[Caution...that 4/5 is a bit misleading.]
To be honest, this is a book in which I agree with about 90% of the content. I have an infinite amount of respect for Tom Long, and reference him repeatedly in my multiple preaching classes. His passion for preaching and depth of wisdom has advanced the study and practice of homiletics in many ways.
That being said, and for as high of a rating that I gave this third edition (which really is the best edition, given the updating on issues like technology, plagiarism and the preacher's spiritual life), I ultimately do not accept Long's concept of "witness" as the paradigm for understanding the preacher's task.
I think to ignore the other paradigms that he discusses (and then dismisses) -- herald, storyteller and pastor -- seriously limits our ability to preach the gospel in a post-Christian society. Yes, this sounds counter-intuitive, given the theological nature of "witness."
The issue, I have long thought, is two-fold:
- Preaching must be about more than what we have simply "seen and heard" but also point towards transformation, a concept that Long finds deeply problematic to his Reformed approach to the Christian faith.
- Preaching must, therefore, employ various models and methods in order to effectively preach the gospel in a distracted culture. Heralds (prophets, John the Baptizer), storytellers (Qoheleth, the Gospel writers, Jesus) and pastors (Paul, Peter, Jude) have long advanced the gospel through a variety of communicative forms. Why, then, should contemporary preachers do any less?
Note: This review was not solicited. It was originally posted on my Goodreads page.
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