Winter 2015/Pasadena

PR500

Gordon

PR500: HOMILETICS (4 Units: 160 hours). Carolyn L. Gordon.

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

LEARNING OUTCOMES: The course seeks the following goals for each student: (1) Cognitive: theoretical knowledge relating to theology of preaching, sermon design, and delivery; (2) Affective: deepened appreciation for the dialogical quality of preaching and the needs of the listener in the preaching process; (3) 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; and (4) Worship and Context: will explore the relationship between the reading and the preaching of God’s word in worship in its various contexts.

COURSE FORMAT: This course will meet twice weekly for two-hour sessions for a total of 40 instructional hours. The course has both lecture and practicum components. The practica are small groups of students led by the professor (or teaching assistants under the direction of the professor if enrollment warrants). In these groups students will preach a minimum of two sermons (both recorded), on which they receive feedback from group members and professor (or the teaching assistant). Students will be required to preach an additional sermon outside the classroom during the course period. Each student will have the opportunity to receive personal feedback on one of the two preached sermons, if not both.

REQUIRED READING: Approx. 812 pp. of required reading

Allen, Ronald, ed. Patterns of Preaching. Chalice, 1998. ISBN: 978-0827229532, Pub. Price $26.99 [264 pp. assigned].

Long, Thomas G. The Witness of Preaching. 2nd ed. Westminster/John Knox, 2005. ISBN: 978-0664229436, Pub. Price $24.95 [240 pp.].

Massey, James E. Designing the Sermon: Order and Movement in Preaching. Abingdon, 1980. ISBN: 978-0687104901, Pub. Price $17.00 [128 pp.].

Choose ONE of the four texts below:

Childers, Jana, ed. Birthing the Sermon: Women Preachers on the Creative Process. Chalice, 2001. ISBN: 978-0827202306, Pub. Price $26.99 [220 pp.].

Gonzalez, J. L., and P. A. Jimenez. Pulpito: An Introduction to Hispanic Preaching. Abingdon, 2005. ISBN: 978-0687088508, Pub. Price $20.00 [152 pp.].

Kim, Eunjoo Mary. Preaching the Presence of God: A Homiletic from an Asian American Perspective. Judson Press, 1999. ISBN: 978-0817013035, Pub. Price $12.00 [160 pp.].

LaRue, Cleophas J., ed. Power in the Pulpit: How America’s Most Effective Black Preachers Prepare Their Sermons. Westminster/John Knox, 2003. ISBN: 978-0664224813, Pub. Price $20.00 [191 pp.].

RECOMMENDED READING: The syllabus will include a list of recommended readings.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. 812 pages of required reading. [40 hours].

2. Student will select one book and write a three-page reflection paper (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 3] [9 hours].

3. Preparation and preaching a minimum of three sermons (45%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, 4]. [54 hours]. All sermons will be graded for content and presentation. Two sermons will be delivered in the lab and carefully evaluated and discussed in the student’s lab groups. Students will preach one sermon outside the classroom in a worship setting different from their own.

4. Submission of an exegetical journal and manuscript for each sermon (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1] [These hours are included in the preparation and preaching of sermons.]

5. Students will attend one worship service (outside of their own) and write a critical review of the sermon preached and the sermon’s relationship to the larger worship context. (5%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #4] [5 hours].

6. Attendance at the practicum groups is mandatory, and grade may be reduced for absences not excused (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2] [The hours are included in classroom hours calculations].

7. Students will write a five-page paper of their theology and philosophy of preaching (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1.] [5 hours].

8. Students will compose a sermon using assigned format based on an exegetical paper written in NE502. (5%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1] [5 hours].

9. FINAL Exam: Students will participate in a final preaching celebration. (5%) [2 hours].

PREREQUISITES: NE502.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets the Homiletics requirement in the 120 MDiv Program. Meets the 144 MDiv core requirement in Preaching and Communication (MIN2) and the Communication (COMM) requirement in MA Programs.

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.