Search Results (142)

This article examines the epistemological and homiletical implications of postmodernity for Christian preaching. It addresses the communicative crisis introduced by postmodern skepticism toward metanarratives. It proposes a constructive theological response through the re-articulation of the gospel as a coherent, storied, and transformative metanarrative. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship in theology, homiletics, epistemology, and cultural theory, this study argues that a thoughtful engagement with postmodern critique can serve as a catalytic force for ecclesial renewal. The article advocates for a homiletic method that re-engages Scripture’s narrative form while emphasizing relational epistemology, incarnational witness, and contextual sensitivity. By utilizing narrative theology, post-critical epistemologies, and performative models of preaching, this study proposes a recalibrated approach to gospel proclamation, adapted for fragmented and skeptical audiences, while safeguarding theological orthodoxy. Full article

This article examines Asterius of Amaseia’s Homily 4 on the Kalends of January and compares it with the works of Libanius and John Chrysostom on the same subject. Preached in January 400, Asterius’ sermon takes a distinctive approach, focusing less on condemning pagan aspects and more on criticising immoral behaviour during the festival. The bishop emphasises the economic and non-inclusive nature of the celebration, directly refuting Libanius’ eulogy. Asterius portrays the Kalends as a source of social division and violence, in contrast to Libanius’ portrayal of shared joy. This article suggests that Asterius’ polemic reflects a social conflict rather than a pagan–Christian opposition, presenting the Kalends as a moral problem threatening society, particularly through the corruption of its leaders. Full article

Proclamation of the gospel is a perennial practice of congregational leadership demanding responsiveness to issues, trends, and events impacting congregations, their local and regional communities, and the challenges of the world. How do congregational leaders equip themselves for the important and ever-changing task of preaching? Lifelong learning, the fastest-growing and least-resourced aspect of theological education in North America, provides this opportunity. Through a 2024 survey, this quantitative study provides insight into the lifelong learning needs of Methodist preachers, including differences based on gender and race/ethnicity. Time for additional learning is the major perceived obstacle for preachers desiring to improve their craft. Thus, lifelong learning programs must make the case for how the required time and energy will benefit the preacher participating in such programs. Specifically, the activities of reviewing recordings of sermons (both one’s own and those of other preachers), receiving constructive feedback on sermons, and realizing the collaborative potential of preaching must be structured in ways that prove the value of these investments for preachers. This data on the lifelong learning needs of Methodist preachers has implications on multiple levels: conceptual, institutional, congregational, and personal. Full article

Opening the debate today about the original aims of the caliphate system and the importance of the relationship between religion and politics in the Islamic tradition might look outdated or fundamentalist in a negative sense. Effectively, in today’s global imaginary, such topics are mostly related to groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS; however, the original sense of the Islamic political system has little to do with what these groups preach and do. This article aims to highlight that the real raison d’être of the relationship between religion and politics in Islam is none other than the desire and will of a believer to seek true knowledge and live according to it. This search for true knowledge where religion and politics meet is also a place where all spiritualities might find themselves together in a genuine search for the truth. Full article

There is an ongoing debate about whether Christian theology has had positive or negative effects on the natural environment. Included in this debate is the role of Christian missions acting in colonial environments. This article investigates the relationship between Protestant agricultural missions and their environments, using the documents of the first World Missionary Conference (Edinburgh 1910) and the third World Missionary Conference (Tambaram 1938), as well as several related documents. Although the history of agricultural missions can be backtracked into the 19th century, they were not regarded as an independent branch of missions until the early twentieth century. In 1910, neither the home boards of Protestant missions nor the older generation of missionaries had any vision for agricultural missions, and traditional culture—including agriculture—was seen as superstitious and full of heathen beliefs. However, agricultural missions developed rapidly in the decades between Edinburgh and Tambaram and broadened into rural missions due to a change in vision. The deplorable rural areas of the younger Christian churches called for ‘rural reconstruction’, and rural missions were welcomed as the most important agents to undertake this challenge. The environment of the church and countryside was enlarged and, by 1938, included economic and social environments, known as the fourth dimension of the church and missions after preaching, education, and medical care. Full article

The aim of the paper will be to examine how Pope Alexander VI used liturgy to underscore his dignity as the vicar of Christ. During the pontificate of Rodrigo Borgia—and indeed throughout the 15th century—papal authority faced ongoing challenges, such as appeals to council, Savonarola’s preaching, and political conflicts with Charles VIII of France. In this context, the concept of the vicariate of Christ served as a crucial justification for the pope’s preeminent position within the Church. The unique bond between Christ and the pope was emphasized through various rites, including the opening of the Holy Door. In its first part, the paper will explore several examples of how Alexander VI portrayed himself as the vicar of Christ. This self-representation was conveyed not only through ceremonies, such as the possesso procession marking the inauguration of his pontificate, but also through artistic representations commissioned at various locations. Subsequently, the study will demonstrate that the opening of the Holy Door during the Jubilee of 1500 was carefully designed to highlight the Christological dimension of papal primacy. Although previous scholarship has addressed aspects of this rite, its political significance has largely been overlooked. By drawing on a variety of sources, this paper will trace the genesis and meaning of the ceremony, which was meticulously shaped by Alexander VI. Full article

This paper will explore the background of how the first-century cult of Artemis was central to the economy of Ephesus, and subsequently, how Paul’s preaching of the gospel caused an economic disruption during his visit to the city, as narrated in Acts 19:21–41. The goal will be to show how theology and economics are interrelated and, as a result, establish the proper domain for advancing human flourishing in our modern society. The lens through which this paper is seeking to understand economics is through what is known as substantivism over and against formalism, or an empirical-based approach against a deductive–abstract methodology. The substantivist position is undertaken here primarily to explain how economic life is embedded in non-economic structures (here, the cult of Artemis). Full article

This study proposes multicultural preaching across generations as a means of effective preaching in the time of the Great Dechurching. Young generations, represented by Millennials and Generation Z, are the least religious of all age groups, showing the strongest intention to leave the church. The author argues that the failure to form a Christian identity, rather than the church’s failure to adapt culturally, is the main cause of the Great Dechurching among young generations and that preaching to a generation-segregated congregation, tailored to a target generation, contributes to the failure of forming a Christian identity, as it obstructs the sharing of faith experiences intergenerationally. Based on empirical evidence from multiple surveys, I demonstrate that preaching is influential in the dechurching of young generations, and that the faith gap across generations, rather than the cultural gap, contributes to the dechurching of young generations. Then, by analyzing preaching models in relation to generation, the author points out the problems in generation-blind and -separated preaching and suggests multicultural preaching across generations as a desirable homiletical model for overcoming the dechurching of young generations by formulating a Christian identity through intergenerational conversations around faith. I describe this as conversational preaching that seeks mutual listening and learning based on equal and reciprocal relationships across generations, as well as the recognition of cultural differences across generations. Full article

In contemporary New Testament studies, the question of whether Paul employed Greco-Roman rhetoric in his writings and preaching remains contentious. A prominent critic of Paul’s rhetorical usage is Duane Litfin, whose works, St. Paul’s Theology of Proclamation: 1 Corinthians 1–4 and Greco-Roman Rhetoric (1994) and Paul’s Theology of Preaching: The Apostle’s Challenge to the Art of Persuasion in Ancient Corinth (2015), argue that Paul outright rejected rhetoric in favor of a straightforward proclamation of the gospel. Litfin asserts that Paul viewed himself as a herald rather than a rhetorician, that his preaching was devoid of rhetorical adornment, and that 1 Corinthians 1:18–2:5 represents a universal theology of preaching. Litfin further suggests that Paul did not employ rhetoric in his Acts sermons, thereby aligning his epistolary and Acts portrayals of Paul. This article critically evaluates Litfin’s position by addressing five key issues. First, it challenges Litfin’s claim that Paul rejected rhetoric generally, arguing instead that Paul likely repudiated sophistic rhetoric or ornate styles rather than rhetoric per se. Second, it disputes Litfin’s dichotomy between heralds and orators, contending that Paul, identified as an apostle rather than a herald, was not bound by such a false binary. Third, it critiques Litfin’s assumption that 1 Corinthians 1–4 serves as Paul’s comprehensive theology of preaching, arguing instead that the passage is context-specific and not indicative of a universal preaching methodology. Fourth, it rejects Litfin’s view of 1 Corinthians as an apology for Paul’s ministry and style, suggesting instead that it addresses Corinthian divisions and promotes unity. Lastly, the article refutes Litfin’s claim that Paul did not use rhetoric in Acts, highlighting that the rhetorical nature of Acts’ speeches suggests otherwise. Ultimately, this article argues that Paul did not categorically reject rhetoric but utilized it in various forms to effectively communicate the gospel. Full article

The biblical episode of the encounter between Moses and the Pharaoh turned out to be a matrix of speculations in Judaism about the messianic drama. Nahmanides contributed to it in his dispute with Paulus Christianus by assuming that the Messiah will go to the Pope as part of the messianic scenario. Some few decades later, the Kabbalist Abraham Abulafia (1240—c.1292) reports about his intention to meet the Pope in 1280. Scholars differed as to what was the purpose of this intention. The present study considers a series of passages written by the Kabbalist, which include inclusive language insofar as he was addressing not only the Jews but also other religions, in order to elucidate the succinct sentence found in one of his writings. In my opinion, those passages are related to his inclusive vision of the meaning of Yahadut, referring to religious persons who acknowledge the centrality of the divine name, and consequentially, Abulafia was concerned with some form of religious dialogue with the Pope. This more open tone is found in the claim that as a Messiah, Abulafia preached to the Gentiles and discussed esoteric topics with a Christian. Full article

Cognitive warfare is a matter of concern due to its impact on people’s minds and decision-making. The manifestation of wars and the deliberate attempts of nations to use AI technologies to their advantage in outsmarting people’s minds cannot be ignored from a homiletical perspective. This article argues that AI (Artificial Intelligence), GAI (Generative Artificial Intelligence), and ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) offer tremendous possibilities to enhance interplay with humans. Viewed through the lenses of philosophy and ethics, it becomes evident that people providing AI technologies with data engage with technology from an intrinsic worldview. The provision of information and decision-making through AI technologies prompts us to consider people’s reasoning and responsibility. The harmful consequences of killer robots and the use of facial recognition to reach human targets raise deep ethical questions. The author contends that listeners to sermons are exposed to the age of homo digitalis and are tasked with making sense of what is happening in the world. When homiletical praxeology remains silent on the injustices and undignified practices of cognitive warfare and drone use, without proclaiming the values of the gospel and the Kingdom, listeners become reliant on alternative sources of information. In the normative section of this article, the importance of demolishing arguments and pretensions that oppose the knowledge of God and taking every thought captive to make it obedient to God’s will is emphasised. The article concludes with a call for homiletics to engage with AI technologies rather than ignore them. By utilising technological advantages without undermining the paramount value of preaching within the unique contexts of faith communities, listeners may become more open to the gospel and experience transformation in their minds, particularly regarding warfare. Full article

This article embarks on a profound theological journey through the sacred Scriptures, illuminating Jesus Christ as the central figure of the entire biblical narrative. It posits that the ultimate purpose of preaching, emphasized in this discourse, is the radiant glory of God in Christ, reflected in the joyful submission of His creation. Through meticulous exploration, this article reveals the crucial need to restore the authority of the Gospel, highlighting the pivotal role of Christ-centered preaching in deepening our understanding of God’s redemptive design. At the outset, this article conveys the significance of approaching Scripture with an unwavering commitment to discover Christ within its pages. The preacher’s quest to find Jesus in every text becomes a theological mandate, especially when engaging with the Old Testament, where Christ’s presence may seem less evident. The article asserts that sermon preparation should consistently center around some aspect of the person and work of Christ, ultimately leading to the presentation of the Gospel—a proclamation of Jesus Christ’s incarnation, life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. Full article

This article explores the symbiotic relationship between the theology of play and preaching in diverse cultural contexts. Through a comprehensive examination of the nature of play from various scholarly perspectives, it serves as a bridge connecting individuals across varied cultural backgrounds. Delving into the theological foundations of play and its integration into preaching practices, this article articulates its transformative potential in multicultural congregations. The article also examines practical strategies to infuse a playful dimension into sermons, encompassing both their outward structure and internal content. Through exemplifying instances of playful preaching in multicultural contexts, this paper illustrates how incorporating play can significantly enhance the effectiveness of sermons. Addressing challenges linked to this approach, the discussion underscores the paramount importance of multicultural sensitivity. The article advocates for an inclusive preaching style that not only acknowledges but also celebrates the diversity present within congregations during the event of preaching. By framing preaching as a manifestation of play and incorporating the defining characteristics of play into sermons, the article prompts thoughtful reflection on the evolving role and function of preaching in multicultural contexts. Consequently, this will prompt preachers to reassess their roles and purposes within culturally diverse congregational settings. Furthermore, this article presents the collaborative nature of preaching, where both preacher and congregation actively engage in shaping meaning together, as creating a playful pulpit that fosters an interactive and transformative preaching experience. Full article

In the early nineteenth century, the London Missionary Society (LMS) established missionary outposts and printing presses in Southeast Asia, publishing a number of scientific periodicals and books, which subsequently informed the preaching policy on the Chinese mainland. The motivation and discursive strategies of the LMS’s dissemination of scientific knowledge in Southeast Asia are worthy of in-depth investigation. This study employs the socio-cognitive discourse analysis approach to investigate the mental model and discursive strategies of LMS’s two representative scientific publications in Southeast Asia, namely the Chinese Monthly Magazine and Memoir of Things Seen and Heard by Travelling West around the World, thus providing insights into the rationale behind the scientific discourse of Protestant missionaries in nineteenth-century China. It is found that the scientific discourse of the LMS in Southeast Asia was to modify the comprehension of world formation held by local Chinese migrants, thereby influencing their perception of European scientific strength and Christian belief. This study is an interdisciplinary investigation of Protestant history in Southeast Asia, and the methodology of critical discourse analysis offers a new way of explaining history, which complements the conventional historical analysis. Full article