Philip Arthur Bence PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

119
continuum of purpose, Tillich sits next to Karl Barth,
the "kerygmatic theologian." On the question of the
degree to which the hearer determines sermon form and
content (to be considered in section V of this chapter),
Tillich and Barth's disagreement keeps them far apart.
Yet, on the question of the preaching goal, they agreed.
Both valued preaching which proclaimed the message
without any persuasion toward acceptance.
Barth stated this quite plainly. ."The only reason
for preaching is to show God's work of justification"
(underlining mine). 17 "It [preaching] is directed to
one end only: to point to divine truth." le Again, as
with Tillich, preaching may result in decision and
change, but bringing that change is not the preacher's
task. He presents the Word, and leaves any potential
response to the hearer.
This parallels Barthian positions stated in section
III of this chapter. For Barth, God's achievement of
human salvation neither requires human willful
participation nor effects significant existential
alteration.
With all men generally each of those assembled
In [as well as those outside] the [Christian]
community is in Jesus Christ a lustified and
sanctified sinner, yet also a justified and
sanctified sinner. The only point is that as a
Christian, as a member of the community in
distinction from the rest, each is both these
things in the particular sense that he may know
that he is a man of whom both these things are
true.15"
In obedience to God, the preacher seeks to make