Leaven Leaven Volume 12 Issue 2 Faith and Work Article 17 1-1-2004 Preaching Biblical Wisdom in a Self-Help Society, Alyce McKenzie Preaching Biblical Wisdom in a Self-Help Society, Alyce McKenzie Paul L. Watson Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Watson, Paul L. (2004) "Preaching Biblical Wisdom in a Self-Help Society, Alyce McKenzie," Leaven: Vol. 12 : Iss. 2 , Article 17. Available at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol12/iss2/17 This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Religion at Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Leaven by an authorized editor of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected].
Transcript
Leaven Leaven
Volume 12 Issue 2 Faith and Work Article 17
1-1-2004
Preaching Biblical Wisdom in a Self-Help Society, Alyce McKenzie Preaching Biblical Wisdom in a Self-Help Society, Alyce McKenzie
Paul L. Watson
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven
Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology
and Philosophy of Religion Commons
Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Watson, Paul L. (2004) "Preaching Biblical Wisdom in a Self-Help Society, Alyce McKenzie," Leaven: Vol. 12 : Iss. 2 , Article 17. Available at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol12/iss2/17
This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Religion at Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Leaven by an authorized editor of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected].
@~Book Reviews'~Y --,;;-- ELEANOR DANIEL AND MARK LOVE, EDITORS
Otherwise Preaching: A PostmodernEthic for HomileticsBy John McClureSt. Louis: Chalice Press, 200 I. 175 pages.
What is preaching? Who are preachers? What arethe relationships among the preacher, the listeners,and God? What is or what should be the content andsubstance of the sermon? Throughout the centurieswe have sought to answer these central questionsand-in the process--either engaged or avoidedconversation with the world beyond the church.
The people of God have been given a text, buthow we read and preach from that text is guided bya particular theology and method. John McClure,while attracted to deconstructionism, ("a significantform of other-directed textual analysis") understandsit to be deficient for preaching because it is notgrounded in the Judeo-Christian tradition. However,he finds in the work of the phenomenological phi-losopher Emmanuel Levinas (d. 1995) an ethicalapproach to deconstructionism that has the potentialto enable a deconstructionistlpostmodern preach-ing. Building on Levinas's concept of "otherness,"McClure's project in this book is to develop an"other-wise homiletics."
As McClure's introduction to the current con-versation in philosophy reveals, the clash betweenmodernity and its challengers is not always easy tounderstand or follow. Yet McClure undertakes theimportant tasks of explaining and engaging preach-ers in this crucial exchange. Deconstruction breaksopen texts and ideas and exposes their internal
weaknesses, misplaced assumptions about author-ity, and inappropriate perceptions of a stable mean-ing. McClure challenges preaching to break openthe authority of the Bible, tradition, experience, andreason. Central to McClure's argument is that it isnot an outside philosophy that questions these falseassumptions. Rather, "it is something preaching doesto itself." What preaching must do is recognize andcome to terms with the reality of its situation.
Central to Levinas's project is the understandingof the importance of the other. All preaching mustrecognize responsibility and obligation to that other.Therefore, before setting forth his understanding ofpreaching, McClure explores four "houses" of thepreaching enterprise: scripture, tradition, experi-ence, and reason. He claims that we must "exit"these houses because they have been constructed bymodernity and the Enlightenment, a construct thatignores the other. Only after exiting these houses canwe develop a preaching that is always open, con-stantly working against the tendency toward closureand always ready for the other.
McClure offers an important and challenging per-spective when he observes that ultimately there is notrustworthy text, tradition, experience, or reasoningability. We have only the face of others. In later con-versations, he has assured me that after we exit thesehouses we can go back in, recognizing that they areforever altered. But, I must confess that I find thatvery difficult to do. Once we leave the house and gooutside, can we build a new house only with the faceof the other? Is there any shelter from the storms of
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life that buffet us? And where is God in this enter-prise? McClure concludes by observing that
preaching simply says, "here I am," here isa witness of the glory of the Infinite with nostable theme, with no fixed evidence, nonethe-less commanded by the glory of the Infinite tobecome this sign of that which is other-wise.
McClure makes an important challenge to today'spreachers, reminding us that we can never preachwithout being attentive to and remembering theother--our neighbors and strangers. But, whilefocusing on the immanent, his approach tends to losesight of the transcendent. I hope that, as he continuesthis project, McClure will help those of us who feellost and abandoned to find a new home. He showsus the door out. He needs to show us the door backin.
Lucy LINDHOGANDr. Hogan is a professor of preaching and worship atWesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C.
From the Housetops: Preaching inthe Early Church and TodayBy Bruce E. ShieldsSt. Louis: Chalice, 2000. 184 pages.
Bruce Shields is shouting from the housetops,strongly advocating a paradigm shift in homileticsand the sermonic process based on the emergingdiscipline of orality studies. This relatively newdiscipline was apparently sparked by a poet and car-ried forward by academicians and for 40 years hasimpacted the discipline of homiletics and communitylife.
Shield's thesis is that the early church experiencedpreaching and worship as an oral and aural event,not primarily written. Because we preachers havebeen trained to be literary experts of the written text,we find ourselves overlooking oral aspects and howthat orality points to the life and vitality of the earlychurch.
Shields provides pointers of oral characteristicsin the text and suggests ways that this will help ussee the performative act of the sermon. He assumesthat the spoken word is an event in which somethinghappens to build and maintain community. The bookis a serious attempt to bridge the gap between anEnlightenment model of preaching and a postrnodemunderstanding of the community's communicationbehind the actual texts themselves.
I appreciated his high view of scripture and ofthe preaching event. It is hard to embrace both atthe same time. But admirably, Shields does justthat. He sees the sermon as a performative venturein which the spoken word becomes the presence ofGod among the believers. Theologically, the chapter"The Crux of the Gospel" was an immense delightto read. Shields positions the message and the min-ister squarely in the Christ event of crucifixion andresurrection. He helpfully delineates what it meansfor ministers to "bear their own cross." This sectionalone is worth the book's purchase.
After reading this volume and laying it aside, how-ever, I was struck with the paradox of writing aboutthe oral. Interestingly, we as postmodem readersmust do with his book what he advocates we do withScripture-look for pointers of orality in the writtentext. If Shields had included a CD of the four ser-mons printed in the appendices he would have madea stronger case for orality.
Unfortunately, Shields never mines the biblicalmetaphor of "shouting from the housetops." Severalcritical questions are thus left unexplored. Does themetaphor indicate intensity? Urgency? What is theinterplay, and homiletic implications, between whis-pering and shouting?
Despite these concerns, Shield's efforts arerefreshingly welcome. When I began preaching 30years ago I could not have read this book with thesame appreciation. Perhaps I do so now becauseintuitively I have experienced a paradigmatic shift inmy own homiletical practice, thus giving me a baseto hear what Shields has attempted to say in thisvolume. He has articulated the evolution of my ownpreaching. The question will no longer be, "What isthe original meaning of the text, and how should I
preach it today?" Rather, the question now is, "Howdid the early church hear this message, and howshould the church in the twenty-first century hearit?"
The ear now takes precedence and priority overthe pen and the eye. This fundamental shift holdsexciting potential for the sermon seeking to capturethe postmodem Christian's ear. Beware this book. Itwill change your outlook on preaching and promotea new world view!
CURTIS D. MCCLANEMr. McClane is minister at the Highland ViewChurch of Christ in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Canon & Proclamation: Sermons forOur TimesBy Paul C. McGlassonGrand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000. 181 pages.
Paul McGlasson presented the sermons publishedin this book to the Central Presbyterian Church inStamford, Texas. In his introductory remarks, hesets forth a theology of preaching centered uponthe canonical approach of Yale's Brevard Childs.McGlasson declares that canonical preaching entailssermons based upon the Hebrew and Greek texts ofthe Christian Bible where each must be scrutinizedin respect to the book in which it is located, and aspart of the canon.
Canonical preaching is radically Christological,guided by God's Spirit, witnesses to "the truth to allhumanity," and aims to "transform everyday exis-tence in obedience to the command of Christ." Notonly is McGlasson dependent on the methods ofChilds, but also of Karl Barth (as is Childs himself)in his focus upon the centrality of Christ even inthe Old Testament, and in alleging that the messagemust be thrown out "as a stone."
McGlasson disallows both anecdotes and autobio-graphical narrative. He asserts with great passion,
Illustrations are a symptom of the terribledecay of modern preaching and the need forwholesale reform at the very roots. They may
be good entertainment, but they are not goodpreaching; indeed, good preaching on the basisof canon should contain no illustrations whatso-ever. (p. 7)
Concretion in application, rather, should comeabout through regular visitation in members homes.
The remainder of the book consists of 44 sermonsgrouped in eight series originating from: (1) the lifeof Jacob, (2) the Gospels, (3) the life of Solomon,(4) parables, (5) the life of Elijah, (6) 1 Corinthians,(7) Proverbs, and (8) the birth of Christ. Betweeneach series is a sermon from a particular Psalm.None of the series entails preaching through succes-sive biblical texts, but are selective, always follow-ing the sequence of the text.
McGlasson conscientiously replicates his visionof preaching. He tells no stories other than thosein scripture. His application clearly is a reflectionupon what the text might mean for individuals andthe church. He is not adverse, however, to locat-ing wickedness in the contemporary world in theextremes of fascism and communism (p. 28), a focuson human methods of self improvement (p. 32), thepromise of self fulfillment in capitalism (p. 109),the temptation of the church to answer the world'squestions (p. 40), theology on the left and the right(p. 86), and current ideologies (p. l30). One mightargue that these specific evils serve as illustrations,but at least, they are not set forth as anecdotes.
McGlasson is good at setting out the text with itsdetails and reflecting creatively on aspects that relateto the contemporary church and individual life. Butbecause he shuns specificity from the current scene,after a time the sermons become repetitive andsomewhat lifeless. I agree with McGlasson in lettingthe text speak. But because he is so interested in thelarger setting for the text, he sometimes fails to setforth its concretion.
McGlasson's modus operandi is an important cor-rective to the overuse of stories and personal narra-tive in much preaching today, but he has gone to theother extreme and is not as creative with the text ashe might be. I think he could profit not only fromhis commitment to reading the text in the Greek andthe Hebrew, but also from reading good commentar-
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ies that reflect both upon original meanings and atthe same time set forth creative implications for ourtime.
THOMAS H. OLBRlCHTDr. Olbricht, is Distinguished Emeritus Professorof Religion at Pepperdine University, Malibu,California. He now resides in South Berwick, Maine.
The Word Disclosed: PreachingThe Gospel of John. Revised andExpandedBy Gail R. 0 'DaySt. Louis: Chalice Press, 2002. 151 pages.
Gail O'Oay's The Word Disclosed purposes
to make the gospel of John available for thechurch's preaching in new ways, and at thesame time to use the lens of the Gospel of Johnto think more generally about the shape ofpreaching in the contemporary church. (p. 2)
She stresses that the biblical text must set theagenda for the theology of the preacher's sermonand ultimately transform the preacher through imagi-native conversation. Thus enabled, the preacher maylead the congregation to experience the text's dramaand in the process discover the presence of God.
There are two main divisions in the book. Thefirst division consists of analyses of four texts- 3:1-17; 4:5-42; 9:1-41; 11:1-45-which were selectedbecause they belong to the Lenten cycle for Year Ain the Revised Common Lectionary. O'Oay presentsan exegetical overview of each text with particularstress on narrative and theology. She then providessuggestions for preaching from each of these texts.
In the second division, O'Oay offers six sermonsfrom other passages in John (6:24-41; 10:22-30; 12:1-8; 13:1-20; 17:6-19; 20:19-23) in order to model"how the preacher through his or her sermon, mayenable the congregation to experience the good newsof the gospel of John in its fullness" (p. 8).
In my judgment, O'Day's exegetical analyses arethe strength of the book. She utilizes nearly everystandard exegetical tool, with particular concern for
the literary function and theological character of thetext. Most important, she emphasizes the centralityof the biblical text and proper exegesis in sermonpreparation. Her sermons on John 12 (Mary's anoint-ing of Jesus' feet) and 13 (Jesus' washing of thedisciple's feet) are faithful to both the structure andtheology of the texts with thoughtful contemporaryapplication.
Nevertheless, I have some concerns. First, in thesection on exegesis, the reader is not encouragedto consider the larger context of a passage. Forexample, there is no mention that John 9 is usuallyconsidered to be part of a larger block of material(7: 1-10:21). That consideration is useful for under-standing the discussion in chapter 9 regarding Jesus'identity and the threat of expulsion from the syna-gogue.
Second, the sermons from John 6 and 10 shift thefocus from Christo logy, the focus of the biblical text,to the believer or ecclesiology. Instead of sermonson Jesus as the bread of life or the good shepherd,these sermons are about the disciples' dependence onJesus for sustenance and safety.
Third, the omission of sermons on the texts previ-ously analyzed (chapters 3, 4, 9, 11) significantlyweakens the book's effectiveness. This is a missedopportunity to model the movement from text tosermon.
Fourth, O'Day calls for sermons that lead an audi-ence to experience and/or discover spiritual truth.In all her sermons, that truth is the realization of thepresence of God, which is the transforming power ofthe gospel. Yet, she offers no specific moral impli-cations for living in the presence of God. I fear thelack of specific moral exhortation will not connectwith an American church audience, who come look-ing for tangible understanding.
Despite these misgivings, I found the bookrefreshing, challenging, and helpful for anyone wish-ing to preach from the fourth Gospel.
MEL STORMDr. Storm is a professor of New Testament atRochester College and elder at the Heritage Churchof Christ in Clawson, Michigan.
Preaching Biblical Wisdom in a Self-Help SocietyBy Alyce McKenzieNashville: Abingdon, 2002.255 pages.
Alyce McKenzie, assistant professor of homilet-ics at Southern Methodist University, has providedpreachers with some valuable suggestions as to bothhow and why to preach from the wisdom materi-als of the Bible. Her first chapter (re)introducesus to biblical wisdom-its definition, genres, andgoals-and suggests ways in which wisdom may beespecially appropriate for the postmodern pulpit.
Her second chapter lays out a proposed meth-od (based on Don Browning's "A FundamentalPractical Theology") for assessing the many wisdomapproaches to life-approaches both ancient andmodem.
Chapters 3 and 4 provide an informative surveyof popular contemporary "wisdom" books, rang-ing from Everything J Needed to Know J Learnedin Kindergarten to Don't Sweat the Small Stuff toThe Celestine Prophecy. Then, in chapters 5 through9, McKenzie takes up the biblical wisdom texts ofProverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Matthew, and the Gospelof John.
McKenzie sees Proverbs as a resource from whichto develop "a biblical character ethic" (p. 91), basedon the "three explicit theological affirmations" madeby Proverbs: (a) "wisdom comes from God as a giftto those who will receive it;" (b) the fear of the Lordis the beginning of wisdom;" and (c) "those whoseek wisdom attain the blessing of an ordered life,a life characterized by good things: longevity, pros-perity, harmony, and happiness" (p. 103). Her "keytexts for preaching" include Prov 1:1-7; 1:20-23; 8:22-36; and 31:10-31.
Admitting that "Job is a unique work that defiesclassification in anyone literary genre," McKenziefinds it most like "an answered lament" (p. 119).Her overall treatment of the book is not particularlyhelpful, but her "key texts for preaching," centeringon the dialogue between God and Job in chapters38-41, do carry good sermonic suggestions.
Much better realized is chapter 7, "Qohelet:Face the Truth, Find the Joy." McKenzie datesEcclesiastes to the Persian period and finds that"Qohelet's concerns and themes are consistent withthis time of economic and social uncertainty" (p.147). Furthermore, "he knows his audience well:they are people who are not secure with what theyhave" (p. 149). In such circumstances-indeed,in all circumstances-"the highest value is to livegratefully and contentedly in the present moment,acknowledging human limitations and divine mys-tery" (p. 153).
McKenzie's suggested four-week series of ser-mons on the shape of life-A Simple Life; AGrateful, Joyful Life; A Present Life; A God-FearingLife (pp. 162-168)-carries out this theme.
Although Matthew is not generally thought of asa "wisdom" writing, McKenzie points to many wis-dom elements in the Gospel. Here the "key texts forpreaching" are the beatitudes. Wisdom in the Gospelof John is more frequently recognized. Interestinglyenough, McKenzie's "key texts for preaching" hereare neither the prologue nor the traditional wisdomthemes and metaphors, but three "encounter" stories:Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman at the well, andthe man born blind.
Unless a preacher has a ready answer for thequestion with which McKenzie opens her classon preaching from the biblical wisdom litera-ture-"When was the last time you preached fromthe book of Proverbs'l'<=or unless a preacher has agood reason for not preaching wisdom, that preacherwould be well advised to read this book.
PAUL L. WATSON
Dr. Watson is pulpit minister and elder for the ColeMill Road Church of Christ in Durham, NorthCarolina.
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Preaching: An Essential GuideBy Ronald J. Allen
Nashville: Abingdon, 2002. 135 pages.
Don't let the number of pages or the cover colorof Ronald Allen's latest book on preaching foolyou. This is not "Cliff's Notes on Preaching," eventhough the color and title suggest that the contentsmay be a cheat sheet for preaching. 'While Allenadmits this book is not intended to be an introduc-tory text, it is a work that will benefit both beginnerand experienced preacher.
The book's format is also a bit deceptive. In theintroduction, Allen lays out the book's entire con-tent, and it seems to follow the classic "tell themwhat you're going to tell them, tell them, then tellthem what you told them" style. In fact, each chapteris also laid out in such straightforward style. But inthe midst of all that is familiar (including a chapteradvocating the appropriate use of topical sermons),there is the unfamiliar as well.
Rather than saving the sample sermons for theappendix or excerpting several different sermonsalong the way, Allen follows his introductory chapterwith a sample sermon that becomes a reference pointthroughout the rest of the book. The respective chap-ters then ask and answer a series of profound ques-tions that preacher and congregation are faced withweek to week, text to text.
What is the good news from God in the sermon?Does the sermon honor the integrity of the Bibleor the topic? Is the sermon theologically adequate?Does the sermon relate the text or topic to the con-gregation in a responsible way? What is the signifi-cance of the sermon for the congregation? Does thesermon move in a way that is easy to follow? Doesthe preacher embody the sermon in an engagingway?
In the process of asking these questions, Allendeals with traditional questions regarding exegesis,congregational and cultural circumstances, and thepreacher's style and chosen form for a particularsermon. But he also engages a number of pro-vocative theological and epistemological questions.For example, while discussing the importance of
deciding between a textual or topical approach,Allen plunges into the deep waters of modern andpostrnodern thought and the possibility of multiplemeanings in a text rather than one single absolutemeaning. In the process, Allen offers helpful guide-lines in deciding when to use a topical sermon ratherthan a single text.
In the chapter that discusses the theologicaladequacy of the sermon, Allen appeals to threequestions suggested previously by him and ClarkWilliamson: Are the claims of the text (or topic)appropriate to the gospel? Are the claims of the textor the topic intelligible? Are the claims of the textmorally plausible? Regarding the first of those ques-tions, Allen states,
I evaluate all texts and topics through thedouble lens of God's unconditional love forall, and God's call for justice for all. I ask ofeach text, and its various elements, Does thistext affirm that God loves each person (and allparts of nature) with unconditional love? Doesthis text call for justice (that is relationship oflove in community) for each person and all con-stituents of the natural world? (p. 52, italics inoriginal)
Such probing questions become a lens of their ownand lead to a differentiation of texts in their appro-priation for contemporary audiences. Some texts(Psalm 8, for example) are theologically adequateto the gospel and to the contemporary church. Othertexts (for instance, John 5) are "mostly adequate butpartially inadequate" (pp. 61-62). Allen offers tworeasons for the inadequacy: (1) the miraculous eventrecorded is no longer intelligible, and (2) what Allendescribes as the caricature of the Jews in John 5must be critiqued as inappropriate to the gospel.
There are also texts and topics (though he suggeststhere are relatively few) that are mostly inadequateand should not be preached (he cites I Tim 1:20,turning over Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan).
Allen's chapters dealing with congregation andsermon form, like the rest of the book, are insight-ful and offer the student of preaching wonderfulentry points for further reflection and reading. Thefinal question/chapter, particularly, raises issues and
questions to which every preacher must return ona regular basis. How does the preacher embody themessage? How is the preacher's own spiritualitynurtured through preaching, and how is that spiritualpresence experienced by the congregation throughthe sermon? Allen address the performative charac-ter of preaching in this chapter but also recognizesthat internal as well as external features create thatembodiment of the message.
For those who teach preaching, this book offers aseries of appendices that are invaluable, especiallyAppendix B, "A Summary of Questions to GuideSermon Feedback." Here, Allen offers a series of12 questions, all previously discussed in the book,which are all reflections of key aspects of a goodsermon. It is a very helpful set of questions for theclassroom; it is also a helpful summary of the con-tents of the book.
Remember, this is "an essential guide." Allenoffers other resources for those looking to find morecomprehensive preaching texts. This book is not"Cliff Notes" it is a provocative "teaser" that leadsone to consider not just appropriate or essential tech-niques for preaching but also the largeness of thetask and journey of the Christian faith.
Ultimately, the good news of the gospel mustremind us all that the good news of God's redemp-tive love must carry the freight for preacher, sermon,and audience. To the degree that Allen's work pointsus to the activity of God as the activity of preaching,it is indeed "an essential guide."
John O. YorkDr. York is a professor of New Testament and homi-letics at Lipscomb University.
Dancing in the Desert, SpiritualRefreshment for Your Parched SoulBy Marsha CrockettDowners Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003. 159 pages.
Marsha Crockett explores a number of life experi-ences common to most of us, including discontent-ment, loss, disappointment, frantic time schedules,and confusion about purpose. Describing these asdesert experiences, she offers Rest Stops, Rivers ofDelight, and Hidden Joy, all rubrics that divide herchapters as she deals with each particular topic.
Crockett draws from the stories of various biblicalcharacters using those stories as parallels to the par-ticular spiritual struggles she examines. In the chap-ter "Rest ... in the Desert of Weariness," she offersa creative retelling of Elijah's cave experience as hefled from Jezebel after he humiliated the priests ofBaal at Mt. Carmel. The chapter's Rest Stop invitesreaders to inventory their attitudes about work thatcause bum out and overload. Crockett advises thatJesus can come into the workplace with the deep andrefreshing rest he offers so that we can embrace ourwork in less frantic ways and find rest in doing so.
The chapter titled "Identity ... in the Desert ofConfusion" is an example of Crockett's frequent ref-erence to early Christian writers. Leading the readerto awareness of true identity as one who is the imageof God, she quotes Teresa of Avila, "Suppose an oth-erwise normal man was asked, 'Who is your father?... What country are you from?' And suppose hisreply was, 'I have no idea.' Wouldn't we think thisman absurdly ignorant? But isn't our spiritual igno-rance just as absurd?"
Readers looking for a guidebook with sectionbreaks for reflection and journaling will appreciateCrockett's approach. But those choosing to jettisonthese invitations will find helpful and creative articu-lation of various spiritual wrestlings and encourag-ing words from Christian spiritualists and from thewords of Scripture.
CHARME ROBARTSDallas, Texas
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Down-to-Earth Spirituality:Encountering God in the Ordinary,Boring Stuff of LifeBy R. Paul StevensDowners Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003. 208 pages.
R. Paul Stevens is convinced that true spiritual-ity is down-to-earth in the sense that God is mostoften encountered in the ordinary common stuffof everyday life. Stevens explores Down-to-EarthSpirituality through a collection of reflections onthe Jacob narrative, wherein ordinary moments aretransformed by the presence of God. Readers search-ing for a scholarly commentary on the Jacob narra-tive or a theological treatise on incamational spiritu-ality will be disappointed with this book. The bookreads more like a series of sermons or devotionalsfocusing on various aspects of everyday life.
The author pieces together reflections on vari-ous mundane aspects of ordinary life such as eat-ing, sleeping, working, marriage, family, birth anddeath in which Jacob encounters God. Jacob is notpresented as the idealized spiritual hero found onSunday school flannel graphs, but rather as a com-plex, conflicted mixture of earthly passion and grittyspirituality. The result is a colorful tapestry of faithreflective of both God's majesty and humanity'sfrailty. The author provides the reader with somepowerful reminders about the nature of Christianspirituality. Stevens contends that God's purpose isnot that we might deny our humanity but rather thatwe might become more fully human. He reminds usthat ministry is not restricted to the sanctuary andthat there is no such thing as a godless experience.Perhaps most importantly, the author suggests thatwe do not need to be in another family, job, body, orrelationship to be found by God.
Stevens asserts, "If God has come in the flesh, andif God keeps coming to us in our fleshly existence,then all of life is shot through with meaning. Earth iscrammed with heaven, and heaven will be crammedwith earth." This statement offers the contemporarychurch a helpful theological lens for engaging thepostmodem world. At a time when many Christianslament the "secularization" of society and the result-
ing minimalization of institutional religion, thisbook serves as a reminder of the inherent spiritualityfound within all creation. Ministers and church lead-ers will benefit from this work in that it will providethem a more expansive view of the spiritual lifethan is usually reflected in the programs of the localchurch. Rarely do church leaders have the chance tolook past church programs in order to recognize andenhance the daily spiritual formation that occurs inthe lives of all people of faith.
If the contemporary church is going to engagethe post-Christian context in which she finds her-self, she must reframe her anemic understanding ofdivine encounter to include the finding of God in theordinary "stuff" of life. Such a reframe is congru-ent with the nature of God who "became flesh anddwelt among us." The spiritual reflections compiledin Down-to-Earth Spirituality provide readers withinsights into how spiritually emaciated souls canfind satisfying nourishment by encountering God inthe "everydayness" of life.
JOHN SIBURTRichardson, Texas
The Word Before the Powers: AnEthic of PreachingBy Charles L. CampbellLouisville: Westminster John Knox, 2002. 206 pages.
In this book Charles Campbell reminds us thatethical preaching is not just preaching about ethics.Moral preaching must be more than the reiteration ofsome standard catalog of "dos and don'ts;" it mustserve to form the people of God into a moral com-munity. So far, none of this is novel. I suspect thatthe work of Hans Frei, Stanley Hauerwas, AlasdairMacIntyre, and others has made enough headwayamong Restorationist preachers, that these themesof "narrative," "community," and "character forma-tion," are familiar words and concepts. Many arenow convicted that preaching is a formative actbetween the Word of God, the work of the preacher,and the people.
What is novel here is Campbell's introduction ofa fourth party in the preaching moment: the "prin-cipalities and powers." By "principalities and pow-ers," Campbell means to identify those "structuralrealities" (both material and spiritual) that constantlyexercise power and influence on and around us.They may wear a number of tags: banks, colleges,political parties, political theories, industries, phi-losophies-all they need possess to be counted as a"principality" or "power" is the propensity to exer-cise their will over people.
Campbell's definition assumes the work of WalterWink, whom he quotes: "The powers comprise allof social, political, and corporate reality, in both vis-ible and invisible manifestations" (16). Campbellclaims that preaching is a moral activity preciselyas it does two things. First, the proclamation of thegospel forms the very character of the community byproviding a "vision" that sees the principalities andpowers for what they truly are. Second, preaching isitself an act of "non-violent resistance" to the contin-ual force of the principalities and powers. Too often,Campbell suggests, preaching does not function inthese ways, thereby unconsciously participating withthe very powers it seeks to confront. When this hap-pens, our preaching is no longer moral.
I am in hearty agreement with Campbell's call toethical preaching so conceived. Yet, this importantbook opens a nagging question: how does the churchknow when she is cooperating with the powers (orindeed is acting as a power), and when she is beingprophetic? Campbell's definition of "power" couldbe applied to the church as well. We are a "social,political, and corporate reality," with both "visibleand invisible manifestations." One example, pro-vided by Campbell, will suffice here. He suggeststhat one way the church cooperates with the powersis in her continuing refusal to ordain homosexualpersons. Without agreeing or disagreeing withCampbell on this point, it is surely the case (by hisown definitions) that the sexual culture of contem-porary America is also a "power," and so the churchfinds herself needing another step here: some logicof discernment that she might recognize when sheis conceding the field to the powers, and when shestands in prophetic critique of them.
This observation does not reduce the power of thisbook, but rather points toward avenues for continu-ing the discussion.
REx HAMIL TONRochester College
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Watson: Preaching Biblical Wisdom in a Self-Help Society, Alyce McKenzie
