Philip Arthur Bence PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

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b. "Lower profile for preaching in
worship service--e.g., shorter time allotted."
One of the greatest surprises which appeared in the
survey data was the composite response of the 'Rahner
lecturers' to question six. This question asked the
number of hours allotted to teaching preaching in
pre-ordination education. The responses to this question
offer a gauge by which to measure the importance of
preaching in a college or group of colleges. As table 27
documents, 'Rahner colleges' give seventy-five hours to
preaching. a figure equal to 'Lloyd-Jones colleges' and
greater than 'Stewart' and 'Tillich colleges' put
together. This emphasis cannot help but elevate
preaching to a position of greater honor in Roman
Catholic and Episcopal churches (the two denominations
from which 'Rahner lecturers' came)."
c. "Specific teaching to amplify the
already-known, general truth."
The survey responses do not describe the lecturers'
opinions on present lay knowledge of the faith, but
certainly support the above stated preaching goal of
giving hearers an increased knowledge of the truth.
Preaching is . . . "the medium of words to convey the
dynamic power of the Word" or "the ministry of
effectively communicating Christ's words to the people of
our day."
Also supporting the goal of teaching is the priority
'Rahner lecturers' give to exegetical study, and the
communication, in preaching, of that study (table 32).