Margaret E Rinkel

The Plowshare and the Sword Margaret E Rinkel

Discover drama in the lives of more than forty Old Testament figures between 4,000 B. C. and 445 B. C. Introduced by the itinerant storyteller, dramatic monologues and dialogues show the Hebrew people caught up in the religious and political turmoil of the times. Patriarchs, prophets, and ordinary folk speak of injustice, inequality, and oppression. Through adversity, the Hebrews define their relationships with their God Yahweh. Old Testament figures, earthy and exemplary, emerge in moments that connect all humans to one family.

For church program resources, these story poems lend themselves to devotional reading, table drama, group study, and performance with simple costumes and props. For groups, the vignettes offer questions for discussion with questions for reflection and discussion.

The storyteller projects hope for a world in which "justice shatters the blood-edged sword, and mercy proclaims the life-giving plowshare."