434 - Abingdon Preacher's Library ( 12 vols.)

Abingdon Preacher's Library ( 12 vols.)
Edited by William D. Thompson
Nashville, Abingdon, 1980-81. 125 pp. each. $4.95 each (paper).

After several decades of somnolence, an awakening and upsurge are occurring in the publication of monographs on preaching. Theologically and liturgically the church, particularly the clergy, has rediscovered the power of the pulpit after a prolonged season of ad hoc dialogues, round table discussions, navel gazing, and the spontaneous pooling of views which demanded no preparation. Happily the pew is now asking the pulpit "what it is about." The flow of titles from mainline publishing houses is an attempt to answer that query, although an objective assessment of the substance of these many publications indicates only partial success in addressing and coping with some of the basic homiletical needs and critical problems.

Among the more ambitious of these recent projects is this series on various specialized facets of the art of preaching. The strategy adopted by the editor is as follows: instead of one traditional and comprehensive monograph by a single author, with multiple chapters on each particular aspect of the sermon and its execution, different teachers of preaching are invited to focus upon one special theme which they were expected to develop in depth, and thereby provide a syllabus of handy paperbacks for ready use in the classroom.

The catalogue of titles is as follows: The Preaching Moment, by C. L. Bartow; The Person in the Pulpit, by W. F. Jabusch; Creative Preaching, by E. Achtemeier; Liberation Preaching, by J. L. and C. G. Gonzalez; Designing the Sermon, by J. E. Massey; A Theology of Preaching, by R. Lischer; The Sermon as God's Word, by R. W. Duke; Integrative Preaching, by W. H. Willimon; Preaching Biblically, by W. D. Thompson; The Preaching Tradition, by DeW. T. Holland; Preaching as Communication, by M. R. Chartier; and The Word in Worship, by Wm. Skudlarek.

To review a set of discrete volumes like these is as difficult as appraising a series of biblical commentaries of multiple authorship. There is bound to be unevenness, overlapping, disparate points of view,

435 - Abingdon Preacher's Library ( 12 vols.)

and a wide variation of underlying presuppositions, techniques, and methodologies. This is true especially whenever an attempt is made to turn art into theory-and preaching is an art. In venturing here even a cursory evaluation of the individual titles, I cannot frame comparative criteria not only because of the peculiar focus of each volume but also because of their constricted length.

However, the thrust of each monograph may be stated briefly. Bartow's volume is the product of one who has taught speech successfully and has convictions that are genuine and well placed; he verges on the level of the elementary but his perspective is wholesome and his directives useful. He might have given 50 per cent of the space to exercises the average preacher could practice.

Jabusch emphasizes the preacher as one who cares, and his point is well taken. Yet his book is a discussion of a series of facets of the preaching ministry and needs, therefore, a cohesive theme to provide greater unity.

Achtemeier attempts to cover under pulpit creativity a number of current issues and from the perspective of a biblical scholar singles out some much needed caveats. However, her method features "too many and too much," and we miss a good solid hermeneutical essay, which is her own specialty.

The Gonzalez duo provide an up-to-date essay which sets preaching vis-a-vis contemporary theological and sociological phenomena with perception and vigor.

Massey's assignment is difficult because of the current plethora of repetitive treatises on homiletical theory, yet from the black perspective and with professional sensitivity he delineates the preacher's personal role in designing the sermon.

Lischer's and Duke's books are complementary and should be read together. The former defines the nature of the Word of God in preaching, and the latter describes various schools of theological thought and their representative preachers: Barth, Tillich, etc.

Willimon discusses the preacher and overlaps with Jabusch in focus but not in treatment. He clarifies the meaning of the centrality of preaching and its relatedness to other ministerial and pastoral functions.

Thompson frames a strong argument for biblical preaching and demonstrates how he thinks we should go about it.

Holland's volume is one of the more useful of the series. No one else has ever in the context of the history of preaching generally done a survey of the story of American preaching, and in the short compass of 50 pages has done well.

What can be said in summary? This series reminds us that the literature of the art and discipline of preaching is immense; it parallels the textbooks on the science of anatomy plus the story of all the surgical operations of the centuries. Apart from the. weaknesses that are perennial hazards of any series, the sequence here is somewhat loosely

436 - Abingdon Preacher's Library ( 12 vols.)

conceived; wholeness is damaged by a seeming ad hoc character of the choice and handling of themes. The series should have begun with worship and preaching, then the history and theology of preaching, then the theory of preaching including communication.

Then the preacher: resources (Bible, theology, literature); role as counsellor, administrator, etc.; and how preaching addresses itself to the issues of the day. Curiously there is no volume by an outstanding preacher who might have incorporated evangelism and defined at first hand the role of the congregation in preaching.

A series of this kind should evolve slowly and with circumspection. Each author should find the boundaries of his or her area by reading the other essays in the sequence which have appeared already. And this would avoid unnecessary duplication; the omission of some living issues, theoretical and otherwise, which are germane to contemporary preaching; and the lack of a clear framework which the publication of twelve volumes in one year by authors writing simultaneously (a sort of crash program) could not possibly provide.

Donald Macleod
Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton, New Jersey