J. Barrington Bates
Now retired, Barrie Bates has served Episcopal and Lutheran congregations in California, New York, and New Jersey over the past 20+ years. He holds a Ph.D. in liturgical studies and serves on the General Board of Examining Chaplains. He looks forward to spending more time on the shores of Lake Michigan, and he welcomes conversation about his sermons.
Sermons and Bible Studies
God So Loves the World, Lent 4 (B) – 2015
John 3:16 – it appears a lot of places, and mostly not a quote of the text but just that citation of gospel, chapter and verse. Just the name “John” […]
Greetings, Favored Ones!, Advent 4 (B) – 2014
We always celebrate some aspect of the Annunciation on this Fourth Sunday of Advent. Each year, we hear a different part of the great story involving the Angel Gabriel, Joseph, […]
Dress Codes or Radical Welcome?, Proper 23 (A) – 2014
Today’s gospel passage probably requires a bit of translation. There’s a big difference between the cultural expectations of first-century Palestine and 21st-century America. Not only about marriage, of course – […]
God of Vengeance or God of Love?, Proper 8 (A) – 2014
We have in today’s readings some very difficult texts. First, the frightening passage from Genesis, where God tests Abraham. The idea that God would demand that Abraham sacrifice his own […]
Waiting, Watching and Discovering the Glory of God, Candlemas – 2014
Today we celebrate one of the principal feasts of the church – and, no, we are not talking about the Super Bowl! The strange thing is that many will never have heard […]
The Way of Truth, Hope, and Love, Proper 27 (C) – 2013
As is fairly typical, in today’s gospel story Jesus replies to a conundrum with a conundrum. He’s given a sort of riddle about a woman who marries seven times – […]
False Gods or the One True God?, Proper 4 (C) – 2013
The Bible stories appointed for today have a considerable resonance. That is actually something quite unusual in these days of the Revised Common Lectionary, as the lessons are no longer […]
So Very Often…, Epiphany 2 (A) – 2011
So very often, the gospel passage appointed for a given Sunday contains one major theme, or one simple story. Not today. Todayâs gospel is chock full of proclamation, imagery, and […]
The Kind of Fishers God Calls Us to Be, Epiphany 5 (C) – 2010
Although there have been many technological developments, fishing hasn’t really changed much in the last two thousand years. In spite of all our diesel-powered boats, radar, detailed and accurate charts […]
In Today’s Gospel Passage…, Proper 6 (B) – 2009
In todayâs gospel passage, Jesus speaks in parables. Again. He does that a lot. Jesus frequently uses this particular literary device to get his point across. And in this passage […]
But By Happenstance…, Proper 18 (B) – 2009
In todayâs gospel, we hear that Jesus went about the countryside hoping to escape notice. And here and there he stops in a village or at a house. And as […]
In the Epistle We Just…, Ash Wednesday – 2009
In the epistle we just heard, St. Paul beseeches us to be reconciled to God. And his way of being reconciled may surprise you. Paul does not suggest a confession, […]
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