The New Interpreter's Handbook of Preaching is a major reference tool for preaching, with articles on every facet of Christian sermon preparation and delivery. This resource is both scholarly and practical. It focuses on the most distinctive feature and greatest strength of homiletics as a discipline: It is rooted in interdisciplinary scholarship and it develops theory geared to practice. Its theory arises out of the study of both excellent preaching past and present and actual sermon preparation and composition. When theory and practice critique each other, it is possible to produce guidelines that assist greater excellence and economy in preaching the gospel. Excellence in standards is an area in which homiletics needs to grow, and this project will be both a means to encourage and develop it. A guiding question throughout will be, Will it preach? The answers will be offered in the sense that "here is something that works well," rather than "here is something to try."
Preachers will turn to this resource with the expectation that they will find scholarly treatment of topics, brief bibliographies of relevant key books and articles, along with practical methodological suggestions for preachers to employ. The contributors are homileticians, preachers, and writers in various disciplines who are committed to the pulpit through practice.
Emmanuel College, Toronto School of Theology<br /><br />Dianne Bergant, C.S.A., Professor Emerita Old Testament Studies is the former Carroll Stuhlmueller, C.P., Distinguished Professor of Old Testament Studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wis.; an M.A. and Ph.D. in Biblical Languages and Literature from St. Louis University.<br /><br />The Rev. Robert E. Conover, Ph.D., Executive Presbyter & Stated Clerk, Presbytery of the Redwoods, www.redwoodspresbytery.org, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Presbytery of the Redwoods 1226-A Salvador Ave. Napa CA, 94558<br /><br />President, Youth Ministry Architects, and Associate Pastor for Youth and Their Families, First Presbyterian Church, Nashville, TN<br /><br />The Reverend Dr. Patricia Dutcher-Walls, Dean of Students, Professor of Hebrew Bible, Vancouver School of Theology