Imaginative Preaching: Praying the Scriptures so God Can Speak through YouFrom generation-to-generation there has been an anguished cry from preachers about preaching – there is no imagination! The Scriptures present the wondrous hope and vision of “Kingdom Come” and yet contemporary preaching can often be mute and blind by comparison. This book explores what is possible when the Scripture to be preached is prayed through the agency of two ancient prayer disciplines: lectio divina and Ignatian Gospel Contemplation. Through the experiences of eight vocational pastor-preachers this study tracks the difficulties, discoveries and delights as they commit to utilizing these prayer disciplines as part of their regular sermon preparation. The reader will be orientated to what a biblical imagination entails and how praying the Scriptures affects the preacher, sermon and listener. Careful explanation of how to pray using lectio divina and Ignatian Gospel Contemplation is included. This work is, in places, a raw examination of the forces that regularly conspire against the preacher as they endeavour to faithfully expound the Scriptures. The study is a rousing exclamation of the joy experienced when a preacher’s imagination and their preparation is formed by the Spirit, bringing the Scriptures to bear on all who speak and hear it. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Seeing the World as God Sees It and Intends It | 7 |
Then and Now | 29 |
3 Renewal | 57 |
4 Repositioning | 69 |
5 Reorientation | 89 |
TwentyFirstCentury Answers for FirstCentury Questions | 103 |
Appendix A Ignatian Gospel Contemplation on the Nativity | 115 |
Appendix B Participatory Action Research Method | 117 |
Appendix C Preachers Manual Lectio Divina and Ignatian Contemplation in Preaching | 129 |
157 | |
Other editions - View all
Imaginative Preaching: Praying the Scriptures so God Can Speak through You Geoff New Limited preview - 2015 |
Imaginative Preaching: Praying the Scriptures So God Can Speak Through You Geoff New No preview available - 2015 |
Common terms and phrases
Action Research approach attention authenticity Bible Biblical Preaching Brackley Brou Call to Discernment Casey chapter Christ Christian church concerning congregation considered Contemplatio contemplatives in action context cultural described disciples discussion divina and Ignatian Divina is Difficult Do-It-At-Home Retreat Eat This Book effect eisegesis emerged emphasis in original encounter exegesis exegetical experience experienced facilitate God’s group meeting group members Helen historical-critical method human Ibid Ignatian Contemplation Ignatian Gospel Contemplation Ignatian Methods Ignatian spirituality Ignatius Ignatius of Loyola imagination incarnation insights Insofar involved Jesus John Josie Karl Rahner Kathy lectio divina Lord Loyola Luke 24 meditatio meditation Merton Methods of Prayer O’Donnell one’s Oratio participants Participatory Action Research pastoral ministry Pennington person Peter Reason Peterson prayer disciplines preacher preaching ministries present quoted Rahner Reading for Holiness reality reflection relationship response Sacred Reading Scripture sense sermon preparation struggle themes theological Third Prelude Wiersbe wonder Word