Lamentations: Ancient Poetry to Deal with Communal Grief

On today’s episode, our hosts dive into the Book of Lamentations, exploring its historical context, literary structure, and enduring relevance. The discussion opens with reflections on the book’s placement in different biblical canons and its association with the prophet Jeremiah, while also noting scholarly debates about its true authorship.

The hosts examine Lamentations as a work of poetry, specifically an acrostic poem, and discuss its communal function in processing trauma and grief. They highlight how the book is used in both Jewish and Christian traditions, such as during the Jewish observance of Tisha B’Av and Christian Holy Week services like Tenebrae.

Key Themes and Discussion Points:

• The historical backdrop of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the plight of those left behind.
• The literary form of Lamentations, including its acrostic structure and polyvocal narration.
• The communal and artistic purposes of lament, both in ancient times and today.
• The theological journey from orientation, through disorientation, to reorientation—a schema attributed to Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann (see his book Praying the Psalms).
• The influence of process theology, referencing Alfred North Whitehead’s Religion in the Making (available free online), and the idea of God as void, enemy, and companion.
• The absence of explicit covenantal language in Lamentations, contrasting it with other biblical texts.
• The genre of city laments in the ancient Near East, with specific mention of the Sumerian “Lament over Ur” (translation available via the University of Chicago).
• The impact of translation choices on interpretation, with examples from Lamentations and Job.

Referenced Books and Materials:

• "Praying the Psalms" by Walter Brueggemann
• "Religion in the Making" by Alfred North Whitehead (free online)
• "The Crucified God" by Jürgen Moltmann
• The Sumerian “Lament over Ur” (University of Chicago translation)
• Netflix’s animated musical "K-Pop Demon Hunters"

Don’t Miss:

• The clergy’s upcoming Sunday morning forum series at St. David’s in February/March of 2026, focusing on Holy Week liturgies.
• The “Walking the Mourner’s Path” program for those experiencing grief.
• The new Cross Connections digital formation ministry six-part video series, “Where is the Glory,” with the Rev. Rick Morley, filmed at a St. Anthony’s Coptic Orthodox Monastery in California.

Cross Connections is a ministry of ⁠⁠St. David’s Episcopal Church in Wayne, PA⁠⁠. Season two, Cover to Cover is hosted by the Rev. Rick Morley, Elliot VanHoy, and Natalee Hill.

A full copy list of readings for 2025 may be found on ourwebsite at ⁠⁠⁠https://stdavidschurch.org/crossconnections⁠⁠If you have questions for us, you can call us at 484.588.5656 and leave a voicemail with your name, where you’re from, and your question or comment. Please note, we may use your recorded voice in an upcoming episode of Cross Connections. You can also email us at ⁠[e-mail]⁠.

Logo graphic design and podcast production by Natalee Hill.Stock Media Music provided by Marscott and MoodMode / ⁠⁠Pond5⁠⁠.

You are welcome to learn more about all of St. David’sworship offerings and ministries at ⁠⁠ ⁠https://stdavidschurch.org/⁠.