The Sunday gospel lectionary reading for Lent 4 in Year C is the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15.1–3 and 11b–32, though it is perhaps as well called the parable of the loving father, or the parable of the father and the two sons.
In the video below, James and Ian discuss the passage and reflect on its meaning and application. Is this about atonement, or about repentance? What is the role of the two sons—and where do we see ourselves in the story?
For a full discussion in the written article, see the previous post here.
Thanks gents for another enjoyable discussion. Great to see the two Bailey books both of which I am very familiar with! Interesting to hear the reference to Joachim Jeremias too and the trend away from “allegorisation”. Actually Jeremias was a follower of an earlier theologian called Adolf Jülicher who did a ‘hatchet job’ on allegorisation and introduced the ‘one-point aphorism’ approach to the parables in his “Die Gleichnisreden Jesu”. It’s late 19thC and never been translated into English. But after publication the whole world seemed to change direction in Julichers wake! Jeremias included. If memory serves ( I’m out just now!) it wasn’t until the 1950s that two colourful gentlemen challenged the prevailing view thank God! Matthew Black and Raymond Brown. Happily the pendulum has a bit more of a natural swing to it now. Also I have just now read Paula Gooder’s chapter on the prodigal and it is refreshing and informative. She’s good!