How can we preach on current political and social issues without simply adding Christ’s name to a political philosophy? More precisely, how can those who claim the heritage of Luther and the early Reformation do this? Luther withdrew from advocacy for the poor around 1525, and central parts of his theology (and the tradition that bears his name) emerged only after this withdrawal. This article argues that Luther’s theology of preaching, which conceived of proclamation as part of the Trinitarian economy, provides a doctrinally sound method for preaching on matters of social justice. After establishing the early Luther’s record on advocacy founded in the commandment to love neighbor and assessing reasons for Luther’s about face on poor relief in 1525, the article examines Luther’s understanding of preaching as “perichoretic,” part of the movement of the Trinity. As such, preaching joins in God’s mission to move people to acts of love of neighbor, sometimes acts that constitute great personal or material risk.

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This paper examines a new English translation of John Calvin’s sermon on Micah 2:1 by the author, and it explores the sermon’s themes of justice and equity within Calvin’s historical context of Geneva in 1550. An exploration of homiletical influences on the sermon includes consideration of Calvin’s development of “plain sense” preaching. “Plain sense” preaching in Calvin’s writing denotes a rhetorical and exegetical style that draws upon his careful study of John Chrysostom’s sermons, and his attempt in his French-language 1541 Institutes to relate covenant theology to preaching of Old Testament texts. The judgments of the prophet Micah demand the same repentance from ancient Israel, sixteenth-century Geneva, and even contemporary hearers. The paper concludes with reflection on how Calvin’s “plain sense” preaching speaks to matters of justice with respect to mistreatment of immigrants and refugees in a contemporary North American context.

The purpose of this article is to put forward a new paradigm for understanding the preaching event and what the overall purpose of preaching should be in a post-Christian context. It will first examine traditional sermon structures that facilitate preaching as a “performed event.” This then segues into discussing the author’s understanding of the functions of preaching (Instruction/Reflection/Application/Transformation), offering summaries of sample sermons for each function. The article concludes with an argument for why a new definition of preaching is needed, seeing preaching as a momentary encounter that leads to spiritual transformation over time.

Editorial i Preaching During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Africa Marileen Steyn, Cas Wepener and Hennie Pieterse 1 Prediking ten tyde van die COVID-19-pandemie Marileen Steyn, Cas Wepener and Hennie Pieterse 21 Awakening to Judaism and Jews in Christian Preaching Ellen T. Charry 41 Light Art, Street Art, and the Art of Preaching David M. Csinos 74 Preaching in a Post-Truth Era HyeRan Kim-Cragg 88 Neuroscience and Homiletics in Dialogue Klaus A. Stange 103 Neurociência e Homilética em diálogo Klaus A. Stange 121 Homiletical Squib Alexander Deeg 140

Preachers rightly fret about getting from text to sermon, but their commission is to go preach the gospel. While homiletical theology generally is focused on seeing preaching as a theological task focused on the “gospel in context,” confessional homiletical theology, as a particular type, considers preaching to be a theological enterprise centered on the gospel and brought into critical dialogue with texts, contexts, and situations. Consistent with the position of André Resner, who argues preachers start this dialogue from a “working gospel,” this article explores how this confessional, working gospel as theological habitus then dialogues critically with texts, contexts and situations reflectively and critically so the gospel might be heard for the life of the church and for the sake of the world that God so loves.

This article proposes that the Korean Protestant Church, which has lost its dynamism and is declining, needs a theological reformation. Greatly influenced by Puritan theology, Korean Protestantism has deteriorated into a largely individualistic and consumerist faith. Its credibility has collapsed as it pursued power and turned away from the other. This article identifies Evagrius’ negative theology as a promising theological corrective for the Korean Protestant church. Evagrius’ mystical theology remains largely unknown but his ethical and devotional moral vision provides a viable model for the Korean Protestant Church, which stands at a crossroad today.

This article proposes that the Korean Protestant Church, which has lost its dynamism and is declining, needs a theological reformation. Greatly influenced by Puritan theology, Korean Protestantism has deteriorated into a largely individualistic and consumerist faith. Its credibility has collapsed as it pursued power and turned away from the other. This article identifies Evagrius’ negative theology as a promising theological corrective for the Korean Protestant church. Evagrius’ mystical theology remains largely unknown but his ethical and devotional moral vision provides a viable model for the Korean Protestant Church, which stands at a crossroad today. / 성장의 활력을 잃고 쇠퇴하는 한국개신교회에 필요한 것은 신학의 전환이다. 한국개신교회는 신학적으로는 청교도신학의 영향을 크게 받았지만 그 기저에는 개인주의적이고 소비주의적인 성향이 강했다. 욕망을 추구해서 힘을 지향하고, 타자를 배척한 결과 신뢰도는 크게 추락했다. 한국개신교의 갱생의 방안 중 에바그리오스의 부정신학적인 요소를 도입해서 욕망과 분노를 억제하고 평정을 추구하며 관계를 회복하고 이성중심에서 실천중심 교회로 전환하는 것과 이를 위한 설교가 필요하다. 에바그리오스의 신비신학은 한국개신교회에 생소하지만 전환기에 적합한 도덕적 신앙적 대안이다.

Preaching is a daring undertaking. Whether through music, sermons, reading scripture, or personal conversation, speaking of God is an interpretive act. One never quite knows how what one plays, says, writes, or depicts is received. The distance between minds is vast. And given that every set of eyes may read the same words differently and each set of ears hear each interpretive utterance differently, hoping to communicate meaningfully with those watching and listening is nothing short of audacious. Among these challenges, one of the most delicate is preaching on Judaism and Jews. Yet Christians cannot avoid it. Judaism and Christianity are one another’s nemeses. Some biblical texts lend themselves to anti-Jewish attitudes and stereotypes that may be unrecognized so deep is Christian contempt for Jews and Judaism. This paper offers suggestions for avoiding anti-Jewish preaching. To do that effectively it will be necessary to awaken a sensibility to the concern that pervades and penetrates Christian thought. That requires slogging through some “unprettiness.” The paper first illustrates anti-Jewish preaching by interrogating a popular text, Luke’s story of the Pharisee and the tax collector. It then briefly considers Christian hymns and sacred choral music and then focuses on four sermons: The Letter to the Hebrews, Melito of Sardis’s On Passover, Augustine’s sermon 122 on John 1:48-51, and a recent sermon on Galatians 3:23-29. It concludes with suggestions for preachers, musicians and congregations and includes guidelines for preaching on Jews and Judaism and a bibliography for further study.

“A time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Eccl 3:7b) Preaching and keeping silent in times of the COVID19-pandemic