Preaching the Topical Sermon [Paperback]

Ronald J. Allen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1992

This book offers a practical model for developing sermons for occasions when the Bible offers little specific guidance for interpreting an issue, need, or situation. Ronald Allen describes why and how topical sermons should be used, discusses special occasions when they are appropriate, and outlines strategies for developing topical sermons, giving particular attention to controversial issues. The last chapter includes sample sermons by other preachers.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ronald J. Allen is Nettie Sweeney and Hugh Th. Miller Professor of Preaching and New Testament at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is the author of numerous books about preaching and about the New Testament, including The Life of Jesus for Today.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press; 1st edition (September 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0664253067
• ISBN-13: 978-0664253066
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #379,527 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Staying on topic..., January 6, 2004

By 

FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Preaching the Topical Sermon (Paperback)

The different types of sermons that can be preached seem to the casual listener to be endless; those who spend a lifetime in church will begin to pick out certain strategies and patterns - sometimes the long-standing (and perhaps long-suffering) parishioner will recognise what the preacher is going to say even before she or he says it. It is easy for preachers to get into a rut, using the same material and the same strategy over and over. It therefore is important for preachers, even the most dynamic of them, to continue their studies and perfecting their craft, much in the way musicians continue to practice, develop new pieces, and keep current with new trends.

Ronald Allen, professor of preaching and New Testament at my seminary, provides books that serve as a great resource for this task. Allen has published extensively in homiletics, with a primary focus on the practical aspects of preaching. His texts are admirably useful, and this text, 'Preaching the Topical Sermon', is no exception.

In much of Allen's work, he identifies two primary modes of preaching (deductive and inductive) coupled with two primary types of sermons (expository and topical), leading to four basic types of sermons. The purpose of the text at hand is to look at the topical sermon - those sermons that do not focus on an exposition of a particular biblical text or pericope per se, but rather develop a theme or topic, drawing biblical support. This can be important for various congregational purposes - weddings, funerals, dedications, national events and emergencies, community concerns, and more are often dealt with topically, as they are not likely to have direct biblical passages as guides, and for those churches that follow a lectionary cycle, one can never count on the relevant passages to fall at the appropriate time.

Allen refers in his introduction to David Buttrick's 'Homiletic' as being a great contemporary discussion of the topical sermon, albeit under another name. There are indeed few books that deal with topical sermons directly, Allen gives several short appendices at the end of the text that offer suggestions for further reading in theological, issue-oriented, biblical studies, historical and other contexts, including earlier works on topical sermons.

Allen's primary concern here, as in all his texts, is to present a theologically credible method of preaching that is faithful to the gospel message and meaningful to the congregation listening. Allen looks at the topical sermon from the ground up, first exploring the purpose of topical sermons, the occasions for using topical sermons appropriately (Allen here assumes that expository preaching would be the default type), methods for constructing a sermon, different forms (inductive, deductive, Buttrickian, etc.), and finally examples of topical sermons preached to congregations as models for structure and inspiration.

Perhaps the strongest part of the text is the collection of sample sermons at the end. Interspersed among the paragraphs of the sermons are notes by Allen pointing out the different moves reinforcing the topic and the making the sermons 'work'. Perhaps the one piece I would like to see is an example of a topical sermon by Allen himself in this collection.

Overall, this is a good text, written in Allen's usual bright and accessible style, avoiding jargon and technical terminology in favour of a more practical approach. This is a text meant to be embodied in the sermons given by those who read it; it is also a worthwhile text for those who do not preach but rather listen to sermons, to be able to better recognise what is happening as they listen to the sermons.