Using qualitative content analysis based on a 2024 study of US Catholic homilies, this project examines the texts of US Mainline Protestant sermons to evaluate references to Jews and Judaism in interpreting problematic passages in the Revised Common Lectionary, especially sermons for Good Friday and Palm Sunday. The Pew Research Center has made the relevant dataset of sermons available for study.
The methodology includes preparing transcribed sermons, applying a deductive coding frame through Dedoose software, summarizing similarities and differences, and making recommendations based on the findings.
The deductive coding frame focuses on the Jewish identity of Jesus and his disciples, respect for the Jewish people and their religious heritage, Jewish responsibility for Jesus' death, references to the Pharisees, and the treatment of liturgical readings from the Old Testament/Hebrew Scriptures and the Gospels. Of particular interest is whether any sermons address the anti-Jewish content in Christian Scriptures. Past studies of religion textbooks and the recent Catholic homiletic study support this deductive approach.
The researchers' successful study of Catholic homilies demonstrates their capacity to accomplish this project. The prior study provides a solid framework for analyzing the Mainline Protestant sermons, allowing for insights into the treatment of anti-Jewish content across Christian denominations.