Sarah Travis

Paul Scott Wilson

Preaching and Trauma-Informed Theology

Unspeakable

It is tempting for preachers in this digital age of plurality and diversity to offer quick sound bites and PowerPoint-style presentations. These tend to invite a yes or no response, as in mathematical equations. But if we are to reach Christians across the theological spectrumandinvite non-Christians to seriously consider our faith, we must take a different approach. What is needed is greater attention to poetry and images meant to communicate the beauty of the faith and the wonder and mystery of God in everyday life. We must communicate the unity of our message of faith, the divine as truth, and justice and healing as expressions of God. Preaching as poetry (theopoetic preaching) allows for the bold imagery of scripture and the gentle invitation of art. Sermons can no longer always be neatly tied up, perfectly linear, with complete answers to every question. In Preaching as Poetry Paul Scott Wilson teaches why this new approach is necessary today, and demonstrates with multiple examples how it works in real sermons. He skillfully guides the reader to incorporate the classical values of beauty, goodness and truth in every sermon, and in ways that connect with congregants and listeners today.

Beauty, Goodness, and Truth in Every Sermon

Preaching as Poetry

How does one preach from the Old Testament? What are the particular needs and challenges of preaching the Good Friday, and then the Easter, sermon? What does one do when he or she wants to address contemporary events? Paul Scott Wilson has long been one of the most significant writers among those who seek a richer and more complete understanding of what preaching is, and how it might be made better. He draws on his broad and deep work in homiletics to show preachers how to craft a variety of types of sermons. Recognizing that all sermons are in some ways broken words, Wilson includes in each chapter an illustrative sermon. Either kind of sermon--the good or the bad--can offer ample opportunities to learn how to be a more effective and faithful preacher of the gospel.

Reflections on the Craft of Preaching

Broken Words

The Abingdon Theological Companion to the Lectionary begins with the conviction that Scripture speaks first and foremost to Christians now. Its message engages Christian belief and action in the present day. While informed by the best in current biblical studies, its commentary on the Scripture passages of the Revised Common Lectionary focuses on the questions of Christian life in the world that church members bring to worship. Each entry is co-written by a theologian and homiletician and seeks to answer the questions, "What does this passage say about the gospel and how does it speak to my encounter with God in Christ and my calling as a Christian in the world?" This volume showcases theological matters that arise from the biblical texts in the lectionary and from the church seasons and special days. This important resource draws upon recent scholarship in various disciplines with a view to enriching the theological contribution of sermons in the years to come.

Preaching Year A

Abingdon Theological Companion to the Lectionary

In the second half of the twentieth century, a profound shift took place in how we think about preaching. We moved away from a vertical focus on the preacher who hands down the authoritative teaching, to more relational, narrative, and conversational models. Yet common to both of these understandings, says Paul Scott Wilson, is the idea that preaching is primarily about teaching, that it mainly conveys information about God.Important as this emphasis on “preaching as teaching” has been, Wilson believes that the time for a new approach has arrived. That new approach, which he names “preaching as proclamation,” has begun to arise from a variety of Euro-American and African American sources. Its primary aim is not to convey information, but to engender an encounter with God’s grace in Christ. More than guiding people to say “Yes, now I understand,” it hopes to lead them to proclaim “I am redeemed; we are saved.” More than telling the gospel story, it renders the gospel’s claim on human lives, leading to conviction of sin, repentance, and transformation. Pulling together the disparate strands of this new homiletical school, Wilson constructs a comprehensive introduction to preaching, focusing on its character as proclamation of the sovereign grace of God.

Putting God at the Center of the Sermon

Setting Words on Fire

Preaching and Homiletical Theory looks at what is new in homiletical theory that can enhance preaching, how preaching can enliven homiletical theory, and how this interdisciplinary conversation can strengthen the practice of ministry.

Paul Scott Wilson

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