“A Time to Weep”: The Power of Lament in Times of Crisis
Date: Jun 22, 2020 - Jun 22, 2020
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
Sponsor: Online Learning
Location: Online
Category: Online Learning
TIMES OF CRISIS AND POSSIBILITY: AN ONLINE SERIES WITH JTS FACULTY
“A Time to Weep”: The Power of Lament in Times of Crisis
Monday, June 22, 1:00-2:15 p.m. ET
More than a century ago, William James asserted that prayer was “the very soul and essence of religion.” At the same time that James was writing, biblical scholars were identifying and analyzing the forms and genres of biblical prayer. One of the most prominent of them is the lament, in which worshippers (individual or communal) cry out to God in times of duress. The effusion of pain and grief is a way of reaching out for the knowledge and comfort of God’s Presence—for reassurance that the suffering has been noticed and that God may be moved to provide relief. In this class we will consider selected prayers of lament in order to discern the continuing power of the genre as form of prayerful expression.
With Dr. Alan Cooper, Elaine Ravich Professor of Jewish Studies, JTS.
Note: The Zoom link for this session will be in the confirmation email that you will receive after you register.
