Homiletical Theology

Karl Barth famously argued that all theology is sermon preparation. But what if all sermon preparation is actually theology? This book pursues a thoroughgoing theological vision for the practice of preaching as a way of doing theology. The idea is not just that homiletics is the realm of theological application. That would leave preaching in the position of simply implementing a theology already arrived at. Instead, the vision in these pages is of a form of theology that begins with preaching itself: its practice, its theories, and its contexts. Homiletical theology is thus a unique way of doing theology--even a constructive theological task in its own right. Homiletician David Schnasa Jacobsen has assembled several of the leading lights of contemporary homiletics to help to see its task ever more deeply as theological, yet in profoundly diverse ways. Along the way, readers will not only discover how homileticians do theology homiletically, but will deepen the way in which they understand their own preaching as a theological task.

""With Jacobsen's unfolding vision of the preparation and practices that the sermon event encompasses, our eyes peer into the many theological challenges and practical wisdom of honed preaching methods and discernment. Thriving between the work of constructive and practical theology, Jacobsen has gathered a handful of prominent homiletics scholars to explore the enterprise of preaching as doing theology that is conversation praxis at its own theological roots. And we learn profoundly from their doing!""
--Dale P. Andrews, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

""This book is an invitation to the feast of open-ended, rich theological discourse on homiletics, prepared by seven lead homileticians, with their brilliant theological and homiletical insights. Finally comes this volume, long overdue, an invaluable resource for understanding the theological identity of homiletics from multiple angles. Creative and thought-provoking approaches to understanding homiletical theology, such as the integration of preaching and liturgy, make this book a must for teaching and learning about homiletics.""
--Eunjoo Mary Kim, Iliff School of Theology, Denver, CO

""In this important book, an all-star cast of homileticians explores a bold claim: preaching does not simply consume or use theology; preaching does theology in its own provisional, conversational mode. From diverse perspectives, the authors examine the constructive, practical, and methodological aspects of a homiletical theology. Along the way, they invite us to new perspectives on the nature of both theology and preaching.""
--Charles L. Campbell, Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC


David Schnasa Jacobsen is Professor of the Practice of Homiletics and Director of the Homiletical Theology Project at Boston University School of Theology, where he leads the PhD concentration in homiletics for BU's program in practical theology. He is the author of Preaching in the New Creation: The ...