Winter 2010/Pasadena
PR500
Schmit/Labberton
PR500: HOMILETICS. Clayton J. Schmit and Mark Labberton.
DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to give a general introduction to the
theology of preaching and to the art and craft of sermon design and delivery.
The person of the preacher, the nature of preaching, and principles of sermon
construction will be discussed.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: The spoken witness to the gospel of Jesus
Christ has always been a primary means of communicating the faith. It continues
to be a powerful tool for planting, teaching, and nurturing faith in Christ.
Biblical preaching is the principal public form of this witness, and skill in
biblical interpretation, sermon preparation, and proclamation is expected of
those who are called to serve as ministers of the gospel.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: The course seeks the following goals for each student:
Cognitive: theoretical knowledge relating to theology of preaching, sermon
design, and delivery; Affective: deepened appreciation for the
dialogical quality of preaching and the needs of the listener in the preaching
process; Skills: capacity to craft a sermon that engages the biblical
text, the context of the audience, theological issues, and the hearts and minds
of listeners; and to deliver it meaningfully.
COURSE FORMAT: The course will meet weekly for two-hour sessions and has both
lecture and practicum components. The practica are small groups of students led
by teaching assistants under the direction of the professors. In these groups
students will preach two sermons (both recorded), on which they will receive
feedback from group members and the teaching assistant. Each student will
receive personal feedback by the professors on one of the two preached
sermons.
REQUIRED READING:
- Allen, Ronald, ed. Patterns of Preaching. Chalice, 1998.
(Selected portions.)
- Barth, Karl. Homiletic. Westminster/John Knox, 1991.
- OR Lischer, Richard. A Theology of
Preaching. Parthenon/Labyrinth, 1992.
- Long, Thomas G. The Witness of Preaching. Westminster/John
Knox, 1989.
- Taylor, Barbara Brown. Bread of Angels. Cowley, 1997. (Selected
portions.)
- Course Reader: Multicultural Preaching.
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Black, Kathy. A Healing Homiletic. Abingdon, 1996.
- Buttrick, David. Homiletic. Fortress, 1987.
- Craddock, Fred B. Preaching. Abingdon, 1985.
- LaRue, Cleophas J., ed. Power in the Pulpit: How America's Most
Effective Black Preachers Prepare Their Sermons. Westminster/John Knox,
2003.
- Long, Thomas and Cornelius Plantinga. A Chorus of Witnesses.
Eerdmans, 1994. (Selected portions.)
- Norén, Carol. The Woman in the Pulpit. Abingdon, 1992.
- Rutledge, Fleming. The Bible and the New York Times. Eerdmans,
1999.
- Spurgeon, Charles. Lectures to My Students. 2nd ed. Zondervan,
1979.
- Wilson, Paul Scott. The Practice of Preaching. Rev. ed. Abingdon,
2007.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: Preparation and preaching of two sermons,
including submission of exegetical notes and manuscript for each. Attention to
all assigned texts and listening to online materials. Several brief written
exercises, including evaluations of written and live sermons. Grade will be
based on written assignments and exegetical notes. Because the sermons in this
class are presumed to be among the student's first sermons, they will simply be
graded pass/fail. Though not graded as to form, content, or presentation, they
will be carefully evaluated and discussed in class and with the professors.
Attendance at the practicum groups is mandatory, and grade may be reduced for
absences not excused.
PREREQUISITES: NE502.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Preaching and
Communication (MIN2) and the Communication (COMM) requirement in MA
programs.
This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (11/09)