Synopsis: A Man, A Woman, A Word of Love is a new collection of sermons by two of the finest preachers in the Episcopal Church today. They also happen to be married to each other. Beautifully written, compassionate, theologically astute, and oftentimes very funny, these sermons provide fresh insight into the inexhaustible riches of God's Word. Following the unfolding story of God's love in Scripture and tradition, Pagano and Richter lift up different dimensions of God's love celebrated in the different seasons of the church year. Informed by the pastoral sensitivity that comes from years of serving congregations, the wisdom that comes from years of study, and the grace and wit that comes from years of marriage, Pagano and Richter offer powerful sermons that glory in the reconciling love of God and invite us into the ongoing adventure of being known, redeemed, and transformed by that love. These are sermons for everyone who wants to know and love the God who already knows and loves each and every one of us. Endorsements: "Joe and Amy's sermons are a gift to the church; they are a joy to read and hear. Like the very best short stories, their sermons are beautifully constructed, but so infused with warmth, wit, and wisdom that we are carried away by the narrative. They offer something for everyone: gentle humor, scholarly observations, penetrating insights, and often goose bumps--leading us into discovery about our call as Christians." --Sarah Johnson, Writer and Editor, Sermons that Work, The Episcopal Church "Engaging Scripture and the liturgical seasons to trace the movement of love and desire, Joe Pagano and Amy Richter give us personal, theological reflections in the form of sermons to propel the imagination of preachers and nurture all in the journey into God. They know how to tell a story, play with an image, detail matters of faith, shape a prayer, and proclaim the presence of God. This is no collection of sermons, but a well-crafted apologia." --Timothy F. Sedgwick, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor of Christian Ethics, Virginia Theological Seminary "I invite you to read this book It is a treasure trove of exquisite jewels and precious metals, each shining through with the life and love of God. Creative, intimate, at times funny, deeply grounded in Scripture, and above all, loving." --Mary D. Glasspool, Bishop Suffragan, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles Author Biography: The Rev. Joseph S. Pagano is Associate Rector at St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Annapolis, Maryland, and Affiliate Professor of Theology at Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the author of The Origins and Development of the Triadic Structure of Faith in H. Richard Niebuhr. The Rev. Amy E. Richter is Rector at St. Anne's Episcopal Church and Visiting Instructor at the Ecumenical Institute at St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore. She is the author of Enoch and the Gospel of Matthew.

Synopsis: Matthew's Gospel contains material unique to it among the canonical Gospels. What is the background for this material? Why does the writer of Matthew's Gospel tell the story of Jesus in the way he does--including women in his genealogy, telling the story of the birth of Jesus in his particular way, and including the visit of the magi led by a star? Enoch and the Gospel of Matthew shows that the writer of Matthew was familiar with themes and traditions about the antediluvian patriarch Enoch, including the story of the fall of the angels called "watchers," who transgress their heavenly boundaries to engage in illicit relations with women and teach them forbidden arts. The Gospel writer shows that Jesus brings about the eschatological repair of the consequences of the watchers' fall as told in the Enochic legend. This study focuses on Matthew's genealogy and infancy narrative and also has implications for the study of women in Matthew, since it is often through the stories of women in Matthew that the repair of the watchers' transgression takes place. Endorsements: "Well-written, learned, and arguing a fascinating thesis, Amy Richter's Enoch and the Gospel of Matthew makes a welcome contribution to our understanding of Matthew and the role of apocalyptic themes in the Gospels." --Stephen Fowl, Loyola College in Maryland "Amy Richter leads us to a deeper understanding of the Jewishness of the early Jesus movement by revealing its Enochic apocalyptic roots, far beyond the more obvious relationship with the Son of Man theology and the book of Parables. It is a call for New Testament scholars and Second Temple specialists to work together and explore the many intriguing connections that make Enochic Judaism the most likely candidate as the parent movement out of which the Jesus movement was born." --Gabriele Boccaccini, University of Michigan Author Biography: Amy E. Richter is visiting instructor in New Testament at St. Mary's Seminary and University Ecumenical Institute of Theology in Baltimore, Maryland, and rector of St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Annapolis, Maryland.