The future of preaching

The future of preaching? It has a past, but does it even have a 'present'? In this book, fourteen writers emphatically declare that it does. Engaging with the realities of Christian preaching across the spectra of theologies, worship styles, and church cultures of twenty-first century Britain, the essays face the challenge of preaching's 'present' and boldly and imaginatively propose principles and practices of preaching to meet that challenge. All the contributors write with fervent hope for the future of preaching. As one put it, if the Christian church in the West returns to the resurrection form of her Lord, (as she has time and time again) it is not only possible but probable that preaching will not be far behind. Beginning with a recognition of the cultural and ecclesiastical contexts for preaching, the book moves to a consideration of the future of preaching by looking at such fundamentals of homiletics [the study of preaching] as: the theology of preaching, using the Bible, pulpit language, the form of sermons and the preacher's spiritual life. This is followed by views of the practice of preaching today from widely varying angles: psychology, reaching all ages, news and current events, all-age preaching, and the training of preachers. The book concludes with a provocative Afterword by American Anglican teacher of preaching, David J. Schlafer. (Back cover).