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Rev. Dr. Isabelle Hamley: Preaching the Unpreachable - Opening Up the “Difficult” Texts of Scripture

Regent College Podcast

Chapters
0:23
Intro Summary
2:33
Isabelle's Bio
3:28
The Draw Towards Exploring Difficult Texts in Scripture
5:48
Why Certain Texts Feel Unpreachable: Boring, Alien, Problematic, Confusing, or Contradictory
9:13
The Story of Jephthah: Intergenerational Injustice and Communal Responsibility
12:06
Cultural Perspectives on Grace vs. Judgment
16:02
Purifying Emotions through Praying the Psalms
18:22
Cultural Preferences and Blindspots in Reading Scripture
23:29
The Messiness of Life and Faith Revealed in the Whole Counsel of God
28:08
Anna the Prophetess: When God Doesn't Miraculously Intervene
29:49
Witness and Presence in Suffering: Jephthah's Daughter
31:05
Understanding God's Otherness
33:34
The Paradox of God's Presence
37:23
Using Scripture as a Mirror for Today: The Trauma of War
41:06
Pastoral Care When Preaching Difficult Texts
43:45
Holding Loss and Hope Post-Trauma
48:47
Historical and Contemporary Misuses of Scripture
52:10
Come Join the Class!
53:17
Outro
Regent College Podcast
Rev. Dr. Isabelle Hamley: Preaching the Unpreachable - Opening Up the “Difficult” Texts of Scripture
Jul 17, 2026 Season 7 Episode 29

"The Bible invites us to wrestle with life's realities."

In this final episode of our Summer Forecast series of 2026, Rev. Dr. Isabelle Hamley discusses the challenges and importance of preaching from difficult parts of scripture, including texts on judgment, trauma, violence, and justice. While we often want to avoid these sections of Scripture, she helps us think about how to read these texts faithfully and responsibly. Isabelle’s commitment to preaching from the whole counsel of God reminds us to recognize the limits of our capacity to understand God. She also shares thoughtful insights on contemporary humility in relation to the interpretation and misuse of scripture, challenging us to consider the ways in which we, too, miss the mark. 

TW: references to sexual violence, war, and trauma


Isabelle's Bio

Rev. Dr. Isabelle Hamley is a minister, speaker, and writer. She currently serves as Principal of Ridley Hall, an Anglican seminary that trains women and men for lay and ordained ministry. She has previously held posts as church leader, university chaplain, chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Theological Adviser to the House of Bishops. Her interests include the Bible in the life of the church, how Scripture helps shape a Christian response to justice, conflict, and violence, and the relationship between faith, ministry, and mental health. She is an ambassador for Sanctuary Mental Health and co-chairs a World Council of Churches working group on violence, conflict, peace, and reconciliation. She will be back at Regent this summer, teaching Preaching the Unpreachable: Opening Up the “Difficult” Texts of Scripture from July 27-31.



Previous Podcast Appearances

Being Human in God's World (June 2024)

Old Testament Suffering and Life with God (February 2022) 

Regent College Podcast

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