Critical Issues in Preaching - Postmodern and Postcolonial Approaches

This course addresses critical issues in the area of Homiletics. with attention to postmodernism and postcolonialism by first identifying contributions and limits of The New Homiletic that began in the 1950s, then examining emerging issues, focusing on hybrid cultures, and multiplicity of ethnic, gender, linguistic and religious identities, as it charters current and future of preaching. It will explore how these emerging critical issues shape various aspects and elements of preaching from the development of sermon structure, scriptural exegesis, sermon content and delivery, the identity of preacher, to the nuanced understanding of proclaiming the Gospel, in terms. of language and embodiment in the religiously and culturally pluralistic postcolonial world. This course offers opportunities to examine various perspectives on preaching and communicating the Word in a fast-changing and complex world. Preaching will be discussed in its postcolonial and intercultural contexts, as students are required to engage postmodern, postcolonial and intercultural approaches to homiletics. Such engagement aims to equip students to broaden their knowledge as they critically study preaching theories and practices and to go into depth in areas of their own doctoral research interest.