Thomas G. Long's "Witness of Preaching" and homiletic theology

Witness of Preaching by Thomas G. Long Note: the book is based on the idea that ministers and preachers are called from within the church instead of being sent to it from the outside world. Based on this, the entire books provides insights to not just pastors but also seminary students on how they can prepare their speeches to influence their gathering on the omnipresence of God and all his glory for not just the community but also the world. The book is written in a simple and easy language structure so as to appeal to all the pastors and students inclined to learn the ways that they can preach more effectively.

The 'Witness of Preaching' is an important book in the domain of insightful religious interpretation and has been published in two editions, the first releasing in 1989 followed by a more thorough revision in 1995. The second edition of the classic text of 'witness of preaching' is far more thorough, inspiring and assisting in the realm of religious discussion then the first edition released more than half a decade ago. The most obvious improvement in the second edition was the language structure used as it was far more open towards all classes of pastors and seminary students. Long focused specifically on certain chapters like the one on biblical exegesis, giving it more depth and dynamics. He has added quite a few examples of various documented versions of popular texts as well as numerous illustrations and models of sermon formats and deductions. Homiletics is an area that Long continues to explore and intertwine throughout the book, he updates the works and viewpoints of the important scholars mentioned in the first edition in the revision released in 1995 as well as the incorporates the role of new technology like the use of videos and PowerPoint in the delivery of sermons and speeches.

The common theme between both editions was Long's use of the theological perceptions of the role of witnesses documented in the Gospel. He uses these perceptions to design and lead every angle in the structure of all the sermons whether it be something intricate like the interpretation of the biblical text or something dynamic like the mannerisms and transference of the sermon. The text below is an excerpt taken from the first edition of the book that exemplifies how the book can provide insight and guidance to any and all pastors -- the experts as well as the novices:

"...whenever we include a 'slice of life' in a sermon, we are making implicit theological claims whether we know it or not. By the kinds of experiences and images we choose to employ in sermons, we are forming, implicitly or explicitly, specific connections between the nature of contemporary life and the character of the gospel. A sentimental sermon story, for example, implies that the gospel itself is sentimental. A sermon full of experiences evolving only clergy telegraphs the message that real faith is reserved for the ordained. Or suppose that a preacher decides to relate in a sermon several stories of people who learned to trust God in the midst of difficult and painful circumstances. If this preacher is honest about these experiences, the accounts will include some of the ambiguity and unresolved questions surely present whenever people struggle from suffering toward faith. A truthful relating of the experiences, in other words, carries with it the theological claim that the "yes" of the gospel does not instantly make the "no" of human doubt and struggle disappear. if, on the other hand, the preacher files the rough edges off these experiences and transforms them into stories with simple, happy and purely victorious endings, an unrealistic triumphant picture of the gospel is conveyed, with little room for unfinished suffering and continuing struggle."

Witness of Preaching: Summary

The 'witness of preaching' presents homiletics in a whole new sphere and Long explains that the aspect of homiletics is no longer a mere philosophy of 'applied theology', in fact it is an integral and hugely influential discipline now in the theological spheres. Homiletics has for the longest time been used primarily as the most efficient tool to communicate the theological interpretations and deductions of a biblical text. However, in comparing to the approach taken by St. Paul, Long's approach shows that the concept of homiletics is built around the shortcomings and flaws of the churches that consequently contributes to the foundation of the sermons and preaching styles.

Furthermore, Long in the book emphasizes on how the pastor or the preacher is someone who comes from the community and speaks from within them as opposed to stand above and deliver to them. This allows the sermon to really pierce its message through as it allows the preachers to design and modify their preaching styles in accordance to the needs and structure of the community and the church that they serve. This he makes clear in all his exegetical methods applied in the book.

In summary, if one was to analyze this book the following aspects would become clear:

The preacher can clearly comprehend the purpose of the sermon

The process becomes more lucid

The purpose of the church in the community becomes clear

The status of the preacher becomes more humane and from within the community as opposed to above it

The structure and nature of the church is also highlighted within the structure of the sermons

The relation between the existence of God, the community and the preacher are established using theological aspects

The aspects missing from the book that, if added, could have brought a whole new dimension to the text include the following:

There is no explicit ecclesiology used to support and back the processes and purposes of the sermons highlighted in the book

The one thing strongly lacking in the book was the backup up of all the principles and theories presented with their practical applications

Witness of Preaching: Life, work and Ministry

When reading the 'witness of preaching', I didn't realize that the most influential aspect of the book in my life would be homiletics. Before I delve into how the book influenced me, it is important to define the term -- homiletics. Simply put homiletics is literally translated into a gathering or to gather/assemble together. In the context of theology, homiletics is defined as the implementation of generalized principles and regulations into the more specific circumstances as required in the situation. The practitioners of homiletics are called homilists.

Homiletics has also appeared to be as merely the study of the structure and the transference of a sermon or a religious speech at the church or in a religious gathering. I have also further understood it to be a study of the investigation, categorization, organization, groundwork, training, structure and delivery of the sermons, hence expanding and incorporating a large array of activities from the part of the pastor or preacher. This is why homiletics is such a critical part of the book by Thomas Long. If the sermons loose effect, there will be very limited ways left for the church to instigate communal spirituality. Thomas Long hence gives great importance to not just the practice of homiletics but also its history to give testament to how and why sermons can be of such a huge influence on a community.

In the next few pages I will give a few literary details of how I have perceived homiletics, and the phenomenon of preaching in general, over the course of their history and theology:

Branch of pastoral theology

When looking at the standardized definition accepted of homiletics, it has already been explained that it the domain or department of communication that allows a rhetoric to be used for specified situations. This definition, I realize, was followed very closely all through the 19th century and with good effect, especially when I analyze the works of philosophers like John Broadus. However, on the contrary there are also philosophers like Karl Barth who all through the 19th century have stepped away from this standardized definition and have asserted that homiletics should not be restricted to merely playing the role of rhetoric-structuring. It is only in the 20th century that the real discussion between the association of rhetoric and homiletics really surfaced. It is hence why I feel this book was so insightful for me having grown up in an atmosphere where the relationship between the two factors is still a subject of debate for many religious and philosophical schools.

Managerial structure of preaching

The entire management of preaching rests solely with the bishops that have been appointed. All of the priests only giver sermons if and when sanctioned and permitted by the bishops in charge. What I found astonishing was that even the renowned and established priests like St. Augustine and St. Chrysostom were no exception to this rule -- whenever they preached, they did so with the permission of the respective bishops in charged at the time. This is not to say that the priests had to seek special permission before every preaching session, but the bishops did intervene and keep a check on the subjects being covered. For a non-denominational preacher however the case is very different. While most churches follow a very rigid structure of training and chain of commands, the non-denominational structure allows anyone with a strong background on religion to preach based on a vote-off with other non-denominational preachers in his group. This allows the entire structure of preaching having a very democratic setup and a very liberating structure for homiletics preaching. Long's approach to homiletics can be very adeptly and flexibly followed within a non-denominational setting as it allows a fresh and innovative style of preaching to be used. Since there really is no delegation of authority in the non-denominational structure of preaching, the overall good of the community is what leads the discussion for the content of preaching more so then anything else. Furthermore, the interpretations of the text can be done explicitly for the situations being faced by the community as well. The language structure that was used was again very flexible and the non-denominational preaching is structured so that it never contradicts the teachings of the established church but only presents a fresh and more open approach an interpretation of the text available.

Preaching and Present Day

When we analyze the present day structure of the church and the society, there are clear patterns of the phenomenon of Scholasticism in more than one way -- the different aspects include not just the structure in which we trace Scholasticism in the modern day church but also in the context. In this structure, the modern day sermons can design to be ethical, inflexible, chronological, or liturgical -- there are of course instances when one aspect can dominate another in a sermon.

However belonging to anon denominational structure allows me to really incorporate more flexibility in my sermons. Reading 'Witness of Preaching' by Thomas Long really allowed me to explore the different aspects in the modern society that need to be addressed and cannot be within the rigid structure of the church. Some of the aspects that I have incorporated as a non-denominational pastor after reading the witness of preaching are highlighted below:

The sermons are structured less formally i.e. The environment and ambience is more flexible and friendly structure without having a sense of pastor-audience about it

The sermon can also be in the form of a catechetical format; I personally only resort to this on rare basis

Scholasticism is the most obvious in the society when the sermon is filled with analytical interpretations, separating the divisions and separations that are made in the sermon between one topic and another; I, being a non-denominational pastor rarely use this to separate topics and resort to a more direct and friendlier approach when changing topics

The entire format of the preaching format in the modern non-denominational setup has become more intricate and dynamic. I, myself have come to terms with the fact that merely educational sermons come across as dry and a doctrine more so than an inspiration. And an inspiration is what the generations in the modern era need to really feel spiritually connected to their surroundings, the community as well as connected with their souls

Another aspect that I have noticed in the modern non-denominational sermon especially when I design the sermon I preach is that the sermons very rarely exclude the ethical constituent and aspect within the biblical scripture

When I read the book, the one expression that comes to mind is that it is a nuts-and-bolts book on the various instances when one can have podium or stage or crowd fright especially when dealing with the responsibility of delivering a religious sermon. The book gave me huge insights on how I can shift the focus I have on my stage or crowd fright and channel that positively on the context of the sermon. This was only possible by focusing on how the biblical scripture and its interpretation can be kept engaging, dynamic and modern and how the breaking the entire task down into different friendlier sections can make the entire task far less daunting. This is where I found that Long's approach and choice of process was very flexible and had enough accommodation and adaptability to engage not just the religious non-denominational philosophers but also idealists.

Homiletics has for the longest time been used primarily as the most efficient tool to communicate the interpretations and deductions of a biblical text, especially in a non-denominational setting as it allows the pastor to really explore the innovative aspects of preaching. However, in comparing to the approach taken by St. Paul, Long's approach shows that the concept of homiletics is built around the shortcomings and flaws of the preaching styles that consequently contribute to the foundation of the sermons used by the pastors whether it is in the rigid church setting or the non-denominational format.

The 'witness of preaching' portrays homiletics in a fresh sphere and Long explains that the feature of homiletics is no longer a simple viewpoint of 'applied theology', in fact it is an essential and hugely significant discipline now in all realms of preaching especially the non-denominational format. Furthermore, Long in the book emphasizes on how the pastor or the preacher is someone who comes from the community and speaks from within them as opposed to being a dictator to them on what religious philosophies are. This allows the sermon to really pierce its message through as it allows the preachers to design and modify their preaching styles in accordance to the needs and structure of the community and the non-denominational structure that they serve.

In summary, if one was to analyze this book the following aspects would become clear: The structure and nature of the church or non-denominational institution is also highlighted within the structure of the sermons; the status of the preacher becomes more humane and from within the community as opposed to above it; the relation between the existence of God, the community and the preacher are established using different inspirational aspects; the preacher can clearly comprehend the purpose of the sermon; and, the process becomes more lucid