Pastoral Imagination in Preaching Course Outline

Pastoral Imagination in Preaching
Spring 2010
BUSTH TC 715
Robert Allan Hill
Monday 2-5pm, STH B 19
rahill@bu.edu
6173583394

Purpose of the Course

The purpose of this course is to inspire students with a desire to preach well over the course of their ministries. In order to begin or to continue the full development of the preacher’s “voice”, attention is given to the theology of preaching, the place of preaching in the context of pastoral ministry and the pastoral imagination (with special attention given to various forms and features of ministry around the globe), the design of the sermon, sermon content, preparation and delivery of sermons, and, in addition, the capacity to evaluate, critically, the effectiveness of the sermon. In this 2010 Introduction to Preaching, the professor will coordinate the presentation of materials in lecture, guest speaking, video, TA presentation and other forms. Preaching is particularly crucial for the future health of our Northeastern churches, over the next two generations.

Course Requirements

1.Class attendance and active participation. 2. Chapel attendance. 3. Quizzes on reading content and one final exam. 4. Two sermons submitted in finished written form and preached in tutorial groups (22 minutes each). One, a three point\part sermon; the second, students’ choice. 5. Selection, presentation and description of a favorite poem (starting randomly on 2/1/10) 6. A willingness to learn how to acknowledge genuinely and nourish personally the preaching of others, in order homiletically to watch over one another in love. 7. Completion of all assigned reading.

Grade components: Final 15%; Sermons 70%; Other (attendance, participation, quizzes, poem, etc) 15%.


Text: Required

1. David Buttrick, Homiletic: Moves and Structures, (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1988).

Other Suggested Resources:
(Bookstore, Marsh Chapel, Amazon, and Library Reserve)
1. Robert A Hill, Snow Day: Reflections on the Practice of Ministry in the Northeast (Lanham: University Press, 2000).
2. Barbara Brown Taylor, The Preaching Life, (Boston: Cowley, 1993).
3. Robert A Hill, Renewal: Thought, Word, Deed. (Lanham: University Press, 2009).
4. Robert A Hill, Prophetic Protestant Preaching on America’s War in Iraq: Marsh Chapel (Lewiston: Edwin Mellen, 2010).
5. Robert A Hill, Seeing with the Heart: Meditations from Marsh Chapel, (San Diego: UR\Cognella, 2010).

Class Schedule and Reading Schedule

January 25: Course Introduction and Overview, ‘Voices for a New Day’,
Basic Outline

February 1: Veronice Miles Lecture; Buttrick (B)‘Words and Moves’, 5-82

February 8: The Two Point Sermon, Buttrick Card, ‘Two Kinds of Confidence’; B: ‘Framework’, 83-112

February 22: TA Lectures (2) (Lyman Beecher) B: Images,‘113-172’;

March 1: Peter Weaver Lecture; B: ‘Language’, 173-224;

March 3: Violet Fisher (Chapel, Lecture, Panel)

March 15: John Schol Lecture B: ‘Words in Church, Theology’, 225-238, 449-462

March 22: B: ‘Hermeneutics’, 239-284.

March 29: B: ‘Homiletics’ 285-332.

April 5: B: ‘Structures’, 333-390. Weddings and Funerals (TBA)

April 10*: TBD, optional workshop on Youth Culture and Preaching, S Cady

April 12: B: ‘Structures’, 391-448 TA Lectures (2) (Lyman Beecher)

April 26: FINAL EXAM


Weekly Class Basic Outline: First 90 Minutes
(second 90 minutes for tutorials)


1. Pastoral Imagination: A Setting in Ministry RAH
2. Lecture RAH, TA’s, Guests
3. Questions? (2) Class
4. TA Buttrick Summary TA’s
5. ‘Tools’ RAH
6. Exemplum Docet RAH, Other
7. Coda\Written Exercise Class

Course Information

Outline: The BUSTH basic preaching course, spring 2010, will follow the above outline, in the first 90 minutes, with the second 90 minutes led in groups by TA’s. Each TA will offer one 45 minute lecture, summarizing one of the annual Lyman Beecher Lectures (2/22, 4/12). Each TA will also provide one 5-7 minute Buttrick summary, with one page written hand out: 1. ES, 2. JV, 3. JB, 4. SBJ, 5. ES, 6. JV, 7. JB, 8. SBJ, 9. RAH.

Guest Dates: February 1: Dr. Veronice Miles; February 22: RAH away; March 1: Peter Weaver; March 3: Violet Fisher; March 15: John Schol; April 22* (optional): Steven Cady (Preaching and Youth Culture)
TA Lecture dates: 2/22, 4/12

No Class Dates: 1/17/10 (M. L. King); 2/15/10 (Presidents’ Day); 3/8/10 (Spring Break); April 19 (Patriots’ Day); 2/16/10, 2/22/10 ‘BU Mondays’

Special (Extra) Days: Wednesday, 3/3/10, 11am Chapel, 2pm Lecture; *Saturday, 4/10/10, Cady/Hill Paper on Pastoral Imagination; *Sunday, April 18, 11am, Peter Gomes, Marsh Chapel;

First Day of class: 1/25/10; Last Day of class: 4/26/10.

Fellowship: Patriot’s Day, April 19, Hill’s 96 Bay State Road #10 (6178593750) 10:30am, Marathon to follow.

Special Breakout Tasks and Days: 1/24: Introductions, descriptions of names, dates for preaching; 2/1: basics and practice in public speaking; 2/8: 5 Internet resources for sermons, and review of exegetical procedure; 2/22: Sermons begin.

Breakout Locations: Marsh Room, Thurman Room, Robinson Chapel, other.

Hill Possible Lecture Topics and Example Sermons (deanhill.blogspot.com)

1: Two Point Sermons. “Two Kinds of Confidence”
2: Language and Imagery. “Snow Day”
3: Spiritual Geography. “Once More to the Lake”
4: Story and History. “Empire Spirit”
5: Preaching John. “Twilight Gospel”
6: Concept and Content. “A Village Green”
7: Preaching the Synoptics. “The Day’s Own Trouble”
8: War and Peace. “Preemption or Redemption?”
9: The Fourth of July. “The Color Purple”
10: Monologue and Dialogue. “Invisible Slides\CRH”
11: Approaching the Grave. “In Memoriam: Mason Hartmann”
12: Meaning and Memoir. “Kyrie Eleison”
13: Preaching and Apocalypse. “Resistance”
14: A Personal Word. “Remembering Chalmers”.
15: Dominical Sayings. “No Place To Lay His Head”


A Selected Homiletical Bibliography

Sacraments

Willimon, William H. Remember Who You Are: Baptism, a Model for Christian Life. Upper Room, 1980.

Ministry (General-leadership)

Dudley, Carl S. Basic Steps Toward Christian Ministry: Guidelines and Models in Ministry. Alban Institute, 1991.

Lebacqz, Karen. Professional Ethics: Power and Paradox. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1989.

Mead, Loren B. The Once and Future Church: Reinventing the
Congregation for a New Mission Frontier, Alban Institute, 1991.

Poling, James N. The Abuses of Power: A Theological Problem. Abingdon, 1991.

Raiser, Konrad. To Be The Church: Challenges and Hopes for a New Millennium. World Council of Churches, 1997.

Schreiter, Robert J. Constructing Local Theologies. Orbis Books, 1985.

Steinke, Peter L. How Your Church Family Works: Understanding Congregations as Emotional Systems. Alaban Institute, 1993.

Weems, Lovett H., Jr. Church Leadership: Vision, Team, Culture, and Integrity. Abingdon, 1993.

Wiest, Walter E. and Elwyn A. Smith. Ethics in Ministry. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1990.

Black Church Tradition

Stewart, Carlyle. African-American Leadership. Abingdon, 1994.

Women and Gender

Becker, Carol E. Leading Women: How Church Women Can Avoid Leadership Traps and Negotiate the Gender Maze. Abingdon, 1996.

Gillespie, Joanne Bowen. Women Speak:Of God, Congregations and Change. Trinity Press. 1995.

Nesbitt, Paula D., Feminization of the Clergy in America: Occupational and Organizational Perspectives. Oxford, 1997.

Wessinger, Catherine, ed., Women in Leadership within Religious Communities.

Winter, Miriam T. et al. Defecting in Place: Women Claiming Responsibility For Their Own Spiritual Lives. Crossroads, 1995.

Church & Society

Bass, Dorothy, ed. Practicing Our Faith: A Way of Life for a Searching People. Jossey-Bass, 1997.

Niebuhr, H. Richard. Christ and Culture. Harper, 1951.

Sample, Tex. White Soul.

Practice of Ministry books for Spring 1999:

Ballard, Paul, and John Pritchard Practical Theology in Action:
Christian Thinking in the Service of Church and Society (London: SPCK, 1996) ISBN 0-281-05012-0.

Gunderson, Gary. Deeply Woven Roots: Improving the Quality of Life in Your Community (Minn: Fortress Press, 1997) ISBN 0-8006-3095-5.

Neuger, Christie Cozad, ed. The Arts of Ministry: Feminist-Womanist Approaches (Louisville: Westminister John Knox Press, 1996) ISBN 0-664-25593-0.

Preaching & Worship

Best, Ernest. From Text to Sermon: Responsible Use of the New Testament in Preaching. Atlanta: John Knox, 1978.

Buttrick, David. Homiletic: Moves and Structures. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1988.

Craddock, Fred B. Overhearing the Gospel: Preaching and Teaching the Faith to Persons Who Have Already Heard. Nashville: Abingdon, 1978.

Craddock, Fred. Preaching. Abingdon, 1985.

Davis, Grady. Design for Preaching. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1958.

Faber, H. Vanderschoot, E. The Art of Pastoral Conversation. (New York: Abingdon, 1965).

Fuller, Reginald. The Use of the Bible in Preaching. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1981.

Keck, Leander. The Bible in the Pulpit. Nashville: Abingdon, 1978.

Koller, Charles W. Expository Preaching Without Notes. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1962.

Long, Thomas. The Senses of Preaching. Atlanta: Knox, 1988.
Long, Thomas. “The Use of Scripture in Contemporary Preaching”. Interpretation 44 (4, 90). 341-352.

Malherbe, A. J. “Pastoral Care in the Thessalonian Church”, New Testament Studies, 36 (3, 90), 375-391.

Marty, Martin E. The Word: People Participating in Preaching. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984.

Miller, R. M. How Shall They Hear Without a Preacher? The Life of Ernest Fremont Tittle. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1971.

Van Seters, Arthur, ed. Preaching as a Social Act. Nashville: Abingdon, 1988.

Willimon, William H. On a Wild and Windy Mountain. Nashville: Abingdon, 1984.

Willimon, William H. Preaching and Leading Worship. Westminster, 1984.

Audiotape Material

Circuit Rider Sermon Series. Nashville: Abingdon.

Reigner Recording Library. Union Theological Seminary, Virginia.

RAHill Personal Collection. AFUMC. Rochester, New York