Page 67 - A Dissertation for Doctor of Philosophy

The Problem of Distance between Pulpit and Pew

Since there has been a theological indifference toward popular culture, and in light of the

absence of any theory to analyze it, the conservative moralistic preaching in Korea fails to

exegete people and culture properly. 153 Traditionally, those who were under authority were the

passive receivers of the thoughts and orders of conducts. In a preaching context, the Korean

congregation was conceived as “the passive destination” of the preacher’s message. 154

Likewise, in the other two preaching models, the existential distance between pulpit and

pew is also abominable, unable to be traversed due to the inherent hierarchical structure of the

preaching office. In other words, the people in the pew are prevented to participate in the

process of preparation and delivery of preaching.

Since preaching is a theological, sociological, corporate, and contextual affair, it mortally

wounds the Church when the people of the community are unable to participate. Even the

formation of the Scriptures occurred within the community of God’s people. Wardlaw confirms

that “the people of God as community are co-creators with the author/speaker of the passage of

the passage.” 155 Under the inspiration of God, the community of faith not only produced a text

but also “consume the text, that is, to take, use, heed, respond, and act upon the text.” 156 The

153 Jong Kyoon Park, “Analysis on the Characteristics of the Korean Popular Culture,” in
st
21 Segi-eui Tojun-kwa Kidokkyo Moonhwa (The challenge of the 21 and Christianity culture)
ed., United Association for Ethics, 139.
154
Unyong Kim, “Faith comes from Hearing,” 233.

155
Don M. Wardlaw, “Preaching as the Interface of Two Social World,” in Preaching as
a Social Act: Theology & Practice, ed., Arthur Van Seters, (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1988) 76.

156 Walter Brueggerman, “The Social Nature of the Biblical Text for preaching,” in
Preaching as a Social Act: Theology & Practice, ed., Arthur Van Seters, (Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 1988) 131.