Ask a Librarian | AHTL

This is a preliminary bibliography, originally compiled soon after his death on Feb. 28, 2011.

Obituaries and Tributes | Interviews and Sketches | His Books and Articles

Obituaries and Tributes

• Rev. Peter J. Gomes Dies at 68 (Harvard Gazette)
• If Heaven Exists, Peter Gomes Is There, featuring interviews with Gomes's former HDS students (WBUR)
• A Beloved Harvard Spiritual Leader (Harvard Crimson)
• Service Honors Rev. Peter Gomes (Harvard Crimson)
• Remembering Reverend Gomes, reflections by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (The New Yorker)
• Groundbreaking Harvard Minister Peter Gomes Dies (Boston Globe)
• The Rev. Peter Gomes '65, Harvard Minister and Beloved Son of Bates, Dies at Age 68 (Bates Views)

Interviews and Sketches

• "American Preaching: A Dying Art." Time (January 31, 1979): 64-67.
• William, Jane. "The Keeper of the House." Harvard Magazine 85, no. 2 (November-December 1980): 53-61.
• Denison, D. C. "Twenty-One: Peter J. Gomes." Boston Globe Magazine (March 3, 1985): 2.
• Robinson, John. "Master of the Pulpit." Boston Globe (January 10, 1991): 69, 73.
• Thorpe, David. "Keeping the Faith at Harvard: Meet Peter Gomes, Ivy League Chaplain and One of America's Highest-Paid Gay Authors." Ten Percent 2, (March 1994): 36-39.
• McAfee, Eugene C. The Place Belongs to God: Twenty-Five Years of the Preaching Ministry of Peter John Gomes in the Memorial Church, Harvard University. Cambridge: The President and Fellows of Harvard College, 1995.
• Boynton, Robert S. "God and Harvard." The New Yorker (November 11, 1996): 64-73.
• Allis, Sam. "The Sermon: Creating Words to Live by: Preaching Central to Ministry and Thus a Weekly Challenge." Boston Globe (February 27, 2000): A1.
• Religion in a Time of War, with Chris Hedges, MDiv '83, and Jean Bethke Elshtain (Minnesota Public Radio: Speaking of Faith, 03/03)
• Rise of the Righteous Army (CBS: 60 Minutes, 02/04)
• Zwirm, Lisa. "A Fitting Haven for a Professor and His Possessions." Boston Globe (December 22, 2005): C16.
• Gomes Looks Back, Ahead at Convocation (Harvard Gazette, 09/04)
• Gomes Discusses "Scandalous" New Take on Jesus (PBS: Newshour, 12/07)
• [With others] Beyond Theology. 3 videodiscs. Produced and directed by Dave Kendall. Topeka, Kan.: KTWU/Channel 11, 2007.
• [With others] For the Bible Tells Me So. 1 videodisc. Directed by Daniel Karslake. Brooklyn, N.Y.: First Run/Icarus Films, 2007.
• Peter Gomes Appears on the "Colbert Report" (Comedy Central, 10/08)
• Plummer, Noble Honored at Memorial Church (Harvard Gazette, 12/08)
• Harvard Rituals: Wednesday Tea (Harvard Gazette, 10/09)

His Books and Articles

In addition to the works cited here, see his sermon archive on the Memorial Church website.

1971 | 1972 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1980 | 1982 | 1985 | 1987 | 1989
1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2010

1971

• Editor of The Pilgrim Society, 1820-1970; an Informal Commemorative Essay. Pilgrim Society Booklet Series. Plymouth, Mass.: The Pilgrim Society, 1971.

1972

• Introduction to History of the Town of Plymouth: From its First Settlement in 1620, to the Present Time: With a Concise History of the Aborigines of New England and their Wars with the English by James Thacher. 3rd ed. Yarmouthport, Mass.: Parnassus Imprints, 1972.

1975

• With L. D. Geller. The Books of the Pilgrims. Garland Reference Library of the Humanities ; v. 13. New York: Garland Pub, 1975.

1976

• "On Being Uneasy in Zion." Andover Newton Quarterly 16, no. 3 (January 1976): 221-226.

1977

• "Critique of W. E. Gibson's 'Ecojustice: Burning Word'." Foundations 20, no. 4 (October-December 1977): 329-32.
• "Jared Sparks and His House." Proceedings of the Cambridge Historical Society 44 (1976-79): 123-37.

1980

• "On Metaphor and Reality: Preaching to Our Condition." New England Quarterly, 53, no. 2 (June 1980): 234-41.
• [With Howard Clark Kee] Pentecost 1. Proclamation 2, Aids for Interpreting the Lessons of the Church Year. Series C. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1980.
• "The Truth About Thanksgiving." Harvard Gazette (Nov. 21, 1980): 16.

1981

• [As Committee Chair] To Enhance the Quality of our Common Life: Discussions and Recommendations Concerning Race, Diversity and the College Experiences. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University, 1981.

1982

• "Introduction to the William Belden Noble Lectures." Religion & Intellectual Life, 1, no. 2 (Winter 1984): 9-12. 
• "Standing for Something: A Posture for the Eighties." NICM Journal 7 (December 1982): 86-94.

1985

• Lent. Proclamation 3, Aids for Interpreting the Lessons of the Church Year. Series C. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985.

1987

• "Is This All There Is to That?" in The Disadvantaged Among the Disadvantaged: Responsibility of the Black Churches to the Underclass, October 23-25, 1987; a Conference for Urban Ministers, Seminarians, Public Policy Makers, Denominational Personnel, Human Services Professionals, and Others Who Work in Or with the Black Community. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Divinity School, 1987.

1989

• "Christian Burn-Out and Christian Hope: The Myth of Self-Sufficiency." Journal for Preachers 12, no. 3 (January 1989): 13-18.
• "John 1:45-51." Interpretation 43, no. 3 (July 1989): 282-286.
• "What Can We Believe About the Pilgrims." Unitarian Universalist Christian 44, no. 3-4 (September 1989): 32-36.

1991

• "Unsolicited Advice and High Hopes." Harvard Magazine 93 (May 1991): 71.

1992

• "Homophobic: Re-Read Your Bible: The Religious Right's View of Scripture is Deviously Skewed." New York Times 141, (August 17, 1992): A19.
• "Lions and Doors." Princeton Seminary Bulletin 13, no. 3 (January 1992): 257-262.

1993

• "Back in the Military Closet." New York Times (May 22, 1993): 19.

1994

• "Holy Orders: Authority and Vocation Reconsidered in the Light of an Inclusive God." Harvard Divinity Bulletin 23, no. 2 (January 1994): 6-9.
• [With Krister Stendahl] "Remembering Ralph Lazzaro." Harvard Divinity Bulletin 24, no. 1 (January 1994): 5-318.

1995

• Lent: Interpreting the Lessons of the Church Year. Proclamation 6. Series A. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995.
• Sundays at Harvard : Sermons for an Academic Year. Cambridge, Mass.: Memorial Church, Harvard University, 1995.

1996

• "The Good Book : How to Read the Bible with Mind and Heart, According to Harvard's Preacher." Harvard Divinity Bulletin 26, no. 1 (January 1996): 6-8.
• The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart. 1st ed. New York: W. Morrow, 1996.
• More Sundays at Harvard: Sermons for an Academic Year : 1995-1996. Cambridge, Mass.: Memorial Church, Harvard University, 1996.

1997

• "All Sinners, All Saints." Christian Century 114, no. 29 (October 22, 1997): 941-318.
• Introduction to Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. New York: Signet Classic, 1997.
• "The Most Bountiful Benefactor"." Harvard Divinity Bulletin 27, no. 1 (January 1997): 4.
• "The Protestant Dilemma." Christian Century 114, no. 28 (October 15, 1997): 905.
• "Veterans and Stewards." Christian Century 114, no. 30 (October 29, 1997): 971.
• "A Word of Encouragement." Christian Century 114, no. 31 (November 5, 1997): 1001-318.
• Yet More Sundays at Harvard: Sermons for an Academic Year : 1996-1997. Cambridge, Mass.: Memorial Church, Harvard University, 1997.

1998

• The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart. 1st ed. New York: Avon, 1998.
• "Religion and Philosophy." Wilson Quarterly 22, no. 1 (Winter 1998): 108.
• Preaching at Harvard: Sermons for an Academic Year : 1997-1998. Cambridge, Mass.: Memorial Church, Harvard University, 1998.
• Sermons: Biblical Wisdom for Daily Living. 1st ed. New York: W. Morrow, 1998.

1999

• "Affirmation and Adaptation: Values and the Elite Residential College." Daedalus 128, no. 1 (Winter 1999): 101.
• Life before Death and Other Sermons at Harvard, 1998-1999. Cambridge, Mass.: Memorial Church, Harvard University, 1999.
• "Thomas Hollis of London; Piety, Philanthropy, and Harvard at Two Hundred Seventy-Five Years" in The Contentious Triangle : Church, State, and University: A Festschrift in Honor of Professor George Huntston Williams edited by Rodney L. Petersen & Calvin Augustine Pater. Sixteenth Century Essays & Studies ; v. 51. Kirksville, Mo.: Thomas Jefferson University Press, 1999.

2000

• Introduction to The Courage to Be by Paul Tillich. 2nd ed. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2000.
• "From Text to Gospel: Beyond Bibleland." Christian Century 117, no. 29 (October 25, 2000): 1060.
• [With others] "Homophobia: Analysis of a 'Permissible' Prejudice: A Public Forum of the American Psychoanalytic Association and the American Psychoanalytic Foundation." Journal of Gay & Lesbian Psychotherapy 4, no. 1 (March 2000): 5.
• "Preaching as a Matter of Trust: Recovering the Nerve of the Pulpit" in Theology in the Service of the Church, 98-106. Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans, 2000.
• "Price, Charles Philip, 1919-1999." Harvard Divinity Bulletin 29, no. 1 (January 2000): 6-7.
• There is a Plan! and Other Sermons Preached at Harvard: 1999-2000. Cambridge, Mass.: Memorial Church, Harvard University, 2000.

2001

• "Death and the Believer: The End Is Where we Start From" in If I Should Die, 39-52. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2001.
• [With others] "Dimensions of the Tragedy: An Opportunity to Think and Talk." Harvard Divinity Bulletin (2001) 30, no. 2 (June 2001): 11-17.
• "Famous Last Words." U. S. Catholic 66, no. 4 (April 2001): 19-20.
• You Can Do This! and Other Sermons Preached at Harvard, 2000-2001. Cambridge, Mass.: Memorial Church, Harvard University, 2001.

2002

• The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2002.
• The Good Life: Truths That Last in Times of Need. 1st ed. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2002.
• Growing Up and Other Sermons Preached at Harvard : 2001-2002. Cambridge, Mass.: Memorial Church, Harvard University, 2002.
• [With Richard Higgins] "Polishing the Truth." Christian Century 119, no. 11 (May 22, 2002): 19-20.
• Sermons: Biblical Wisdom for Daily Living. HarperSanFrancisco ed. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2002.

2003

• The Good Life: Truths That Last in Times of Need. HarperCollins pbk ed. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 2003.
• "Good Shepherd, Good Sheep." Currents in Theology and Mission 30, no. 4 (August 2003): 294-296.
• "The Death of a Paradigm." Currents in Theology and Mission 30, no. 4 (August 2003): 266-278.
• "A Matter of Trust and Imagination." Currents in Theology and Mission 30, no. 4 (August 2003): 279-293.
• "Patriotism is Not Enough: Christian Conscience in Time of War." Sojourners Magazine 32, no. 1 (01/01, 2003): 20-25.
• Forward to Prayers for Private Devotions in War-Time by Willard Learoyd Sperry. 3rd ed. Cambridge, Mass.: The Memorial Church, Harvard University, 2003.
• "Remembrance and Imagination" in Crossing by Faith: Sermons on the Journey from Youth to Adulthood. David L. Bartlett, Claudia A. Highbaugh, and Stephen Butler Murray, editors. St. Louis, Mo.: Chalice Press, 2003.
• "Storm Center: When Bad Things Happen." Christian Century 120, no. 11 (May 31, 2003): 8-11.
• Strength for the Journey: Biblical Wisdom for Daily Living: A New Collection of Sermons. 1st ed. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2003.
• What We Forgot to Tell You and Other Sermons Preached at Harvard: 2002-2003. Cambridge, Mass.: Memorial Church, Harvard University, 2003.

2004

• Doing What You Can and Other Sermons Preached at Harvard : 2003-2004. Cambridge, Mass.: Memorial Church, Harvard University, 2004.
• "Fresh Produce." Communication Arts 46, no. 5 (Sept. 2004): 166-167.
• "For Massachusetts, a Chance and a Choice." Boston Globe 2/8, 2004): H11.
• Forward to John and Charles Wesley: Selected Prayers, Hymns, and Sermons edited by Emilie Griffin 1st ed. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2004.
• "Marriage Has Always Been a Civil Institution." Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide 11, no. 3 (May, 2004): 6-7.

2005

• "Lux et Veritas" in Preaching in the New Millennium: Celebrating the Tercentennial of Yale University edited by Frederick J. Streets. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005.

2006

• Introduction to The Best American Spiritual Writing 2006 edited by Philip Zaleski. The Best American Series. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006.

2007

• "Patriotism Is Not Enough?" In God and Country?, 259-267. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.
• The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus: What's So Good About the Good News?. 1st ed. New York: HarperOne, 2007.
• Forward to The Transcended Christian: Spiritual Lessons for the Twenty-First Century. by Daniel Helminiak. 1st ed. New York: Alyson, 2007.

2008

• "Address: A Tour of Harvard in 1908." Harvard Theological Review 101, no. 3 (July 2008): 299-304.
• [With Cynthia W. Rossano] Heralds of Light: John Harvard and the Memorial Church, 1607-1932-2007: Catalogue of an Exhibition. Cambridge, Mass.: 2008.

2010

• "Outer Turmoil, Inner Strength" in Preaching with Sacred Fire: An Anthology of African American Sermons, 1750 to the Present edited by Martha Simmons and Frank A. Thomas. 1st ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010.