In a Preface, Professor James S. Stewart, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, writes: ‘This little book demonstrates wonderfully Barth's characteristic union of simplicity and profundity. Certainly there is in these pages a Word from the Lord for the revitalizing of the Church.' The book is based on two series of informal lectures, published in the USA as Prayer and The Preaching of the Gospel. The first series studied Christian prayer, and particularly the Lord's Prayer as interpreted by Luther and Calvin. The second series ventured into the field of practical theology, discussing the essential characteristics of preaching and how to prepare a sermon. Here one who is mighty in the pulpit shows preachers that they must trust in Scripture itself; and lays bare his own attitude to the humbling but possible task of proclaiming the Word of God. Even Christians not responsible for composing sermons are responsible for hearing God through them, and they, too, will be helped by these intimately spiritual pages. Specimen sermons are added.
