DESCRIPTION: How can we come to better understandings of ourselves as preachers and the patterns of handling the biblical texts that we have (perhaps unwittingly) fallen into? One way is by being held accountable to those historical voices that have helped shape the homiletical tradition not only through their own preaching, but also through their explicit reflection/instruction on the function and nature of the sermon and the preaching event. Both St. Augustine and Karl Barth are held dear in many circles of Western Christianity. But their approaches to preaching are radically different. This course will use these two shapers of the homiletical tradition as a sort of foil for ourselves by exploring what may be their encouragements and critiques of the student's own preaching.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: The spoken word remains an essential means of communicating the gospel of Jesus Christ. Preaching is an essential element in the ministry of the church; and skill in preaching is expected of the great majority of those called to pastoral positions, as well as of evangelists and many other servants of Christ.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Goals for this practicum include (1) that students would grow in their understanding of their own assumptions in sermon preparation and delivery; (2) that they might increase their skills in framing content in a coherent and deliberate way; (3) that they might improve their delivery skills; and (4) that they might gain acuity in evaluating both their own preaching and that of others in light of both their own experience as preacher/hearer and their understanding of historical homiletical traditions.

COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet twice weekly for four-hour sessions for five weeks. Students will prepare and deliver sermons for feedback, discussion, and self-evaluation. They will also be responsible for reading material, reflective writing, and a final sermon project in which students prepare and deliver a sermon as a group. PLEASE NOTE: Class attendance is mandatory. If the class is over-subscribed, the first two persons on the waiting list should attend the first class session.

REQUIRED READING:

Augustine. On Christian Teaching. Oxford University Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780199540631. Publisher's price: $12.95.

Augustine. Selected sermons from online Church Fathers resources.

Barth, Karl. Homiletics. Westminster John Knox, 1991. ISBN: 9780664251581. Publisher's price: $30.00.

Willimon, William, ed. The Early Preaching of Karl Barth. Westminster John Knox, 2009. ISBN: 9780664233679. Publisher's price: $25.00.

In addition, students will be responsible for exegetical reading relating to the texts to be preached upon.

1. Two sermons preached during the term, with outlines, exegetical notes, and indication of the commentaries and other sources consulted submitted in writing.

2. Two 3-5 page written sermon evaluations. Each student will write an evaluation/critique of their two sermons, one from an Augustinian perspective and another from a Barthian perspective. Written assignments should reflect the careful reading and comprehension of required texts.

3. Delivery of a revamped/rewritten example of one of the student's two sermons from either an Augustinian or Barthian homiletical perspective.

4. A final group sermon project in which students will collectively work on and deliver a sort of "dueling sermon" representing the same biblical text preached back and forth from the two homiletical traditions focused on in class.

5. Regular class attendance, preparation for class, and participation in discussions are required. Students who miss more than two class meetings will not receive a passing grade.