Theological Exegesis for Preaching
Wycliffe College, St. Margaret’s, Winter 2015
THIS IS A PROVISIONAL SYLLABUS - THE INSTRUCTOR
RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES
________________________________________________________________________
Instructors
Dr. David Widdicombe – contact: davidwiddicombe@gmail.com; 204-774-9533
TBA
Description
This course is an introduction to theologically disciplined biblical preaching. We will examine the
fourfold sense of scripture and Trinitarian and Christological readings of scriptural texts. This course
will also cover the exegetical presuppositions and rhetorical styles of great preachers throughout the
history of the Church.
Required texts
Hall, Christopher, Reading Scripture with the Fathers
Badiou, Alain, St. Paul: The Foundation of Universalism
Forde, Gehard, O. Theology is for Proclamation
Fowl, Stephen, ed., The Theological Interpretation of Scripture: Classic and Contemporary Readings
Supplementary texts
Barth, Karl, Homiletics
Davis, Henry Grady, Design for Preaching
Davis and Hays, ed., The Art of Reading Scripture
Greidanus, Sidney, The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text: Interpreting and Preaching Biblical Literature
Long, Thomas, The Witness of Preaching
Rutledge, Flemming, Not Ashamed of the Gospel: Sermons from Paul's Letter to the Romans
Ratzinger, Joseph, Dogma and Preaching: Applying Christian Doctrine to Daily Life
Sawyer, John, The Fifth Gospel: Isaiah in the History of Christianity
Stewart, James, Heralds of God
Stibbs, A.M., Expounding God's Word
Stott, John, Between Two Worlds
Seitz, Christopher, Seven Lasting Words
Thompson, Virgil ed., Justification Is for Preaching
Von Balthasar, Hans Urs, Light of The Word: Brief Reflections on the Sunday Readings
Willimon, William, Conversations with Barth on Preaching
Woods, Susan K., Spiritual Exegesis and the Church in the Theology of Henri de Lubac
Course requirements
15%
Attendance and participation
40%
Sermon outlines (8 x 5%)
45%
Full sermon (description below)
1
Assignment descriptions
Sermon Outlines: Students will be required to create 8 sermon outlines (including at least one on
each of the Old Testament, Psalms, New Testament and Gospels) and at least one that integrates all
lectionary readings.
Full Sermon: Students will be required to write a full sermon (8-10 pages) from one of the sermon
outlines.
Website
As with most U of T and TST courses, this course has a website. Using the “Blackboard” resource,
that is accessible through the Portal on the University of Toronto home page
(http://www.utoronto.ca/) or directly at (http://portal.utoronto.ca). The website will contain the
syllabus, course assignments, notices from time to time, and various other pieces of information.
Importantly, it will also be the means for participating in your online tutorial group. This will be
available under Tools => Discussion Board on the web site.
Academic integrity
All TST students are subject to U of T’s “Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters.” Copies of the
code are available at www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies/behaveac.htm. Please take special
note of the section on plagiarism. For a helpful set of guidelines on how to avoid plagiarism, see
www.writing.utoron- to.ca/advice/using-sources/how-not-to-plagiarize. This is part of a more
general—and equally helpful— website that provides advice on academic writing
(http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice).
Course evaluation
At the end of the course, students are expected to complete a course evaluation. The evaluation is
done online and instructions will be contained in an e-mail message that will be sent out by the
Wycliffe College registrar. Individual grades will not be made available until the student has logged
into the site.
College policy on assignment extensions
Basic Degree students are expected to complete all course work by the end of the term in which they
are registered. Under exceptional circumstances, with the written permission of the instructor,
students may request an extension (SDF = “standing deferred”) beyond the term. An extension,
when offered, will have a mutually agreed-upon deadline that does not extend beyond the conclusion
of the following term. An SDF must be requested no later than two weeks before the completion of
the term in which the course is taken. The request form is available on the college website or from
the Registrar’s office. One percentage point per day will be deducted on the course grade if an
extension has not been requested by the stated deadline.
Course Schedule:
Dates
Topics
Session 1 – Thursday, Jan. 8 The Emmaus Road: The Risen
Christ as the Form and Content
of Preaching.
Readings
Luke 24;
D. Steinmetz, “Chapter 2: The
Superiority of Pre-Critical
Exegesis,” in Stephen Fowl, ed.,
The Theological Interpretation of
Scripture: Classic and Contemporary
Readings;
2
Session 2 – Tuesday, Jan.
13
Preaching with the Fathers: The
Fourfold Sense
C. Hall, Reading Scripture with the
Church Fathers;
Augustine, “Exposition of Psalm
39 (40)” (pp. 194-223) in Exposition
of the Psalms Volume 2 (blackboard);
Session 3 – Tuesday, Jan.
20
Preaching with the Medievals:
The Fourfold Sense continued
2 Kings 5;
H. De Lubac, “Spiritual
Understanding” (pp. 3-25) in Fowl;
H. De Lubac, “Introduction” (pp.
1-15) and “The Unity of the Two
Testaments” (pp. 225-267) in
Medieval Exegesis (Volume 1): The
Four Senses of Scripture
Session 4 – Thursday, Jan.
29
The Beautiful Captive Woman:
Philosophy, Scripture and
Preaching
H. De Lubac, “The Beautiful
Captive Woman” (pp. 211-224) in
Medieval Exegesis;
A. Badiou, Saint Paul: The
Foundation of Universalism
Session 5 – Tuesday, Feb.
10
Law and Gospel in preaching
John 20 & 21;
M. Luther, “Sermon for the
Tuesday after Easter” (blackboard);
G. Forde, Chapters 1 and 2,
Theology is for Proclamation
Session 6 – Thursday, Feb.
19 (guest lecturer)
The Old Testament as Abiding
Theological Witness
TBC
Session 7 – Friday,
Feb. 20 (guest lecturer)
Romans for Preachers
TBC
Session 8 – Saturday, Feb.
21 (guest lecturer)
Preaching on the Great Triduum
TBC
Session 9 – Tuesday, Mar. 3
Modern Anxiety and the
Consolations of Poetic Theology
J. Donne, “Sermon 4 on Psalm
63:7,” John Donne’s Sermons on the
Psalms and Gospels, in Simpson, ed.
(blackboard);
J. Donne, “Chapter 22: And
Having Done That, Thou Hast
Donne…” Between Noon and Three:
Romance, Law and the Outrage of
Grace, in Farrar Capon pp. 178-186
(blackboard);
J. Donne, “Death’s Duel,” Psalm
LXVIII. 20, in fine (blackboard);
R. Williams, “Chapter 4: The
Clamor of the Heart,” The Wound of
3
Knowledge (1990)
Session 10 – Tuesday, Mar.
10
Preaching in the drama of
Salvation
G. Whitefield, “The Method of
Grace” (Blackboard);
J. Wesley, “May 1738,” Journal, and
after that date any 30 to 40 pages at
random (Blackboard and full
Journal on reserve);
J. Wesley, “God’s Love to Fallen
Man (Sermon 59)” (blackboard);
Augustine, Book 4 (pp. 201-244)
in Teaching Christianity
Session 11 – Tuesday, Mar.
17
Christology, Dogmatic Theology
and the Preacher
Romans 8;
W. Willimon, “Chapter 7: Heralds
of God,” Conversations with Barth on
Preaching, pp. 167-195 (blackboard);
K. Barth, “Chapter 2: Criteria of
the Sermon,” (pp. 47-90), Homiletics
(blackboard);
K. Barth, Index, with Aids for the
Preacher - Church Dogmatics
(supplied)
Session 12 – Thursday,
Mar. 26
The Master Narrative and the
Dominant Narrative: History,
Scripture and Preaching the
Gospel
The Gospel of Mark;
J. Updike, “As Good as it Gets
(Part 1),” and “An Umbrella
Blowing Inside Out: Paradoxical
Theology and American Culture,”
John Updike and Religion: the Sense of
the Sacred and the Motions of Grace
(blackboard)
Learning Outcomes
Wycliffe College has developed detailed statements of “learning outcomes” for the MDiv, MTS and
MRel programs. They are available on the College website. “Learning outcomes” have to do in part
with the level of knowledge and skill that will be characteristic of a typical graduate of the program.
In accordance with this overall statement, instructors are required to develop a statement of learning
outcomes for each course. These outcomes will provide one of the benchmarks for evaluation and
grading. (The following is based on the MDiv outcomes).
COURSE OUTCOMES
By the end of this course, students will have:
1. Learned ancient and medieval traditions of
reading scripture, and understood their
relevance and importance in preaching.
COURSE ELEMENT
This outcome will be achieved through these
course elements:
Readings and lectures
4
2. Been exposed to the rhetorical elements of
preaching.
3. Learned to work with scripture and create
sermon outlines.
4. Learned to use a variety of resources for
preaching.
5. Understood the lectionary, its origins and its
importance.
Readings and lectures
Assignments
Supplementary readings and assignments
Lectures and assignments
5