Andrews, Dale P.

English

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 27Issue 1 Martin and Modernity Article 195-1-2001The heart of Black preachingDale P. AndrewsFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationAndrews, Dale P. (2001) "The heart of Black preaching," Consensus: Vol. 27 : Iss. 1 , Article 19.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol27/iss1/19Book Reviews 131 remains a witness to the potential value in interfaith dialogue at the personal level, and reveals some interesting parallels between the Christian Gospel and the Buddhist Dharma. Thirdly, it is a powerful apology for activism amongst religious persons who are committed to their ideals and wish to see them realized in the world around us. As the title of the book suggests, the "raft," whether it be our faith-tradition or our lives in general, is not the "shore"- it is not the ultimate destination of unity in love and peace. Andrei S. P. Brennan The Monastic Community of St. Silouan the Athonite Canadian Archdiocese, The Orthodox Church in America The Heart of Black Preaching Cleophus J. LaRue Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000 250 pages, $22.50 Softcover LaRue excavates what could be termed as a homiletic hermeneutic distinctive to black preaching. As such, the author argues that a confluence of several essential dynamics shape black preaching. They include: the sovereignty and power of God, direct attention to the history and culture of African Americans, and competence in addressing Scripture to contemporary black life. A critical facet of this preaching hermeneutic is a biblical hermeneutic which reveals that God acts within human history on behalf of the marginalized and powerless. LaRue underscores that this biblical hermeneutic is shaped, in turn, by black cultural dynamics of interpretation functioning at the level of sacred story. LaRue identifies five realms which comprise this cultural hermeneutic. He calls these areas "domains of experience." The first domain is personal piety, which emanates historically from nineteenth-century American revivalism. Personal piety focuses on religious devotion and personal discipline often associated with an emphasis on personal salvation. Second, the "care of souls" depicts the domain of experience concerned with traditional aspects of pastoral care and counseling: healing, sustaining, guiding, and reconciling. Next, the third domain aims at social justice. However, in addition to issues regarding race, this domain includes various concerns as gender, age, economic class, and social reform. Fourth, LaRue characterizes the domain "corporate concerns" for the particular interests and experiences common to black life and its culture. Especially important here is his emphasis on those things that are best "spoken to blacks by other blacks." And lastly, the "maintenance of the institutional 132 Consensus church" completes the list of domains of experience. Whether committed to sustenance or admonition, this domain reflects a concern for the continuing life of the church. All in all, these domains of experience capture what LaRue argues are the paradigmatic beliefs and concerns reflected in black preaching. The domains of experience are integral to LaRue's method of homiletic analysis for black preaching. Along with this facet of his biblical hermeneutic for black preaching, LaRue includes the scriptural genre or literary form of the text, the demonstration of God's power, and the use of extended metaphors. Approximately half of this project is committed to two chapters analyzing nineteenth-century and contemporary sermons, respectively. LaRue structures these analyses on David Buttrick's notion of the "moves" in sermon development. While Buttrick's system of "sets" appears to be more appropriate for LaRue's application, his analyses successfully examine the distinctive role of each element of this biblical hermeneutic within black preaching. At times, LaRue's analyses spend more time than is necessary in recapitulation of each sermon, which collectively already constitute a lengthy appendix and a third of the text. Still LaRue is careful to frame the purpose of his method. He emphasizes that this project does not expound any particular homiletic method. He traces, instead, the basic dynamics of black preaching and its engagement with a strong biblical tradition and African American life. And indeed, this book offers an important critique of black preaching and homiletic development. Dale P. Andrews Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary Kentucky, USA Hear the Just Word & Live It Walter J. Burghardt, S.J. New York: Paulist Press, 2000 78 pages, $9.50 Softcover This short book is written by a well known American Jesuit who has some six decades of passionate and vocal involvement with social justice issues. Burghardt is Senior Research Fellow at Woodstock Theological Center in Washington D.C. and co-director of Preaching the Just Word, a centre for homiletics and social justice. He has published several volumes of homilies. In this brief book Burghardt encourages the reader to hear cries for justice from the Bible, Jesus, the church, and the world. In chapter 1, we are given a brief 

The heart of Black preaching

Scholars Commons

Consensus
Volume 27
Issue 1 Martin and Modernity Article 19
5-1-2001
The heart of Black preaching
Dale P. Andrews
Follow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus
This Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by an
authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.
Recommended Citation
Andrews, Dale P. (2001) "The heart of Black preaching," Consensus: Vol. 27 : Iss. 1 , Article 19.
Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol27/iss1/19
Book Reviews 131 
remains a witness to the potential value in interfaith dialogue at the personal level, 
and reveals some interesting parallels between the Christian Gospel and the 
Buddhist Dharma. Thirdly, it is a powerful apology for activism amongst religious 
persons who are committed to their ideals and wish to see them realized in the 
world around us. As the title of the book suggests, the "raft," whether it be our 
faith-tradition or our lives in general, is not the "shore"- it is not the ultimate 
destination of unity in love and peace. 
Andrei S. P. Brennan 
The Monastic Community of St. Silouan the Athonite 
Canadian Archdiocese, The Orthodox Church in America 
The Heart of Black Preaching 
Cleophus J. LaRue 
Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000 
250 pages, $22.50 Softcover 
LaRue excavates what could be termed as a homiletic hermeneutic 
distinctive to black preaching. As such, the author argues that a confluence of 
several essential dynamics shape black preaching. They include: the sovereignty 
and power of God, direct attention to the history and culture of African 
Americans, and competence in addressing Scripture to contemporary black life. 
A critical facet of this preaching hermeneutic is a biblical hermeneutic which 
reveals that God acts within human history on behalf of the marginalized and 
powerless. LaRue underscores that this biblical hermeneutic is shaped, in turn, 
by black cultural dynamics of interpretation functioning at the level of sacred 
story. 
LaRue identifies five realms which comprise this cultural hermeneutic. He 
calls these areas "domains of experience." The first domain is personal piety, 
which emanates historically from nineteenth-century American revivalism. 
Personal piety focuses on religious devotion and personal discipline often 
associated with an emphasis on personal salvation. Second, the "care of souls" 
depicts the domain of experience concerned with traditional aspects of pastoral 
care and counseling: healing, sustaining, guiding, and reconciling. Next, the 
third domain aims at social justice. However, in addition to issues regarding race, 
this domain includes various concerns as gender, age, economic class, and 
social reform. Fourth, LaRue characterizes the domain "corporate concerns" for 
the particular interests and experiences common to black life and its culture. 
Especially important here is his emphasis on those things that are best "spoken 
to blacks by other blacks." And lastly, the "maintenance of the institutional 
132 Consensus 
church" completes the list of domains of experience. Whether committed to 
sustenance or admonition, this domain reflects a concern for the continuing life 
of the church. All in all, these domains of experience capture what LaRue argues 
are the paradigmatic beliefs and concerns reflected in black preaching. 
The domains of experience are integral to LaRue's method of homiletic 
analysis for black preaching. Along with this facet of his biblical hermeneutic for 
black preaching, LaRue includes the scriptural genre or literary form of the text, 
the demonstration of God's power, and the use of extended metaphors. 
Approximately half of this project is committed to two chapters analyzing 
nineteenth-century and contemporary sermons, respectively. LaRue structures 
these analyses on David Buttrick's notion of the "moves" in sermon development. 
While Buttrick's system of "sets" appears to be more appropriate for LaRue's 
application, his analyses successfully examine the distinctive role of each element 
of this biblical hermeneutic within black preaching. 
At times, LaRue's analyses spend more time than is necessary in 
recapitulation of each sermon, which collectively already constitute a lengthy 
appendix and a third of the text. Still LaRue is careful to frame the purpose of his 
method. He emphasizes that this project does not expound any particular 
homiletic method. He traces, instead, the basic dynamics of black preaching and 
its engagement with a strong biblical tradition and African American life. And 
indeed, this book offers an important critique of black preaching and homiletic 
development. 
Dale P. Andrews 
Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary 
Kentucky, USA 
Hear the Just Word & Live It 
Walter J. Burghardt, S.J. 
New York: Paulist Press, 2000 
78 pages, $9.50 Softcover 
This short book is written by a well known American Jesuit who has some six 
decades of passionate and vocal involvement with social justice issues. 
Burghardt is Senior Research Fellow at Woodstock Theological Center in 
Washington D.C. and co-director of Preaching the Just Word, a centre for 
homiletics and social justice. He has published several volumes of homilies. 
In this brief book Burghardt encourages the reader to hear cries for justice 
from the Bible, Jesus, the church, and the world. In chapter 1, we are given a brief 


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