Philip Arthur Bence PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

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straight-forward, illuminating, helpful talk between the
preacher and his congregation." 22 Through preaching,
counseling or several other means, God helps individuals
move closer toward the goal of making this world God's
kingdom on earth.
VII. EVALUATION
This study presents the seven theologian-preachers
merely as types. Although the church could endlessly
debate the relative merits of their theologies, no one
can doubt that all seven have contributed significantly
to the life and preaching of the Western church in the
twentieth century. Awareness of their thought lays a
foundation necessary to a consideration of contemporary
teaching of preaching.
Of the seven, some have influenced the church as a
whole, while others have affected only a smaller segment
within the church. Each man's thought, however, contains
wisdom to benefit every Christian, and, particularly,
preachers. Considered together, each model possesses
strengths which bring balance needed in others.
Simultaneously, however, each system's strengths, if
taken to an extreme, in isolation from balancing factors
other systems offer, can become its greatest fault.
Thus, we briefly reconsider each man's thought,
noting strengths, as well as the weaknesses hidden on the
reverse side of those strengths.