Theology Through Preaching: The Gospel and the Christian Life
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Overview
This carefully chosen collection assembles some thirty sermons by Colin Gunton with a foreword by Christoph Schwöbel. Together, they provide a broad overview of the Christian faith and reflections on the importance of theological preaching. The theological significance of these sermons will be of interest not only to preachers, professional and lay, but also to theologians and students.
Top Highlights
“First of all, preaching theologically means preaching biblically, attempting to find the message for today’s church in the patient engagement with the biblical texts. Second, preaching theologically means preaching pastorally, so that preaching becomes part of pastoral care in the community of the church. Third, preaching theologically also means preaching doctrinally, it means to recover the meaning of doctrine as guidance and aid for today’s church. Fourth, preaching theologically means preaching congregationally, acknowledging the place of the sermon in the life of a concrete congregation so that it can provide orientation for the way in which listening to the word of God, be it as preacher or as listeners, shapes the common life of believers.” (Pages 6–7)
“Preaching biblically, therefore, means to remain faithful to the particulars of the biblical witness, so that God’s truth can become the particular truth for our lives. Preaching biblically means not to escape into generalities about God and the world, but to be attentive to the particularities of the texts because God’s universal truth is inscribed in them as a truth that through the Spirit is meant to become alive again in our particular circumstances.” (Pages 8–9)
“In preaching pastorally the preacher is not acting as a therapist who is offering advice to his clients in the congregation. The preacher stands with his congregation in need of comfort, in need of pastoral care, and he can only offer pastoral care insofar as he has received it in the engagement with the biblical texts from the source of real comfort, God, the Holy Spirit.” (Page 14)
Praise for the Print Edition
Theology is not of much practical use if it cannot be preached and related to everyday life. Colin Gunton shows how this can be done. His language is simple, his ideas clearly expressed and his thought profound. These sermons relate belief to the local church: what better way to learn about the Christian faith?
—Cyril Rodd
The lynch-pin of worship in the Reformed churches is preaching. To succeed in its daunting task, this preaching must be both learned and evangelical… It is widely felt that the requisite craft and motivation are not now as widely distributed as they could be, or even perhaps as they once were. But when Colin Gunton preaches in the tiny church of Brentwood, one hears what the Reformed fathers had in mind. Read these sermons to find out how to do it.
—Robert W. Jenson, Center for Theological Inquiry, Princeton
This splendid collection of sermons by Colin Gunton… is all that one would expect from a master theologian: Biblically rooted, pastorally acute, humane, and above all alert and responsible to the judgment, consolation and joy of the gospel.
—John Webster, University of Aberdeen
Product Details
- Title: Theology Through Preaching: The Gospel and the Christian Life
- Author: Colin E. Gunton
- Publisher: T & T Clark International
- Publication Date: 2001
- Pages: 224
About Colin E. Gunton
Colin E. Gunton (1941-2003) was professor of systematic theology at King's College, London from 1969 until his death. He was appointed professor of theology in 1984 and then served as Head of the Department of Theology & Religious Studies from 1993-96. In 1992 Gunton delivered the Bampton Lectures at the University of Oxford and in 1993 delivered the Warfield Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary. Together with John Webster, Gunton co-founded the International Journal of Systematic Theology.
Gunton is often cited as one of the most important British theologians of his generation. Just before his death, he was awarded the earned D.D. by the University of Oxford, where he had taken his three previous degrees. Also just before his death, King's College had decided to make him a fellow of the college, its highest honor, which was then awarded posthumously.
Sample Pages from the Print Edition
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