Preaching from the pews : a case study in vulnerable theological leadership
Date
2015-04
Authors
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Abstract
When explaining vulnerability as a theme for the conference of the Societas Homiletica, the
organisers referred to two ways in which the concept can be interpreted. On the one hand, it
can refer to preachers themselves as vulnerable people, subjected and accountable to other
people. On the other hand, it can refer to the fact that preachers are often called to preach about
difficult and challenging aspects of life and faith. In this sense, preachers speak on behalf of
those who are vulnerable and in need of attention. In this contribution, both understandings
are at play when the researcher takes a closer look at the sermons that were preached as part
of a project known as the ‘The sermon of the layperson’ in Stellenbosch, South Africa, during
September and October 2013. An analysis of the contents of these sermons, as an exercise in
‘preaching from the pews’, shows that they were preached on behalf of vulnerable people. In
the process of analysis, it also became apparent that the preachers were themselves examples
of vulnerable theological leadership in the sense that they were ‘lay people’ and therefore not
in positions of official authority within faith communities. All of the preachers were however
quite influential in their own areas of specialisation and professional life, and therefore, their
sermons also communicated hope amidst situations of vulnerability.
Description
CITATION: Nell, I. A. 2015. Preaching from the pews : a case study in vulnerable theological leadership. Verbum et Ecclesia, 36(1), Art. #1376, 9 pages, doi:10.4102/ve.v36i1.1376.
The original publication is available at http://www.ve.org.za
Publication of this article was funded by the Stellenbosch University Open Access Fund.
The original publication is available at http://www.ve.org.za
Publication of this article was funded by the Stellenbosch University Open Access Fund.
Keywords
Preaching, Pews
Citation
Nell, I. A. 2015. Preaching from the pews : a case study in vulnerable theological leadership. Verbum et Ecclesia, 36(1), Art. #1376, 9 pages, doi:10.4102/ve.v36i1.1376.