Divine Voice, The: Christian Proclamation and the Theology of Sound [Paperback]

Stephen H. Webb (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2004

"Freedom begins in the ear before it reaches the mouth." Every once in a while a book comes along that profoundly makes the most original thoughts immediately familiar. The Divine Voice is such a book. Stephen Webb challenges readers to take sound seriously. Not only did God's first "sounds" speak the world into being, but sound and voice have also played an undeniably central role in biblical revelation, prophetic proclamation, and the New Testament call to verbal witness. Webb goes on to make the surprising claim that the obligation of all Christians to witness to their faith is "inseparable from the need to acquire and practice the rhetorical skills of public speaking." While the very words "public speaking" might strike terror in many readers' hearts, Webb confronts the issues of stage fright and speaking disabilities head-on, pointing his readers to the biblical narratives concerning difficult speaking. The Divine Voice performs its own significant insight: the life of the pilgrim is not just a spatial journey, but is an audition of sorts, in which we take the Bible's words as our own. As Webb points out, the good news is that we've already been cast in the play. Now, we can embrace a life of witness by rehearsing and "inhabiting the sounds of faith." An indispensable book for preachers, students of homiletics, and all concerned to see (and hear) sound in new ways.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Webb at his best--imaginative, thoughtful, wide-ranging, and provocative. . . . Webb gives us a vital supplement to the overwhelmingly visual nature of our culture. He invites us to listen and speak more attentively both to each other and to the God who speaks all things into being."--Stephen Fowl, Christian Century --Stephen Fowl, Christian Century

Review

If you read very far in this exploration of 'theoacoustics,' you'll begin to see--and hear, and think about--all sorts of things you hadn't previously noticed, and not only those explicitly mentioned by Webb, though as it is he covers enough territory for five normal books."--John Wilson, ChristianityToday.com (named Top Ten Book of 2004)

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Brazos Press (June 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587430789
• ISBN-13: 978-1587430787
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,497,451 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stephen H. Webb writes on a wide range of topics, from the theology of basketball, the stories of John Updike, and the spirituality of pet keeping to Bob Dylan's Christian period, the problem of evolution, and the religious significance of sound. Born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, he has taught religion and philosophy at Wabash College, Indiana, for over twenty years. His wife, Diane Timmerman, is an actress, director and professor of theatre at Butler University, and they have four children, Charis, Barek, Asher, and Tsehai (as well as two dachshunds). His articles have appeared in Books & Culture, First Things, and Touchstone. Recently received into the Roman Catholic Church, he is currently working on a book on conservative political theology that draws from his experience of being a conservative in higher education.