Encounters

Synopsis: The accomplished poet and preacher, J. Barrie Shepherd, retells a series of dramatic Old Testament "encounters" from a contemporary point of view, using poetic imagery and diction. Among the stories he reexamines are Jacob at Jabbok, Moses on the Mountain, Jacob at Bethel, Elijah and the Voice, Gideon at Harod, Adam and Eve at the Garden, Abraham in Moriah, Sarah at the tent flap, Joshua at Jericho, Isaiah at the Altar, and Ezekiel and the Wheel. By retelling these familiar stories in new and unexpected ways, Shepherd challenges us to reexamine many of the basic issues of biblical theology and their relevance to the contemporary world. Endorsements: "The voice of Barrie Shepherd is an uncommon, even rare, possession of the church in our time. In him and in his ministry are combined the qualities essential to authentically distinguished preaching." --from the foreword by Davie Napier Author Biography: The Reverend Dr. J. Barrie Shepherd, a native of Great Britain, retired as Minister Emeritus from The First Presbyterian Church in New York City. Prior to that he was senior minister of Swarthmore Presbyterian Church for sixteen years and served in college and university chaplaincy and teaching. He has preached and lectured at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, and other universities and colleges and many of the major seminaries, as well as in distinguished pulpits across the USA and in the UK, Europe, and Africa. The author is an avid saltwater fisherman and sailor. He enjoys swimming, walking, gardening, and playing the euphonium in community bands. He and his wife Mhairi have four daughters and three granddaughters.