Philip Arthur Bence PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

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that, on the whole, the world has rejected God's
communication. Many people live in a state of alienation
from God and his ways. And, throughout history, God has
used preaching, the verbal proclamation of his truth, as
a primary means of bringing man to reconciliation with
himself, his God, and his world.
H. EVALUATION--CONCLUSION
Whose theology of preaching is the right one? Taken
in isolation, each has faults. Yet, each, offering
different perspectives on truth, contributes to a richer
knowledge of God and preaching.
The church (and the world at large) needs Stewart's
emphasis on the personal Gospel and Fosdick's emphasis on
the social Gospel; Tillich's humility and Lloyd—Jones's
authority; Barth's proclamation of God's objective action
and Bultmann's call for personal decision. Ideal
preaching will not seek to resolve the tension between
these pairs, but will firmly grasp truth at both ends of
each spectrum.
The preacher who struggles with the difficulty of
this task can find comfort in Rahner's reminder that the
burden for revealing God does not rest alone on the
preacher's shoulders. In order to reveal himself, God
also uses other means of communication. God's wisdom,
power, and love will always overshadow the preacher's
attempts to describe Him.
God has called heralds to proclaim his Word, but
this call need not be seen as a heavy burden. Preaching