A Cross-Shattered Church: Reclaiming the Theological Heart of Preaching

by Stanley Hauerwas

Overview

In this work, eminent theologian Stanley Hauerwas shows how the sermon is the best context for doing good theology. He writes, "I am convinced that the recovery of the sermon as the context for theological reflection is crucial if Christians are to negotiate the world in which we find ourselves." The book includes seventeen sermons preached by Hauerwas, which he considers his best theological work and hopes exemplify the work of theology.

The sermons are divided into four sections: seeing, saying, living, and events. Titles range from Believing Is Seeing and Was It Fitting for Jesus to Die on a Cross? to Only Fear Can Drive Out Fear and To Be Made Human. Each sermon includes where and when it was preached and references relevant Scripture passages.

EXCERPT
I have increasingly come to the recognition that one of the most satisfying contexts for doing the work of theology is in sermons. That should not be surprising because throughout Christian history, at least until recently, the sermon was one of the primary places in which the work of theology was done. For the work of theology is first and foremost to exposit scripture. That modern theology has become less and less scriptural, that modern theology has often tried to appear as a form of philosophy, is but an indication of its alienation from its proper work.

I am, therefore, making these sermons available because I think they are not only my best theological work, but because I hope they exemplify the work of theology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781441212757
Publisher:	Baker Publishing Group
Publication date:	07/01/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	537 KB

About the Author

Stanley Hauerwas (PhD, Yale University) is professor emeritus of divinity and law at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. His previous books include Cross-Shattered Christ, The Peaceable Kingdom, With the Grain of the Universe, A Better Hope, and Christian Existence Today.
Stanley Hauerwas (PhD, Yale University) professor emeritus of divinity and law at Duke Divinity School. He is the author of over forty books, including Cross-Shattered Christ, A Cross-Shattered Church, War and the American Difference, and Matthew in the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible.

Table of Contents

Preface 9

Introduction 11

Part I Seeing

1 Believing Is Seeing 27

Isaiah 26:2-9, 19

1 John 5:1-6

John 20:19-31

2 Blinded by the Light 33

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Psalm 23

Ephesians 5:8-14

John 9:1-41

3 So Much Depends 40

Matthew 13:24-32

4 Witness 46

Ecclesiasticus 38:1-4, 6-10, 12-14

Psalm 147:1-7

2 Timothy 4:5-13

Luke 4:14-21

Part II Saying

5 The Glory of the Trinity 53

Isaiah 6:1-8

Revelation 4:1-11

John 16:5-15

Psalm 29

6 Was It Fitting for Jesus to Die on a Cross? 60

Philippians 2:1-11

Matthew 27:32-37

7 The End of Sacrifice 66

Genesis 22

Psalm 22

Hebrews 10:1-25

John 19:1-37

8 A Cross-Shattered Church 73

Micah 6:1-8

Psalm 15

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Matthew 5:1-12

Part III Living

9 Death Undone 81

Isaiah 25:6-9

Psalm 24

Revelation 21:1-6

John 11:32-44

10 Only Fear Can Drive Out Fear 88

Ezekiel 2:1-7

Psalm 123

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Mark 6:1-6

11 The Appeal of Judas 94

Isaiah 43:16-21

Psalm 126

Philippians 3:4b-14

John 12:1-8

12 Slavery as Salvation 99

Jeremiah 3:21-4:2

1 Corinthians 7:17-23

Mark 1:14-20

Psalm 130

13 True Gentleness 105

Zephaniah 3:14-20

Psalm 85:7-13

Philippians 4:4-9

Luke 3:7-18

Part IV Events

14 A Deadly Business 113

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Psalm 27

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Luke 13:22-35

15 To Be Made Human 118

Isaiah 42:1-9

Psalm 29

Acts 10:34-43

Matthew 3:13-17

16 Water Is Thicker than Blood 123

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Colossians 3:12-17

Matthew5:1-12

17 Anointing Grace 128

1 Samuel 15:34-16:13

Psalm 20

2 Corinthians 5:6-17

Mark 4:26-34

Appendix 134

Matthew: Making the Familiar Strange

Preaching Repentance in a Time of War

Connecting Some of the Dots, or An Attempt to Understand Myself

Notes 157