Description
Homiletics deals with the art of speaking about God in such a way that others are inspired and enriched in their faith; rhetoric is the art of speaking to others in such a way that their freedom is promoted; pedagogy is the theory of action that increases others' understanding and capacity for action, and liturgy, finally, develops artistic rules for the arrangement of singing and praying, speaking and listening.
The worship service should be beautiful and the sermon good. Protestant homiletics is therefore presented in dialogue with its neighboring disciplines. Of particular importance is the theory of understanding, theological hermeneutics. This is the foundation of all homiletic theory. Therefore, hermeneutical, historical, pedagogical, and rhetorical aspects play a role in every chapter of this book. The outline follows the common structure: 1. Preliminary Questions (Prolegomena), 2. History of the Sermon and Homiletics, 3. Principled, 4. Material, and 5. Formal Homiletics. In addition, there are indexes of biblical passages, subjects, and names, as well as a list of standard works with brief annotations.
This work on homiletics is intended for anyone seeking a clear and accessible overview of current discussions.
Michael Meyer-Blanck, University of Bonn, Germany.
