Is preaching about answers?

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Rev. King is really expressing a UU attitude to preaching. Given the fourth principle, "a free and responsible search for truth and meaning", an absolutist, authoritarian "these are THE answers" approach just wouldn't fit.

And that's not saying there can't be answers given, only that they are not THE answers. A UU preacher is providing their wisdom and ideas, not telling the congregation that they have all the answers, are always right, and must be followed if one is to be part of the community or "get into heaven".

And I don't think there is much of the authoritarian school of preaching around anymore, outside of fundamentalists and more conservative wings of some mainstream churches. Or am I mistaken?
 
It fits the triad:
  • What I've experienced
  • What you've experienced
  • What the great abyss has experienced
In general the last 1/3 leads to a fourth sense of a great fall ... that area is a big hole ... right? That's the abstract horse ... the part that carries our unconscious bits ... tis a bit shady, maybe black in my experiences as I encounter it in the night! Unreal numbers ... difficult to imagine that mass ... just bump in the night! Kind 'a round ...
 
Mendalla said:
And I don't think there is much of the authoritarian school of preaching around anymore, outside of fundamentalists and more conservative wings of some mainstream churches. Or am I mistaken?
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I think in most churches there is still the indoctrination of the young....
They are not taught to explore scripture or question the taught meaning of certain passages. Consequently when those questions start to erupt in their minds, they often leave the church.
In my mind this is a form of "preaching teaching," that requires an overhaul and we could very well learn this lesson from the Jewish community while introducing our own alternatives.
 
Waterfall said:
I think in most churches there is still the indoctrination of the young....
They are not taught to explore scripture or question the taught meaning of certain passages. Consequently when those questions start to erupt in their minds, they often leave the church.
In my mind this is a form of "preaching teaching," that requires an overhaul and we could very well learn this lesson from the Jewish community while introducing our own alternatives.
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Exactly ... approaches dictation and dictatorship ... power to do so being a dangerous process --- Lord Acton!

Yet how are leaders directed?
 
I believe preaching is a continuing effort to open up dialogue, rather than shut it down with pre-determined (and likely misguided) answers. It's a matter of opening minds to wonder and awe, rather than closing them with pat answers. It seeks to expand compassion and caring, not to try to shut "them" out, whoever "them" may happen to be this week.
 
Just imagine how many tyrants would accept that!

Reminds me of one of the discussions about the Egyptian K' that appears in 8 divisions of sol:
  • Khet --- physical body
  • Sah --- spiritual body
  • Ren --- name
  • Ba --- personality
  • Ka --- double
  • Ib --- heart #
  • Shut --- shadow
  • Sehhem --- "power form"
Then one would a' priori need to know some archaic matter just to grasp the pieces of 8! Mental treasure? The physically possessed would believe that weird ... thus unknown field of study ... sort of Fa' side ... (that's another story)!
 
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Redbaron said:
I believe preaching is a continuing effort to open up dialogue, rather than shut it down with pre-determined (and likely misguided) answers. It's a matter of opening minds to wonder and awe, rather than closing them with pat answers. It seeks to expand compassion and caring, not to try to shut "them" out, whoever "them" may happen to be this week.
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Just curious, why is the sermon never discussed during church? What's the history on that? Has it always been that way?
 
I do invite questions, comments and reflections after the sermon, sometimes it happens. I think traditionally the preacher has been more seen as 'the Shell Answer Man' (some of us may be old enough to remember that) whose words were directly inspired by the Almighty, not to be questioned or critiqued. (Mendalla referred to that above). That that strain of tradition still survives in some corners, it gradually wears away in most places.
 
Redbaron said:
I do invite questions, comments and reflections after the sermon, sometimes it happens. I think traditionally the preacher has been more seen as 'the Shell Answer Man' (some of us may be old enough to remember that) whose words were directly inspired by the Almighty, not to be questioned or critiqued. (Mendalla referred to that above). That that strain of tradition still survives in some corners, it gradually wears away in most places.
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Is that questionong at the door, coffee hour or during the service? Sounds like it may not happen too often?
 
Waterfall said:
Just curious, why is the sermon never discussed during church? What's the history on that? Has it always been that way?
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This is a practice in many UU congregations. In some cases, it is incorporated into the service, in others it happens in a coffee-time discussion group afterwards. I kind of prefer the latter. I find doing it right in the service tends to break up the flow of the liturgy, but I have done it both ways when I was leading worship. It also works better in small group services, like the ones I used to do in summer, than in a very large gathering. For a big church like, say, Metropolitan United here in London, you would probably have to have mike stations in the aisles similar to what is done in large conferences that I have attended or else breakup into smaller discussion groups at the end of the service or something.

For churches that have FB groups (or their own forums, but I don't know of any that have done that), of course, I would suggest starting a thread for each week's sermon to carry on the discussion past the actual Sunday service. The minister should either stay out or behave as just another participant and probably should not be the moderator. Having them control the flow of discussion when the idea is to open up their ideas for discussion seems risky.

But I do agree that it is a good practice if you want to encourage the attitude that sermon is presenting ideas or possible answers rather than definitive answers. Encourages questioning and people thinking for themselves and take the focus off the supposed wisdom and knowledge of the preacher.
 
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That's a few minutes during the service, immediately following the sermon. Sometimes some good conversations happen; occasionally a wild question. Whatever, people do have a chance to express, ask, illuminate, etc.
 
Mendalla said:
It is a practice in some UU congregations. In some cases, it is incorporated into the service, in others it happens in a coffee-time discussion group afterwards. I kind of prefer the latter. I find doing it right in the service tends to break up the flow of the liturgy, but I have done it both ways when I was leading worship. It also works better in small group services, like the ones I used to do in summer, than in a very large gathering. For a big church like, say, Metropolitan United here in London, you would probably have to have mike stations in the aisles similar to what is done in large conferences that I have attended or else breakup into smaller discussion groups at the end of the service or something.

But I do agree that it is a good practice if you want to encourage the attitude that sermon is presenting ideas or possible answers rather than definitive answers. Encourages questioning and people thinking for themselves and take the focus off the supposed wisdom and knowledge of the preacher.
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Most of the congregations I have served have been small enough to make it practicable during the service. Agreed that in larger groups, post-service coffee hour or small groups would work better.
 
In response to the opening question, the best preaching either offers or clarifies important questions or draws people into an experience of the sacred, either of which provokes listeners to extend their faith or spiritual journeys.
 
So what is the meaning of Preaching and Teaching -----

Preaching
www.biblestudytools.com

Kerux Meaning - Greek Lexicon | New Testament (KJV)

Discover the original meaning of Kerux in the Bible using the New Testament Greek Lexicon - King James Version. Learn the audio pronunciation, word origin and usage in the Bible, plus scripture verse references of Kerux.
www.biblestudytools.com www.biblestudytools.com

Definition
  1. a herald or messenger vested with public authority, who conveyed the official messages of kings, magistrates, princes, military commanders, or who gave a public summons or demand, and performed various other duties. In the NT God's ambassador, and the herald or proclaimer of the divine word


Teacher ---
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Didaskalos Meaning - Greek Lexicon | New Testament (NAS)

Discover the original meaning of Didaskalos in the NAS Bible using the New Testament Greek Lexicon - King James Version. Learn the audio pronunciation, word origin and usage in the Bible, plus scripture verse references of Didaskalos.
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Definition
  1. a teacher
  2. in the NT one who teaches concerning the things of God, and the duties of man
    1. one who is fitted to teach, or thinks himself so

I feel ---Preaching will never give any answers -----Preaching is just about proclaiming the thing -----is that enough for the person in the pews to get answers as to how to apply the way to get the thing your proclaiming ----I don't thing so -----if there is no teaching in the preaching then those listening wouldn't be any better off of gaining insight into what was being proclaimed in the preaching -----

So the 2 in my view have to go together somehow------

Jesus didn't just preach --proclaim the word ----He taught the answer on how to apply it as well ----

Jesus preached --Proclaimed ---the Gospel of Salvation -----Then
He Taught the way to what He was Proclaiming -----which is the answer on how to achieve it

The Teaching I feel gives the person something to think about ----and or work on and will spark them to want to learn more ----Sermons can come across as very boring and dead without the teaching in my opinion -----
 
unsafe said:
So what is the meaning of Preaching and Teaching -----

Preaching
www.biblestudytools.com

Kerux Meaning - Greek Lexicon | New Testament (KJV)

Discover the original meaning of Kerux in the Bible using the New Testament Greek Lexicon - King James Version. Learn the audio pronunciation, word origin and usage in the Bible, plus scripture verse references of Kerux.
www.biblestudytools.com www.biblestudytools.com

Definition
  1. a herald or messenger vested with public authority, who conveyed the official messages of kings, magistrates, princes, military commanders, or who gave a public summons or demand, and performed various other duties. In the NT God's ambassador, and the herald or proclaimer of the divine word


Teacher ---
www.biblestudytools.com

Didaskalos Meaning - Greek Lexicon | New Testament (NAS)

Discover the original meaning of Didaskalos in the NAS Bible using the New Testament Greek Lexicon - King James Version. Learn the audio pronunciation, word origin and usage in the Bible, plus scripture verse references of Didaskalos.
www.biblestudytools.com www.biblestudytools.com

Definition
  1. a teacher
  2. in the NT one who teaches concerning the things of God, and the duties of man
    1. one who is fitted to teach, or thinks himself so

I feel ---Preaching will never give any answers -----Preaching is just about proclaiming the thing -----is that enough for the person in the pews to get answers as to how to apply the way to get the thing your proclaiming ----I don't thing so -----if there is no teaching in the preaching then those listening wouldn't be any better off of gaining insight into what was being proclaimed in the preaching -----

So the 2 in my view have to go together somehow------

Jesus didn't just preach --proclaim the word ----He taught the answer on how to apply it as well ----

Jesus preached --Proclaimed ---the Gospel of Salvation -----Then
He Taught the way to what He was Proclaiming -----which is the answer on how to achieve it

The Teaching I feel gives the person something to think about ----and or work on and will spark them to want to learn more ----Sermons can come across as very boring and dead without the teaching in my opinion -----
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Can you imagine why some people sound so preachy about this sous topic ... as it goes down?
 
Luce NDs said:
Can you imagine why some people sound so preachy about this sous topic ... as it goes down?
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Is that decent or descending order to catch the humbling fall? How the dirt collects on all things ... I've heard that approximately 60 Tons of this stuff comes down each Dai! That's between the two shadowy portions that confine delight ... they flow as a sort of creep in time ...
 
Mendalla said:
What say WC2? Is preaching about giving answers? How do you, those of you who preach or lead services, approach preaching?
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Well . . . I have always found this text informative.

2 Timothy 4: 2

proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.
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So answers are possibilities. As dialogue within a congregation if the sermon responds to a question it would be fair for it to contain an answer or even several possible answers.

Sometimes the best sermons ask questions and invite the audience to consider the text more closely. Allowing for each to find an answer to the questions without dictating what the answer must be.
 
revjohn said:
Allowing for each to find an answer to the questions without dictating what the answer must be.
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That's really noticeable in our lectionary bible study. We have a real variety theological backgrounds and opinions, including a member of the Dutch Reformed Church, and a Catholic lady (and SIX ministers and a lay worship leader for leadership). We come to very different conclusions about the text, and I think it's part of the fun and learning of that group. Our full-time minister (the other five are retired VAMs and an emeritus) tries to join the group even if she's not leading it, and we often hear some of our ideas in the sermon the following Sunday.
 
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