The World Communion of Reformed Churches is drawing attention to Sermons for an Unsettled World, a collection of 17 sermons shaped during the 2023 Global Institute of Theology (GIT) at the Pacific Theological College in Suva, Fiji.
Held in June 2023, the institute gathered 27 students and nine faculty members from 20 regions, representing more than 25 languages. Under the theme “Unsettling the Word in an Unsettled World,” participants spent two weeks immersed in worship, dialogue and reflection on how faith confronts the injustices and uncertainties defining global life today.
This was the first time the institute was hosted in the Pacific region. Leaders say the location helped shape the curriculum, grounding the experience in the Pacific worldview of interconnectedness, community and care for creation. Participants preached in the college’s circular chapel—a space that encouraged trust, vulnerability and bold proclamation.
The sermons explore a range of social and theological issues, including gender-based violence, ecological justice, the climate crisis, HIV and AIDS, COVID-19, LGBTQ inclusion and political polarization. Authors also reflect on biblical themes such as fellowship, discipleship, salvation and the Imago Dei.
The collection includes sermons from:
- “When the Saved, Serve” — Atim Ubong Utuk
- “Noticing Those Who Are Small Around Us” — Cicilia Novalia Jambuani
- “Even So: Ironies, Ponderous Questions, and Shared Faith” — Rev. David B. Smith
- “Unsettling Journey” — Devina Widiningsih
- “The Cry of Tamar” — Rev. Doran Munsimbwe
- “The Gospel That Crosses Boundaries” — Frainess Shawa
- “Let Justice Flow Like a River” — Frank Kissi
- “Living Between Fear and Hope” — Christiany F.
- “The Table That Liberates” — Hanns Lessing
- “The Church That Lives Together” — Joseph Ragbir
- “God’s Absence and Human Presence” — Philip Peacock
- “Uncompromising Spirit” — Rebeccah Bartocho
- “God’s Love Has No Boundaries” — Shane Goldie
- “Who Is Jesus for Us? A Story of Jesus Calming the Storm (Matthew 8:23–27)” — Taya Ismetyati Natalia
- “Created in God’s Image, Called to Care for Creation” — Tupou Lino
- “El Roi! The God Who Sees” — Twinkle Hauhnar
- “Friend in the Lowest Moment” — Ujun Junaedi
In the foreword, HyeRan Kim-Cragg, dean of the GIT 2023 institute, writes that the sermons testify to the possibility of “another world based on interdependence,” calling the work “a sign of hope and a source of resistance.”
The collection is intended for congregations, seminaries and faith communities seeking resources that connect Scripture with lived experience in a rapidly shifting world.
The full resource is available online: Sermons for an Unsettled World.
As the global church enters the Advent and Christmas season, the WCRC offers this collection as a timely gift — a reminder of hope, justice and the promise of God’s presence in an unsettled world.
