Tears of Sadness, Tears of Gladness

Albert Butzer believes that "sermons should speak to the real and immediate lives of listeners and be grounded in the everyday events of their lives." This collection of sermons for Lent and Easter based on gospel texts definitely achieves that goal; Butzer's messages consistently and creatively deliver a ringing proclamation of the good news. They are outstanding examples of the homiletical art that bring together several elements of the classic sermon: biblical text, theological tradition, life of the world, life and experience of a particular congregation, and faith and experience of the preacher.

"This is a delightful collection of compassionate, no-nonsense sermons. They may be read as devotional literature by lay people or as models for thoughtful, literate preaching by clergy. Above all, this book is well-honed for Lenten reflection by any Christian group looking for provocative conversation."

Joseph M. Webb

Associate Professor of Homiletics

Claremont School of Theology

"Butzer's sermons are precisely what thinking preachers want in a lectionary resource -- scholarship with a soul. To the testimonies of the four Evangelists, he engages professors and poets alike: Douglas John Hall, Raymond Brown, Annie Dillard, and Frederick Buechner, to name a few. Butzer's pastoral heart also ensures that one other vital group is engaged: his listeners."

Mike Graves

Associate Professor of Homiletics and Worship

Central Baptist Theological Seminary

"These sermons represent Butzer's weekly offering of his faith, experience, hope, and passion to his people. As such, they are an act of devotion. And they are an example of preaching at its most basic and most classic." (from the Preface)

John M. Buchanan

Pastor, Fourth Presbyterian Church

Chicago, Illinois

Albert G. Butzer III has been pastor of Providence Presbyterian Church in Fairfax, Virginia (a suburb of Washington DC) since 1994. A graduate of Tufts University and Princeton Theological Seminary, Butzer previously served congregations in Illinois and New Jersey. He was the 1992 Moderator of the Chicago Presbytery and was a commissioner to his denomination's General Assembly in 1992 and 1999. Butzer's sermons, essays, and book reviews have appeared in "The Christian Ministry," "Pulpit Digest," "Presbyterian Outlook," and "The Journal Of Stewardship." Two of his sermons have received awards in national sermon competitions.