if they did, nobody would buy it!”
Others list them chronologically. This has severe limitations in the light of Albert’s conclusion that past, present and future are part of the same reality. Arranging them chronologically (with the last being first!) would, however, have quite a few advantages. It might show, for example, how my faith has changed over the years. It would also enable the reader to decide “Not for me!” And that’s fine! The Wembley Downs Congregation has grown tired of me saying “I seek not to convince you of the veracity of my ideas. I seek only to share with you how I see the situation”. I have no problems whatsoever in you looking elsewhere after reading the first/last sermon. On the other hand, if it stimulates you into reading further, the rest of the sermons are available for either criticism or affirmation. Whether or not they are heretical is of little concern to me. They are simply the expression of a faith that to me makes sense of life – and that, when you come to think of it, really is the sixty four trillion dollar question.
