Page 163 - A Dissertation for Doctor of Philosophy

The authoritarian preaching model of Korean preachers in the past was dogmatic and

monological, viewing the congregation a passive recipient. Fortunately, the congregation has

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changed. They want to be a part of a preaching event. Though the act of preaching is
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monologue, the content and movement of the sermon can be a dialogue. Reuel Howe, an

advocate of “dialogical preaching,” points out that preaching has been too much “clericalized,”

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with which he means that sermon was only of preachers, and exclusive of layman. Van Harn

argues on behalf of the congregation, saying, “when we listen to sermons, we have the right to

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hear the faith of the church because the sermon comes for the church.”

visions or claims.”

40 Allen, Theology, 41. He says, “communities with a postmodern orientation value
conversation.” See also Graham Johnston, Preaching to a Postmodern World: A Guide to
reaching Twenty-first-Century Listeners (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2001), 93. He
describes dogmatism as “the postmodern kiss of death.”

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Ibid., 43-4. See also Craddock, Preaching, 25-26. He insists that the congregation
should be the vital participants of preaching both in preparation and in event. He observes three
characters of preaching of involving the listeners as partners: 1) the message is appropriate to the
listeners; 2) sermon should proceed or move in such a way as to give the listener something to
think, feel, decide, and do during the preaching; 3) sermon should speak for as well as to the
congregation.

42 Reuel L. Howe, Partners in Preaching (New York: The Seabury Press, 1967), 25. He
suggests the recovery of the layman in preaching out of the example of Jesus’ preaching, saying
“he preached for the most part in response to the needs and questions of people . . . employed
symbols already familiar to them (symbols of people).”

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Roger E. Van Harn, Pew Rights (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdman Publishing
Company, 1992), 143. See also 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. He says, “the community of faith in, or implied by, a passage of
Scripture is just as actively engaged with God’s Word as is the author/speaker. As with a sermon,
so with the formation of Scripture, the people of God as community are co-creators with the
author/speaker of the passage of the passage”