A Theology of Preaching and Dialectic: Scriptural Tension, Heraldic Proclamation and the Pneumatological Moment

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How does the preacher know what God might say now based upon the many things God said then? Preachers and theologians throughout Christian history have grappled with Scripture’s diverse emphases alongside the urgent task of declaring the authoritative Word of God in the contemporary pulpit. Aaron Edwards offers a new way of engaging with this problem, by exploring the theological relationship between biblical dialectics and heraldic proclamation. Edwards highlights the theological necessity of dialectical variety, without forfeiting assertiveness in the prophetic moment of preaching. A vast array of key voices from the theological tradition are drawn upon — including Augustine, Aquinas, Eckhart, Luther, Calvin, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Chesterton, Barth, Bultmann, Tillich, Ebeling, and others — to navigate the connection between Scriptural unity, clarity, and paradoxical plurivocality, leading to a nuanced account of dialectic. Applying this to the homiletically neglected concept of ‘heraldic’ confidence in preaching, Edwards examines the theological possibility of preaching in light of dialectical complexity via its ‘prophetic’ dimension. He shows how the uniquely revelatory relationship of Word and Spirit enables Scriptural illumination, prophetic discernment, and dialectical decisiveness in the ‘momentary’ encounter which undergirds all Christian proclamation. Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents Preface Introduction Chapter I: Canocty, Clarity, Dialectic: The Problematic Task of Expository Preaching 1. Introduction: Preaching and Scripture 2. The Proclaimed Gospel and Early Canonicity i. The Received Unity of Scripture ii. Theological Canonicity iii. Gospel and Canon iv. The Content of the Kerygma a. Encounter as Kerygma b. Encounter and Kerygma c. Kerygmatic Norm d. Kerygmatic Variety e. Kerygma and Didache v. The Relationship between Canonicity and Clarity 3. The Clarity of Scripture as Dialectical Precursor i. The Reformation Emphasis ii. Distinctive Foci a. Luther: Clarity as Priority b. Zwingli: Clarity as Recognition c. Calvin: Clarity as Revelation iii. Scriptural Clarity and Expository Preaching iv. The Gospel and the Passage 4. Dialectic and Scripture i. Approaching Scriptural Diversity a. Navigating Contradiction b. Maintaining Unity c. Identifying Superficiality d. Embracing Dialectic ii. Concretizing the Preacher’s Problem: a. The Basic Incongruity b. Alternative Conceptions 5. Conclusion: Engaging Dialectic with Clarity Chapter II: Dialectic, Paradox, Contradiction: The Paradoxical Legacy of Theological Dialectic 1. Introduction: Towards Terminological Clarity 2. Dialectic i. Defining Dialectic a. Philosophical Dialectic b. Theological Dialectic ii. ‘Dialectical’ Theology a. The Crisis of Yes and No b. Dialectical Complexity in Barth c. Dialectical Theology and Paradox 3. Paradox i. Defining Paradox a. Proverbial Paradox b. Ontological Paradox ii. ‘Paradoxical’ Theology a. Ontological Paradox in Chesterton b. Ontological Paradox in Eckhart 4. Paradialectical Complexity i. Dialectic and Paradox in Kierkegaard ii. Paradox or Dialectic?: A Conceptual Debate a. Milbank: Paradox as ‘Misty Conceit’ b. Žižek: Dialectic as Divine Tension iii. Paradox as Dialectic 5. The Myth of Synthesis i. Nuancing Hegelian Dialectic a. Interpreting Hegel b. ‘Sublation’ c. ‘Contradiction’ ii. Evaluations a. Systematic Antagonism b. Dialectical Variety 6. Distinguishing Primary Dialectical Modes i. Paradoxical Dialectic (incompatible polarities) ii. Harmonized Dialectic (sublated polarities) iii. Hierarchical Dialectic (ordered polarities) iv. Antagonistic Dialectic (interactive polarities) 7. Conclusion: Dialectical Bases Chapter III: Dialectic, Proclamation, Correctivity: The possiblity of Dialectical Heraldic Confidence 1. Introduction: Dialectics, Homiletics and Preaching 2. The Necessity of ‘Heraldic’ Proclamation i. Proclamation as Heraldic ii. Heralds and Dialectics iii. Heralds and Homilies 3. Between Herald and New Homiletic i. A Genealogy of Contemporary Homiletical Thought a. Preacher as Herald: Forsyth and Stewart b. Craddock’s ‘New Homiletic’ c. Expanding the New Homiletic: Lowry and Buttrick d. The New Homiletic and Barth e. Enduring Emphases of the New Homiletic f. Long’s Synthesis of Herald and New Homiletic ii. Nuancing the Conception of ‘Herald’ iii. Evaluation: Heraldic Preaching and Dialectics 4. A Brief Theology of Heraldic Confidence i. Theological Foundations a. Preaching as Divinely Purposed Revelation b. Preaching as Divinely Commissioned Event ii. Theological Implications a. Preaching as Dialectically Decisive b. Preaching as Content- led Form c. Preaching as Impossibility d. Preaching as Paradoxical Possibility e. Preaching as Dialectic of Faith and Humility 5. Between Herald and Dialectician i. Dialectical Modes and Sermonic Variety in Paul- James a. Singular Polarity ([i] ‘Grace’) ([ii] ‘Works’) b. Harmony (‘Grace– Works’) c. Paradox (‘Grace/ Works’) d. Hierarchy I (‘Grace > Works’) e. Hierarchy II (‘Works > Grace’) f. Antagonism (‘Grace > < Works’) g. Combination (‘Grace + Works’) ii. Evaluation: Preaching as Contingent Dialectical Corrective iii. Exemplification: Kierkegaard and Luther 6. Conclusion: The Contingently Confident Herald Chapter IV: Dialectic, Prophecy, Decisiveness: A Pneumatology of Dialectical Heraldic Proclamation 1. Introduction: Correctivity and Decisiveness 2. Preaching as Pneumatologically Prophetic i. Defining Prophecy ii. Defining Prophetic Preaching iii. Pneumatology and Preaching iv. Prophecy and Scripture 3. Attaining Dialectical Decisiveness i. Word, Dialectic, Spirit ii. Scriptural Illumination iii. Prophetic Discernment a. Preacherly Discernment b. Congregational Discernment iv. Decisive Peace and Decisive Faith 4. Distinctive Purposes of Pneumatological Prophetic Preaching i. Preaching as Pneumatological Encounter a. Preaching and Teaching b. Objectivity and Subjectivity ii. Preaching as Pneumatological Manifestation a. Sacramentality b. Unction iii. Experience, Word and Spirit 5. Pneumatological Prophetic Preaching as ‘Moment’ i. Kairos and Augenblick ii. What Kind of ‘Moment’? a. ‘Congregational Moment’ b. ‘Cultural Moment’ c. ‘Sermonic Moment’ d. ‘Pneumatological Moment’ iii. Timely Moment and ‘Timeless’ Scripture 6. Conclusion: Dialectical Heraldic Proclamation Conclusion Bibliography Names and Themes Index Scripture Index