Over the Sundays of Advent this year our focus will be on the advent themes of longing and desire, explored with reference to the Song of Songs, or the Song of Solomon.

The main readings for the Sundays will be as follows:

• Advent 1 (Nov 30): Songs 3.1-5 I sought him whom my soul loves
• Advent 2 (Dec 7): Songs 4.1-8 How beautiful you are, my love
• Advent 3 (Dec 14): Songs 7.10-8.3 I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me
• Advent 4 (Dec 21): Songs 2.8-17 My beloved is mine and I am his

If you want to look a little more into the background of Songs, the Wikipedia page on Songs gives a helpful introduction. The commentary on Songs by Robert Jenson is contemporary and theologically rich; you can preview it in some depth here.

A useful devotional companion to the sermon series would be Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of divine love. This is available in number of hard copy and electronic versions; a PDF version is available here.