Leaven Volume 8 Issue 2 Wisdom Article 13 1-1-2000 Preaching Jesus: New Directions for Homiletics in Hans Frei's Postliberal Theology, Charles Campbell Mark Frost Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Frost, Mark (2000) "Preaching Jesus: New Directions for Homiletics in Hans Frei's Postliberal Theology, Charles Campbell," Leaven: Vol. 8 : Iss. 2 , Article 13. Available at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol8/iss2/13 This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Religion at Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Leaven by an authorized editor of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. Frost: Preaching Jesus: New Directions for Homiletics in Hans Frei's Pos Wisdom 105 Book Reviews Markus H. McDowell, Eleanor Daniel, Editors ~~ ~(')t= 'p. ,..-4>~Z ~ ~ '--4~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~"d8ga R~ ~=~ ;~~~~ ~ACHTEMEIER 8CRADDOCK ~',. ~~ ==~ ~LIPSCOMB BOOKSBOOKSBOOKSBOOKSBOOKSBOOKSBOOKBOOKSBOOKSBOOKSBOOKS Eugene L. Lowry, The Sermon: Craddock-like jewel)!" Most helpful emy and quite sensitive to the Dancing the Edge of Mystery (Nash- is the theorist who enables others to practitioner. ville: Abingdon, 1997), 117 pages. sample a different approach to Lowry is an advocate of the Reviewed by David Fleer. preaching while warning against the narrative sermon that always follows pitfalls and dangers that accompany the plot form of conflict, complication, One advantage of living in the the art. For those open to sermonic reversal, and resolution. In his latest discipline of homiletics is the ample forms that are sensitive to the genre book, Lowry redefines the last two opportunity for testing theory. of narrative, and for preachers who terms (which become sudden shift and Pulpits, congregations, and biblical long for a bridge from text to sermon, unjolding, respectively) to reflect his texts appear to be unending. Preach- Lowry's The Sermon: Dancing the Edge modified thought. He has fine-tuned ing theorists are privileged to tryon of Mystery presents itself as a map his theory: plot takes precedence over theoretical construct. Often, one finds worth consulting. the more general, and generally sample sermons included in the best Lowry's most notable contribu- misunderstood, narrative. of the literature. These are helpful tions to narrative preaching have Lowry's opening chapter pro- models, although often groomed for been Doing Time in the Pulpit,The vides a tight summary of the revolu- the page and fine-tuned through Homiletical Plot, and How to Preach a tion in preaching, typically dated to several Sundays of preaching before Parable. His previous work has Craddock's As One Without Authority different audiences. While the distinguished him as a leading (1971), and the current shape of the models shine, preachers will find theorist in homiletic thought. The discussion. He follows Lucy Rose in themselves frustrated by the appar- earlier volumes have been mined for naming four research categories and ent perfection before their eyes. On this textbook, which makes it not so chooses the form of the sermon as several occasions I have had students much a secondary source as a the most helpful segment in defining respond to a Fred Craddock sermon practical and necessary sequel. Of all the new homiletic. Three of the with the honest concern,"How do I theorists in the discipline, Lowry is book's five chapters take up Rose's get from here (standing before this showing himself both inclusive of the groupings: preaching's purpose, passage) to there (preaching a contributions of others in the acad- content, and form. The concluding Published by Pepperdine Digital Commons, 2000 1 Leaven, Vol. 8 [2000], Iss. 2, Art. 13 106 Leaven, Spring 2000 chapter is given to answering the questions: where to place the text, Charles Campbell, Preaching Jesus: bottom-line question: how to prepare and a one-sided debate pitting the New Directions for Homiletics in Hans for Sunday's sermon. pointed sermon against the forward- Frei's Postliberal Theology (Grand The final chapter's ten pragmatic moving plotted model. The latter Rapids: Eerdrnans, 1997). Reviewed suggestions for creating a "plotted issue has been adequately addressed by Mark Frost. sermon" is the section of the book in earlier volumes, and the former preachers will look at with greatest question is an odd location for the How should preaching address longing. Ultimately, it will be the only matter discussed under the culture? Should the preacher begin decisive chapter in judging the sermon's shape. While Lowry on with words, images, and metaphors work's contribution to the develop- occasion rehearses arguments and clearly understood by the culture, ment of the new homiletic. concerns he has treated elsewhere, at using them to explain and defend the According to Lowry, one begins other times he assumes reader gospel? Or must he use biblical the preparation process with an familiarity with his proposals and words and constructs foreign to his openness for the experience of the makes only passing allusions in his hearers, expecting Word to challenge text, positioning oneself to be sur- current work. and transform cultural norms? How prised and to hear the text afresh. Lowry's ten steps are the articu- ·a preacher answers these questions Lowry's theological presupposition lation of years of wrestling with affects how much attention he gives is that God's Spirit may be better creative sermon development. Yet to the study of the text and how able to break into the context of the the preacher is left unfulfilled by his much he gives to the process of preacher's expectant wonderment or examples and demonstrations. If communica tion. even confusion than into the position Lowry provided fuller sermons and Over the past quarter century, of known certainties. Naming worked forward or backward the homiletics community has important issues and images and through the process, perhaps readers increasingly answered these ques- making connections from scripture to would have a better sense of his tions with one voice. The movement congregation all precede the format for developing a narrative known as "narrative preaching" has preacher's engagement of scholar- sermon. It is a strategy Lowry taught preachers to start with ship. Lowry's creative restraint worked to perfection in How to Preach concepts and images with which provides a helpful middle ground to a Parable. Instead, the current volume their hearers can easily identify. popular extremes. He explains, "I uses segments of Lowry's exegetical Then, paying careful attention to the hope we do not need to choose insights and clips from a variety of communication process, the preach- between dull, scholarly, instructive sermon preps and makes the author ers tell stories in which the hearers lecture-sermons and snappy, creative appear more like a professor who has can see themselves and identify with sound bites. So ... let the imagina- honed his theory than a master who the gospel. Leaders of the narrative tion run loose for a while." Lowry wishes to pass his craft on to willing preaching movement, such as closes out the preparation by naming apprentices. The problem is that the Charles Rice, Fred Craddock, Tho- the sermon's focus (not the answer author, this book, and the discipline mas Long, and Eugene Lowry, have the sermon will provide, but the are all sought in the latter role. become widely viewed as nearly difficulty the sermon will work Lowry is an experienced unassailable authorities. through), shaping the sermon, and preacher and a thoughtful teacher. Charles Campbell, a homiletics identifying what the sermon hopes to But, in a book that claims to make professor at Columbia Theological evoke. the question of praxis central, he has Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, Lowry's pragmatic suggestions fallen short of satisfying the hunger challenges this conventional wisdom are generally helpful but not satisfy- of the preacher who looks for a in Preaching Jesus. While the book is a ing. There is not enough praxis definitive meal in narrative preach- critique of the narrative preaching presented to make the advice person- ing. Lowry has only whetted the movement, it is more fundamentally ally useful. For example, when appetite. a challenge to the liberal theology discussing "planning the sermon that he claims lies behind it. process" (the ninth of ten steps and DAVID FLEER teaches religion and Campbell names as his ally in the the one that finalizes the sermon's communication at Rochester College assault Yale theologian Hans Frei. form), Lowry is absorbed with two in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Frei's critique of liberal theology https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol8/iss2/13 2 Frost: Preaching Jesus: New Directions for Homiletics in Hans Frei's Pos Wisdom 107 focused on three major areas. First, preaching proclaims the identity of he presents the message. Finally, Frei challenged liberal theology's Jesus rather than trying to apply while Campbell strongly contends apologetic aim, which seeks to selected gospel truths to supposed for the preaching of Jesus in his "translate" the ancient worldview of human psychological frailties. Third, uniqueness, Campbell's own applica- the biblical writers into categories narrative preachers use the gospel tion of Jesus' message boils down to understandable to moderns.Frei accounts to shape the form of their an insipid call for nonviolence, it la pointed out that the Bible's human sermons, trying to mold their mes- Martin Luther King and Gandhi. authors seldom engaged in such sage into stories like the ones Jesus Even with its weaknesses, this is apologetics, choosing rather to told, especially the parables. a valuable book and may well corne proclaim a new reality that they Campbell suggests that the gospel to stand as a significant turning point knew would be a "stumbling block" narratives were meant to have much in the study of homiletics.