Homiletics Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === John Chrysostom and Augustine === Practice preceded theory. Certain ideas are to be found in the Church Fathers, and these have been collected by Paniel in the introduction to his work "Geschichte der christlich. Beredsamkeit". The first to treat of the theory of preaching was [[John Chrysostom]], in his work "On the Priesthood" (''peri Hierosynes''). Inasmuch as this contains only reflections on preaching, [[Augustine]]'s ''[[De doctrina christiana]]'' (''DDC'') might be regarded as the first manual on the subject; its first three books deal with collecting the materials for preaching, "modus inveniendi quæ intelligenda sunt", and the last with the presentation thereof, "modus proferendi quæ intellecta sunt". He goes to [[Cicero]] for rules in the latter. He makes a distinction, in which he evidently follows Cicero, between ''sapientia'' (wisdom) and ''eloquentia'' (the best expression of it). Sapientia without eloquentia will do no good; neither will eloquentia without sapientia, and it may do harm; the ideal is sapientia with eloquentia. He adapts Cicero's ''ut doceat, ut delectet, ut flectat'', changing them to ''ut veritas pateat, ut placeat, ut moveat''; and lays down these as the rules by which a sermon is to be judged. This work of Augustine was the classic one in homiletics.<ref name=CE/> Augustine explains his homiletics in Book IV of ''DDC''. He describes it practically in relation to the classical theory of oratory, which has five parts: ''inventio'' (the choice of the subject and decision of the order), ''dispositio'' (the structure of the oration), ''elocutio'' (the arrangement of words and figure of speech), ''memoria'' (learning by heart), and ''pronuntiatio'' (the delivery). He constructed this theory in four parts: the basic principles of rhetoric (''DDC'' 4.1.1-4.56.10), a study on the rhetoric of Scriptural texts (''DDC'' 4.7.11-4.11.26), an analysis of styles (''DDC'' 4.12.27-4.21.50), and some peculiar rules of rhetoric for sermons (''DDC'' 4.22.51-4.31.64). The essential part of Book IV deals with three styles of sermons (''genera tenue / docere'' [to teach]; ''genera medium / delectare'' [to amuse]; ''genera grande / flectere'' [to persuade]), which was influenced by Cicero’s Orator 1.3. Augustine stresses the importance of principle and discipline at the same time. Preachers need to practice again and again (''DDC'' 4.3.4) so that they can use these styles in any situation of preaching (''DDC'' 4.19.38). But they should pay attention to the priority of order. Continuous and diligent study of the Bible is more important than mere memorization, that is to say, they should pursue wisdom more than knowledge (''DDC'' 4.5.7). The best is the combination of wisdom and eloquence as seen in the Pauline letters and prophetic writings (''DDC'' 4.6.9-4.7.21). Yet, he does not praise eloquence itself; rather he prefers a concrete proclamation than a showing off of rhetorical technique (''DDC'' 4.7.14-15). It is truth, not rhetoric, that preachers try to deliver (''DDC'' 4.28.61). The most significant practice and discipline is prayer. Augustine advises to be a prayer before being a preacher. Preachers should pray before and after his sermon (''DDC'' 3.37.56; 4.15.32; 4.17.34; 4.30.63). Augustine himself was a good model of this practice. Before the preaching, he invited the congregation to pray (''Epistula'' 29). After the sermon he also prayed (''Sermones'' 153.1). For Augustine’s homiletics, the time of prayer is the most precious time, because that time is a time when all the audience meets God the Truth, and through that time they can understand the truth of God more fully. Prayer is a major means of grace in knowing God. Augustine says that love is the most important discipline in Christian life in his sermon, ''De disciplina christiana''. If one adds another to Christian discipline besides love, prayer will come first. The preacher should be a good example of all sermons. The manner of life can be an eloquent sermon (''copia dicendi, forma vivendi''; ''DDC'' 4.29.61). In most of the cases, it seems to be true that the sermon of a preacher cannot be better than his or her life, but vice versa seems also to be true: the sermon cannot be worse than the preacher’s life. The more a preacher endeavors after humility, discipline, and love, the better his or her sermon becomes. And now these three are always necessary for all Christian teachers: humility, discipline, and love. But the greatest of these is love. For "the goal of this command is love" (1 Tim. 1:5 cited in ''DDC'' 1.26.27; 1.35.39; 1.40.44; 4.28.61).<ref>{{cite journal | last=Woo | first=B. Hoon | title=Augustine's Hermeneutics and Homiletics in ''De doctrina christiana'' | journal= Journal of Christian Philosophy | year=2013 | volume=17 | url=https://www.academia.edu/5228314 |pages=110–112}}</ref> [[Hugh of St. Victor]] (died 1141) in the Middle Ages laid down three conditions for a sermon: that it should be "holy, prudent and noble", for which, respectively, he required sanctity, knowledge and eloquence in the preacher. [[François Fénelon]] stipulated "must prove, must portray, must impress" (Second Dialogue).<ref name=CE/> Augustine's work "De rudibus catechizandis" is also relevant. [[Gregory the Great]]'s "Liber regulæ pastoralis" is still extant, but is inferior to Augustine's; it is rather a treatise on pastoral theology than on homiletics.<ref name=CE/> [[Hincmar]] says that a copy used to be given to bishops at their consecration.<ref name=CE/> In the ninth century [[Rabanus Maurus]] (died 856), [[Archbishop of Mainz]], wrote a treatise ''De institutione clericorum'', in which he depends much on Augustine.<ref name=CE/> In the twelfth century [[Guibert, Abbot of Nogent]] (died 1124), wrote a famous work on preaching entitled "Quo ordine sermo fieri debet". This is one of the historical landmarks in preaching. It is replete with judicious instruction; it recommends that preaching should be preceded by prayer; it says that it is more important to preach about morals than on faith, that for moral sermons the human heart must be studied, and that the best way of doing so is (as Massillon recommended in later times) to look into one's own. It is more original and more independent than the work of Rabanus Maurus, who, as has been said, drew largely from Augustine.<ref name=CE/> Guibert's work was recommended by Pope Alexander as a model to all preachers. Francis of Assisi gave to his friars the same directions as are herein contained.<ref name=CE/> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page