A homiletical strategy for evangelical preaching in South Korea : beyond the new homiletic

Abstract

This research looks for a strategy for evangelical preaching in South Korea since the nation faces enormous changes in the new millennium. The researcher adopts Osmer’s methodology for practical theology. Chapter two performs Osmer’s first stage, being the descriptive-empirical task of determining the current state of the research subject. The researcher examines the current trends in preaching in the Korean church and the influence of the social contexts of South Korea on the changes in homiletics through literature. It is the starting point of this study. Chapter three discusses research that was conducted by interviewing pastors and lay people and listening to their experience of the New Homiletic currently in vogue in the Korean church. In chapter four as the second task, the interpretative task, the researcher examines the New Homiletic, which was influenced by the New Hermeneutic, especially the theories of Craddock and Lowry. In order to examine these theories concretely, the relationship between the New Hermeneutic and the New Homiletic is examined and how Craddock and Lowry’s theories shape their sermons. The New Homiletic is subjected to a critical evaluation, not only as regards the positive contributions but also its limitations. As the normative task, Chapter five presents the postliberal homiletics theory, focused on Campbell’s postliberal homiletic theory, which is in turn based on Lindbeck’s and Frei’s cultural-linguistics approaches. The Korean church considered Campbell’s homiletic as a new way. The researcher investigates postliberal theology, researches the central themes of postliberal homiletics and evaluates the validity of the evangelical church’s acceptance of Campbell's homiletic as norm. Chapter six suggests an alternative to postliberal homiletics based on Kevin Vanhoozer’s canonical-linguistic model. First of all, the researcher examines the validity of using the drama analogy in theology, especially in practical theology. Vanhoozer’s canonical-linguistic model is explained and then applied to homiletics. As the pragmatic task, Chapter 7 interacts with the preceding chapters and then proceeds to suggest some homiletical route markers for the evangelical Korean church: preaching as drama, looking along the text in biblical interpretation and the preacher’s roles as co-dramaturge, assistant director and co-actor.