MWP 328 Preaching as Celebration
Frank A. Thomas (Adjunct Professor)
Jan 4 – 8, 2016
8:30a-4:00p
Course Description: This course will explore preaching as a rhetorical and theological
act to provide students with an integrated theoretical framework to improve their
preaching and explore the celebrative preaching style of African American preaching.
Course Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Gain theoretical awareness of preaching as a rhetorical/persuasive and
theological/interpretative act guided by reflections from Jay-Z’s Decoded.
Learn ways of preaching that take seriously the celebrative aspects of the gospel
as modeled in the African American preaching tradition through discussion and
practice of preaching from method books written by Frank A. Thomas on
celebrative preaching.
Gain insights into the Womanist Preaching tradition and broaden the
understanding of the predominantly male dominated African American preaching
tradition by study of Donna E. Allen’s book on Womanist Homiletic.
Help students to reflect upon their on inner and personal thoughts and feelings
(the backstory) behind every sermon by study of the use of Backstory in Frank A.
Thomas’ book, The Choice.
Required Texts:
Thomas, Frank A., Preaching As Celebration Digital Lecture Series and
Workbook, (Indianapolis: Hope For Life International, Inc., 2014).
Thomas, Frank A. They Like to Never Quit Praisin’ God: The Role of Celebration
in Preaching, (Cleveland: Pilgrim Press, 2013, Revised and Expanded edition).
Jay-Z, Decoded, (New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2nd Edition, November 2011).
Thomas, Frank A., The Choice: Living Your Passion Inside Out, (Indianapolis:
Hope For Life International, Inc., 2014)
Donna E. Allen, Toward a Womanist Homiletic: Katie Cannon, Alice Walker and
Emancipatory Proclamation, (New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 2013).
1
Recommended Texts:
Cheryl J. Sanders, “The Woman as Preacher”. Journal of Religious Thought. 43:
6-23, 1986.
Thomas, Frank A. and Martha Simmons, Preaching With Sacred Fire: An
Anthology of African American Sermons 1750 to the Present, (New York: WW
Norton, 2008).
Lucy Lind Hogan and Robert Reid, Connecting With the Congregation: Rhetoric
and the Art of Preaching, (Nashville: Abindgon, 1999).
James F. Kay, “Reorientation: Homiletics as Theologically Authorized Rhetoric,”
Princeton Seminary Bulletin 24. No. 1 (2003) 17.
http://pdf.ptsem.edu/digital/journal.aspx?id=PSB2003241&div=dmd006)
Thomas, Frank A. The Choice: Living Your Passion Inside Out Companion
Workbook, (Indianapolis, Indiana, 2013).
Other Recommended Books in “Selected Bibliography” in Thomas, Frank A.,
Preaching As Celebration Digital Lecture Series and Workbook, (Indianapolis: Hope For
Life International, Inc., 2014), 115-120
Assignments
1. Come to class with Preaching As Celebration Digital Lecture Series and
Workbook completed along with the Like to Never Quit Praisin’ God: The Role
of Celebration in Preaching also read and completed per the workbook.
Completed Workbook and reading due the first day of class – Bring
workbook to class with you. Please notice that there are digital
files of the lectures that must be listened to in order to
complete the workbook. The download codes for the digital
files are on the very last page of the workbook.
2. Write commentary of Jay-Z’s Decoded. The written commentary should be
about 1,000 words, (three pages). The focus in homiletical analysis (structure,
theological cultural content, etc,). What preaching insights taught in the class
are reflected in Decoded? Student is to present commentary in class.
Commentary Due the first day of class – Bring written commentary to
class
3. Write commentary of The Choice Living Your Passion Inside Out by Frank A.
Thomas. The written commentary should be 500-700 words. What is the role
2
of the “Backstory” to preaching? What preaching insights taught in the class
are evident in The Choice?
4. Write commentary of Donna E. Allen’s Toward a Womanist Homiletic: Katie
Cannon, Alice Walker and Emancipatory Proclamation. The written
commentary should be 500-700 words. What are the strengths of the book?
What did you learn about preaching? What are the weaknesses of the book?
Commentary Due the first day of class – Bring written commentary to
class
5. Each student is to preach ONE sermon on a chosen text of their choice and
ONE sermon on a text assigned in the class according to the celebrative
preaching method.
Text for second sermon will be given the first day of class by
Professor Thomas
Course Schedule
Monday, January 11:
Come to Class Completed: 1) Preaching As Celebration Digital
Lecture Series and Workbook completed, 2) Decoded
Commentary Due, 3) The Choice commentary due, 4) Donna E.
Allen commentary Due
Tuesday, January 12:
Students preach ten minute sermon of their choice. It can be a
sermon that you have preached before, but it needs to be ten
minutes.
Wednesday, January 13:
Discussion of “The Choice: Living Your Passion Inside Out.”
Discussion and presentation of Decoded.
Clarification of Preaching As Celebration Book and Workbook
material.
Thursday, January 14:
Preaching Worksheets Due on – All Sermons
Thursday Afternoon –Final Sermons
3
Friday, January 15:
Final Sermons – Sermons all day
Grading:
Student grading will reflect: preaching in class – 60% Jay-Z Discussion Paper,
10%, The Choice paper – 10%, Donna E. Allen paper – 10%
Class participation, Discussion, Attendance, etc. – 10%.
Syllabus subject to changed based upon size of class
4