“The great importance in Calvinist tradition of preaching makes the theology that gave rise to the practice of it a subject of interest. As a layperson who has spent a great many hours listening to sermons, I have an other than academic interest in preaching, an interest in the hope I, and so many others, bring into the extraordinary moment when someone attempts to speak in good faith, about something that matters, to people who attempt to listen in good faith. (more…)
Tag: preaching
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More Endorsements for “Leaps of Faith”
Here are more of the endorsements that have come in for Leaps of Faith:“Much North American preaching is anemic—at best. Robert Dean demonstrates that a robust alternative is possible: gospel-shaped, theological, liturgical, pastoral preaching. Those who want to preach, and those who desperately need to hear, such sermons will be encouraged and enlightened by this significant collection. And if some readers learn to preach in similar ways, the church in North America (and elsewhere) might just be spared both bland sermons and a correspondingly feeble witness.”
- Michael J. Gorman (Raymond E. Brown Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology, St. Mary’s Seminary & University)
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Endorsements for “Leaps of Faith”
I have been greatly encouraged by the warm initial reception that my new book, Leaps of Faith: Sermons from the Edge, has received. Here are some of the endorsements that have come in:“In one of these sermons, Dean remarks that the Gospel is simple but not simplistic. That insight also describes these well-wrought sermons. Dean has a gift for helping us see our lives storied by the story of the Bible. It is by no means clear in our time what a sermon should be but Dean’s sermons are clearly examples of what sermons should be–that is, serious but avoiding all forms of sentimentality. May these sermons find a wide readership.”
- Stanley Hauerwas (Gilbert T. Rowe Professor Emeritus of Divinity and Law, Duke Divinity School)
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Announcing “Leaps of Faith”
I am pleased to announce the publication of my new book, Leaps of Faith: Sermons from the Edge (Resource Publications). The book includes sermons that I have preached over the course of my ministry as a pastor at Good Shepherd Community Church in Scarborough, as an itinerant preacher speaking throughout Southern Ontario, and as a professor of theology at Tyndale Seminary. The sermons are prefaced by a short introductory essay where I theologically reflect upon the task of preaching and an insightful Foreword by Fleming Rutledge that may be worth the price of admission by itself. (more…) -
Wycliffe College’s Preaching Day – February 27, 2017
Celebrated preacher and award-winning author Fleming Rutledge will be the keynote speaker at Wycliffe College’s upcoming Preaching Day on Monday, February 27. (more…)
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Upcoming Events at Knox Church
My friends at Knox Presbyterian Church on Spadina Avenue in Toronto have brought to my attention a couple of exciting upcoming events in the life and ministry of their congregation. First, on Saturday, February 11, they will be hosting a one-day retreat with Dr. Christine Pohl on the theme “Going Deeper into Community.” (more…)
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The Politics of Preaching
Yesterday I received the electronic issue of Didaskalia‘s forthcoming issue on the theme of political theology. From scanning the table of contents, it looks like it could be quite an interesting issue. It includes engagements by established and emerging Canadian theologians with Žižek, Barth, Bonhoeffer, Cavanaugh, and Newbigin, among others. Appearing in the issue is my essay, “Unapologetically (A)Political: Stanley Hauerwas and the Practice of Preaching.” Rather than summarize my own work, here’s how the editor of the issue, H.C. Hillier, introduces my essay in his preface to the issue: (more…)
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Persuasion vs. Proclamation
In his posthumously published collection of lectures, Theology of Mission, John Howard Yoder introduces an interesting analogy to differentiate between communication that is truly evangelical, as opposed to that which is simply manipulative. The former, which he describes as proclamation, begins from a theological starting point. The latter, which he describes as persuasion, starts from an anthropological starting point. Yoder introduces the analogy of a train compared to a taxi in an attempt to introduce the difference between these two modes of speech. As someone raised on the music of Johnny Cash, I’m probably partial to the suggestion that “the kingdom is more like a train,” but I’ll leave it to you to draw your own conclusions. Here’s the quote: (more…)
