AFRIKAANS: Visuele kommunikasie vorm die basis van ’n prakties-teologiese literatuurstudie, waar ondersoek gedoen word na die invloed van die massamedia en die populêre kunste op die kommunikasie-arbeid van die hedendaagse prediking. Naas die geskrewe en gesproke taal word in die betrokke studie vir ’n nuwe definiëring van taal gepleit: die visuele taal as selfstandige taalkode binne die homiletiek. Visuele taal is meer as blote literêre metafore wat die menslike verbeelding aangryp; eerder is dit die verskuiwing na ’n genre waar beeld as visuele metafoor die gelykwaardige funksie van die woord verrig. Sonder om die woord enigsins na ’n sekondêre posisie uit te skuif, word ’n pleidooi gelewer vir ‘n harmonieuse wisselwerking waar woord en beeld komplementerend op mekaar inwerk. Hierdie visuele taalkode sal in die prediking as legitieme preekstyl naas die oratoriese preekstyl aangeleer moet word, in wat in hierdie studie as visuele prediking bekend sal staan. In visuele prediking, waar beeldende prediking met multi-sensoriese prediking gekombineer word, word die visuele beeld die primêre kommunikasie-eenheid. In die betrokke studie is daar twee fokusse: <ul> <li>’n Prakties-teologiese fundering van hierdie nuwe visuele taal en veral visuele prediking binne ’n visueel-gedrewe konteks. </li> <li>Opstel van prakties-teologiese riglyne vir die implementering van visuele prediking binne die hedendaagse erediens. <bt></li></ul> ENGLISH: Visual communication forms the basis of a practical-theological literature study, where the influence of the mass media and the popular arts on the communication toil of present-day preaching is investigated. Alongside of the written and spoken language, this study is a plea for the new defining of language: the visual language as an independent language code within homiletics. Visual language is more than only literary metaphors which grips the human imagination; rather it is the shift to a genre where image as a visual metaphor performs an equally similar task to the word. Without moving the word to a secondary position, an argument is made for a harmonious interplay where word and image can work complementary to each other. This visual language code should be learned as a legitimate style of preaching besides the oratorical preaching style, which will be known in this study as visual preaching. In visual preaching, where image preaching and multi-sensory preaching are combined, the visual image will become the primary communication unit. In this study there are two focuses: <ul> <li>A Practical-theological foundation of this new visual language and especially visual preaching within a visual-driven context. </li> <li>A composition of practical-theological guidelines for the implementing of visual preaching within the present-day church service. <br></li></ul> Regarding the first focus of the study, theological reflection surrounding the understanding of the second commandment with regards to image within the liturgy and especially homiletics, as well as the dualistic perspective of the church in the past is done, while a theology of incarnation, creation, ‘Imago Dei’ and the Word is established in order to create a solid basis for visual preaching. Combined herewith, there is also a look at the influence of the visual media and communication on the visual generation, namely Generation X, Y and Z, with specific focus on the postmodern context in which these three generations function. Following this, a new practical-theological perspective on the human imagination, human emotion, human creativity, the visual narrator, transcendence, participation, multi-sensory communication and visual presentation opens the way for effective visual preaching. Regarding the second focus of the study, five categories surrounding visual images can be distinguished: graphic images – pictures, statues, artistic designs and photos; optical images – mirror images and light projections; perceptual images – sensory data, theatre props, illustrative aids; imaginary images – dreams, memories, ideas and imagination; verbal images – metaphors, analogies and narratives. For the purpose of this study the focus is mainly on the first category: graphic and visual images, also including visual presentations as it pertains to the performing arts like drama, dance and mime, as well as the usage of visual illustrations. In conclusion, practical guidelines accompanied by concrete sermons within the three categories of visual preaching as it is suggested in this study, namely the visual image sermon, which concentrates on visual images on a flat surface or screen, the visual presentation sermon, which accomodates visual methaphores as it is presented by the visual arts and illustrations on a stage in the liturgical area, and the visual imagination sermon, which interacts with the human imagination by the use of visual methaphorical language, are submitted. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Practical Theology / unrestricted