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How does the sermon form in the consciousness of the listener? A good question and one that David Buttrick seeks to resolve in this landmark book. Weighing in at 500 pages of small print, the book is a comprehensive look at a theology and theory of preaching that seeks to understand how the preacher can intentionally form the message in the mind of the listener.
Buttrick’s advice involves working with what he calls "moves" – set pieces in the architecture of the sermon that allow the listener’s mind to make progress from one idea to the next. While some have questioned Buttrick’s qualifications for speaking so authoritatively on such complex questions as the architecture of consciousness, still had advice with regard to these highly developed structures seems to ring true. People tend to hear things that are well built and tightly presented.
While it may not be "the most important book on preaching ever written" as some have written, this book will reward those who read it carefully. Some of Buttrick’s convictions grow out of his non-evangelical heritage and will be difficult for those who maintain a conservative view of the Christian faith. Still, there is much here to learn. Preachers ought to think about how their train of thought gets carried all the way to the station. Buttrick can help us with this.
Excerpt: Much of preaching can be glib, full of homiletic strategies which congregations have heard all too often. What may make preaching profound is a willingness to search deeply the actualities of consciousness. ...A preacher may tell us that "we all feel guilty," but the words may not convince. If, however, the preacher can actually describe how and where we feel guilty, we may be inclined to agree. So fine preachers will brood. Preachers will reach into consciousness to depict how we sense guiltiness. Does it shop up as an eye-lowering, uneasy self-consciousness? Is it a momentary, fleeting awareness? ...Is there any awareness of God involved, or is the sense of sin bounced off half-articulated "oughts" that lie around on the fringes of consciousness? What actually happens? The question is crucial. Many preachers reach too quickly for some stock illustration to support contentions and never think down to actualities of human consciousness. Preachers who dare to probe deep levels of self-awareness, however, will be preachers whose word will have the ring of truth. Preaching does not persuade in the sense of arguing the truth of the gospel; preaching sets the gospel in lived experience, genuine experience, so that truth will be acknowledged. (page 33)