Theology of Preaching and Dialectic

Aaron P. Edwards is Lecturer in Theology, Preaching and Mission at Cliff College, UK.

In an age when the power and authority of the preached word is in question and the focus has come to be upon human rhetoric and skill, it is vitally important that we consider once again the work and power of God in the preached word. Edwards’ book calls us back to a theological understanding of the task of preaching, but it does so in a way which takes context and practice seriously. Rigorous, scholarly, demanding and thought provoking, this book deserves to be read by theologians and preachers alike.

• PrefaceIntroductionChapter 1Canonicity, Clarity, Dialectic: The Problematic Task of Biblical Expository Preaching - Introduction: Preaching and Scripture- The Proclaimed Gospel and Early Canonicity- The Clarity of Scripture as Dialectical Precursor- Dialectic and Scripture- Conclusion: Engaging Dialectic with ClarityChapter 2Dialectic, Paradox, Contradiction: The Paradoxical Legacy of Theological Dialectic- Introduction: Towards Terminological Clarity- Dialectic- Paradox- Dialectic and Paradox- The Myth of Synthesis- Distinguishing Primary Dialectical Modes- Conclusion: Dialectical Bases Chapter 3Dialectic, Proclamation, Correctivity: The Possibility of Dialectical Heraldic Confidence- Introduction: Dialectics, Homiletics, and Preaching - The Necessity of ‘Heraldic’ Proclamation- Between Herald and New Homiletic - A Brief Theology of Heraldic Confidence- Between Herald and Dialectician- Conclusion: The Contingently Confident HeraldChapter 4Dialectic, Prophecy, Decisiveness: A Pneumatology of Dialectical Heraldic Proclamation- Introduction: Correctivity and Decisiveness- Preaching as Pneumatologically Prophetic- Attaining Dialectical Decisiveness- Distinctive Purposes of Pneumatological Prophetic Preaching- Pneumatological Prophetic Preaching as ‘Moment’- Conclusion: Dialectical Heraldic ProclamationConclusionBibliographyIndex