Tag Archives: Providence Theological Seminary

Responding to “A Plea for Pointless Preaching” – A Guest Post by Lissa Wray Beal

On Thursday, November 1, a surprisingly large and energetic group of pastors, professors, seminary students, and college students gathered at Providence to hear and engage in conversation surrounding my paper, “A Plea for Pointless Preaching.”  The paper was an abbreviated version of an essay that I wrote for Minding the Web: Making Theological Connections.  In the essay, I suggest that the work of “two Stanleys” – the evangelical mega-church pastor Andy Stanley and the theological ethicist Stanley Hauerwas – present two contrasting homiletical paths open to preachers today.  Since that volume will soon be appearing in print, I will not be reproducing the essay here.  However, my colleague Lissa Wray Beal, who served as the respondent to the paper, has graciously allowed me to publish her insightful engagement with the essay here on the blog. Continue reading Responding to “A Plea for Pointless Preaching” – A Guest Post by Lissa Wray Beal

Upcoming Lecture: A Plea for Pointless Preaching

If you’re in the Winnipeg area on November 1, think about joining us at Providence Theological Seminary for my upcoming public lecture, “A Plea for Pointless Preaching.”  My colleague Lissa Wray Beal, Professor of Old Testament, will be responding to the presentation. Here’s a little teaser for the lecture to whet your appetite: Continue reading Upcoming Lecture: A Plea for Pointless Preaching

Reading with the Fathers

For many years now I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to teach a course on the Church Fathers.  In January, the day will finally arrive.  I’ve recently finished drafting my syllabus for the course I’ll be offering in the winter term entitled:  “Theologians of the Church: Reading with the Fathers.”  The course will consist of a combination of lectures and seminars around primary readings from the Fathers.  You can read the course description below.  As there are many students who come from Mennonite and evangelical traditions where the Church Fathers are either ignored or perhaps even looked upon with suspicion, it seemed important to cast the description in an apologetic key. Continue reading Reading with the Fathers