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Giving Permission for Creative Preaching in the Lutheran Church

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Giving Permission for Creative Preaching in the Lutheran Church Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations 1-1-2017 Giving Permission for Creative Preaching in the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod: Returning to Our Creative Roots Glen Schlecht George Fox University, [email protected] This research is a product of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at George Fox University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Schlecht, Glen, "Giving Permission for Creative Preaching in the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod: Returning to Our Creative Roots" (2017). Doctor of Ministry. 237. http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/237 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Ministry by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY GIVING PERMISSION FOR CREATIVE PREACHING IN THE LUTHERAN CHURCH—MISSOURI SYNOD: RETURNING TO OUR CREATIVE ROOTS A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY GLEN SCHLECHT PORTLAND, OREGON OCTOBER 2017 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of Glen Schlecht has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on October 16, 2017 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Semiotics and Future Studies. Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Ron Clark, DMin Secondary Advisor: R. Joseph Burnham, DMin Copyright © 2017 by Glen Schlecht. All rights reserved. The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New International Version, copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, unless otherwise noted. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ii DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this work to my beautiful wife Kathy for her patience with me and support of me throughout my research and writing. Also to the people of Immanuel Lutheran of Loveland, Colorado, for the passion they have for the mission the Lord has given us and the willingness to try new things with me for the sake of the Gospel. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to acknowledge and thank those who have served as my readers and editors throughout my writing: Karina Schlecht (you are amazing!), Kathy Schlecht, Ed Seely, Al Schroeder, Thom and Joani Schultz, and Rochelle Deans. Also the many, many people and congregations over the years who have served to shape and form me in my ministry. SOLI DEO GLORIA! iv Table of Contents DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iv ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 1 Changes Abound! ............................................................................................................ 3 CHAPTER 2: BIBLICAL CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................ 12 Greek Terminology ....................................................................................................... 12 The Herald ..................................................................................................................... 14 The Center of Preaching ................................................................................................ 16 Jesus’ Preaching ............................................................................................................ 16 The Content and Methods of Jesus’ Preaching ............................................................. 18 Authority ....................................................................................................................... 22 The Preaching of Jesus’ Disciples ................................................................................. 23 Old Testament Considerations ...................................................................................... 27 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 28 CHAPTER 3: MODERNITY, POSTMODERNITY, AND BEYOND .......................... 30 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 30 Five-Hundred-Year Cycles ........................................................................................... 32 Modernity ...................................................................................................................... 38 Modernity and the Church ......................................................................................... 40 Modernity and the Eucharist ...................................................................................... 42 The Elevation of the Sermon ..................................................................................... 44 The Beginnings of Postmodernism ............................................................................... 47 Characteristics of Postmodernism ................................................................................. 49 The Place of Knowledge ............................................................................................ 50 Absolutes ................................................................................................................... 51 Community ................................................................................................................ 52 Apparent Inconsistencies and Contradictions ............................................................ 54 The Information Age ................................................................................................. 55 v Institutions and Authority .......................................................................................... 57 Global Connectivity and Praxis ................................................................................. 59 Mystery and Spirituality ............................................................................................ 60 Story .......................................................................................................................... 63 Concerns Over Postmodernism ..................................................................................... 64 Embracing Postmodernity ............................................................................................. 65 New Horizons ................................................................................................................ 67 CHAPTER 4: AUTHORITY, LEADERSHIP, AND OUTREACH ............................... 69 Authority of the Bible ................................................................................................... 70 Pastoral Authority ......................................................................................................... 75 The Priesthood of Believers ...................................................................................... 76 Tension in the Early Years of the LCMS .................................................................. 77 A Clash of Authority ................................................................................................. 82 The Historical-Critical Method ..................................................................................... 84 The Exodus from Concordia Seminary ......................................................................... 86 Authority Today ............................................................................................................ 90 The Authority of the Pastor and the Church Today ...................................................... 94 The Tension Over Authority ......................................................................................... 99 A History of Creativity and Change ............................................................................ 102 Continuing Creative Change ....................................................................................... 106 CHAPTER 5: THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF PREACHING ........................... 109 Opportunities ............................................................................................................... 109 Martin Luther’s Methods ............................................................................................ 111 The Bible as the Source of Preaching ...................................................................... 112 Expository Preaching ............................................................................................... 114 The Central Point of the Sermon ............................................................................. 115 The Relational Aspect of Preaching ........................................................................ 116 Illustrations in the Sermon ....................................................................................... 117 C.F.W. Walther ........................................................................................................... 118 Mid-Twentieth-Century
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