Reviewed Book: Biddle, Perry H, Jr. Lectionary Preaching Workbook, Series 2: Cycle B. Lima, Ohio: CSS Pub, 1987

Riegert, Eduard R.

English

Scholars Commons

Consensus
Volume 14
Issue 1 Essays: Historical and Theological Article 23
5-1-1988
Lectionary Preaching Workbook, Series 2: Cycle B
Eduard R. Riegert
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
Riegert, Eduard R. (1988) "Lectionary Preaching Workbook, Series 2: Cycle B," Consensus: Vol. 14 : Iss. 1 , Article 23.
Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol14/iss1/23
Book Reviews 137
Whether preaching in the mode of immediacy (narrative texts), the reflec-
tive mode (non-narrative texts), or the mode of praxis (relating experience
to gospel rather than gospel to experience in that the beginning place is a
human situation rather than a text), the otherwise extraordinarily helpful
“move” tends to dominate, and this in spite of the fact that each move as
well as the entire sermon can articulate various points-of-view.
This is a major re-expression of Homiletics bcised on current devel-
opments in hermeneutics, homiletics, phenomenology of language, liter-
ary criticism, communication, rhetoric, narrative and narrative theology,
metaphor, style, and biblical studies. It will be the touchstone of further
homiletical research and writing. Above all, it must become the partner of
every serious preacher.
Eduard R. Riegert
Waterloo Lutheran Seminary
Lectionary Preaching Workbook, Series II: Cycle B
Perry H. Biddle, Jr.
Lima, Ohio: C.S.S. Publishing Co., Inc., 1987
310 pp.
C.S.S. Publishing Co. devotes much or most of its energies to publish-
ing preaching and worship resources, and many of its authors are pastors
in parish ministry. Volumes of sermons on sections of the lectionary are
plentifully represented in its catalogues, as are workbooks such as the one
under review. Perry Biddle is pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Old
Hickory, Tennessee, and has been invited by C.S.S. to write a workbook on
each of the three series of the Common Lectionary. This is the first.
Apart from its actual usefulness as a workbook, two features intrigued
me. One is that the workbook comes highly recommended by some noted
homileticians and writers: John Killinger; Don Wardlaw, F. Dean Lueking,
and Wm. H. Willimon. The second and more compelling factor was the
“promise” that he was using Buttrick’s “move” approach (see my review
of Buttrick’s Homiletic above). Aha! I thought, I will see Buttrick “in
action”
!
Biddle is careful to emphasize that this is a workbook. He urges preach-
ers to plan ahead in blocks of 13 weeks (one-fourth of a year), familiarizing
themselves with the pericopes, selecting the texts for sermons and starting a
file for each sermon. (Certainly it seems that more liturgically determined
blocks of time would be better suited to the preacher’s purpose than an
arbitrary number of weeks.) More intensive planning occurs in two-week
138 Consensus
units, and the final sermon preparation in one-week units. This is wise ad-
vice for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that doing a creative
thing like preaching takes time.
The workbook follows the same format for each Sunday and the festi-
vals of the Epiphany, The Transfiguration, Reformation Sunday, All Saints
Sunday, and Christ the King: (l) citation of the lessons according to the
Common, Lutheran and Roman Catholic lectionaries; (2) “Comments on
the Lessons” which presents overviews of the variations and sometimes
the themes of the lessons; (3) “Commentary” on each lesson, exegetically
based; (4) “Theological Reflections” which attempt “to locate any common
themes in the passages and relate them, and to restate the central thrust
of each passage”; (5) “Homiletical Moves” which are
“
‘moves’ to ‘move’
the preacher to ‘move’ the congregation to faith in Christ or more faithful
obedience to Christ”
;
each set of moves is given a suggestive title, and one
of the lessons is selected and elaborated upon as “this preacher’s choice”;
(6) a suggested hymn; and (7) a brief prayer.
It is worth remarking that preachers will need to open their Bibles
alongside this workbook, and not just their lectionaries. Biddle comments
on the longest lections (e.g., John 2:13-25, RC, vis-a-vis 2:13-22, Lutheran,
Lent 3), and frequently backs up to get an adequate context. Moreover,
RSV versification is not always used (cp. RSV and JB on the First Lesson,
Advent l). As well, the practice of skipping verses (especially true of RC
lections) is deplorable.
The “Theological Reflections” are more or less helpful. The weakness
of them is that in a short paragraph the attempt is made to reflect on three
lessons (or more when lections vary). In Buttrick’s scheme, the articulation
of the “field of Theological understanding” of a text is a crucial stage, be-
cause “moves” are developed by putting together theological understanding
and lived experience so that preaching may in fact be mediation between
God and our neighbours, between the gospel and the world in which the
“being-saved community” finds itself.
It is hard to evaluate Biddle’s “Homiletical Moves”. Here is an example,
the First Lesson of Lent 1, Genesis 22:1-18^ which is entitled “God Will
Provide”:
God tests Abraham by commanding him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice.
Abraham obeys God and Isaac trusts Abraham.
God provides a ram for the burnt offering.
God promises to bless Abraham and multiply his descendants because
of his faithful obedience.
God tests us but will not allow us to be tempted beyond our endurance,
therefore let us trust in God when tested.
“Moves”, according to Buttrick, begin in an analysis of the movement
of the text (plotting the moves of a text, a structural analysis), develop
into “move sentences” which are expanded into carefully designed “moves”
which, when preached, will form one “image” in consciousness. Biddle’s
suggestions lie somewhere between a plot of the text’s structure and “move
Book Reviews 139
sentences”. Generally he is closer to the former, except for the last entry
which is usually of a “let us” variety urging some response to the text.
It is in fact those last entries to his series of “moves” which get to be
annoying because they are invariably of a hortatory nature. A “let us. . . ”
functions exactly like a “must” or an “ought” or a “should”, and thus each
set of moves ends up in “law” language. Such language does not create faith
nor obedience; it vitiates gospel and promise. Ignore these last entries.
Biddle encourages users of the workbook to read Buttrick and other
homileticians. I would second that. I suspect that without an understand-
ing of how “moves” are designed and of the “logic” which links them into a
coherent sequence, Biddle’s series of “Homiletical Moves” will become not
only so many “points” (which are anathema to Buttrick), but will encour-
age a dull rehearsal of the text with an hortatory moral tacked on at the
end.
Nevertheless, users will certainly benefit from the exegetical commen-
tary and other format features, and gain significant help from Biddle’s brief
overview of the lectionaries, his thoughts about becoming more creative in
preaching, his introduction to the liturgical seasons, and his bibliography
of preaching and worship resources.
Eduard R. Riegert
Waterloo Lutheran Seminary
Songs For A Gospel People
Edited by R. Gerald Hobbs
Winfield, British Columbia: Wood Lake Books, 1987
A new thoroughly singable collection of hymns old and new has been
compiled to reflect the diversity and heritage of the Christian church in to-
day’s world. Published under the auspices of the United Church of Canada,
as a supplement to their Hymnal (1930) and The Hymn Book (1971), the
hymnody attempts to bear
the mark of today’s church. It is ecumenical, drawing from all
members of the family of God throughout the world. It is pluralist,
recognizing that in the church we are a mixed community, and that
our words and musical styles need to reflect that diversity. It is
biblical and rooted in our church’s story, because being faithful in
the great issues of justice and peace in our world means drawing
nourishment from our past. It is inclusive, imaging and nurturing
the wholeness of the body of Christ (foreword).
A public request for new Canadian hymns by the editorial committee
presented them with the incredible task of sorting through 3,000 submis-
sions. Only 12 of these are included in the book, but with selections from


Lectionary Preaching Workbook, Series 2: Cycle B

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 14Issue 1 Essays: Historical and Theological Article 235-1-1988Lectionary Preaching Workbook, Series 2: Cycle BEduard R. RiegertFollow 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 CitationRiegert, Eduard R. (1988) "Lectionary Preaching Workbook, Series 2: Cycle B," Consensus: Vol. 14 : Iss. 1 , Article 23.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol14/iss1/23Book Reviews 137Whether preaching in the mode of immediacy (narrative texts), the reflec-tive mode (non-narrative texts), or the mode of praxis (relating experienceto gospel rather than gospel to experience in that the beginning place is ahuman situation rather than a text), the otherwise extraordinarily helpful“move” tends to dominate, and this in spite of the fact that each move aswell as the entire sermon can articulate various points-of-view.This is a major re-expression of Homiletics bcised on current devel-opments in hermeneutics, homiletics, phenomenology of language, liter-ary criticism, communication, rhetoric, narrative and narrative theology,metaphor, style, and biblical studies. It will be the touchstone of furtherhomiletical research and writing. Above all, it must become the partner ofevery serious preacher.Eduard R. RiegertWaterloo Lutheran SeminaryLectionary Preaching Workbook, Series II: Cycle BPerry H. Biddle, Jr.Lima, Ohio: C.S.S. Publishing Co., Inc., 1987310 pp.C.S.S. Publishing Co. devotes much or most of its energies to publish-ing preaching and worship resources, and many of its authors are pastorsin parish ministry. Volumes of sermons on sections of the lectionary areplentifully represented in its catalogues, as are workbooks such as the oneunder review. Perry Biddle is pastor of First Presbyterian Church, OldHickory, Tennessee, and has been invited by C.S.S. to write a workbook oneach of the three series of the Common Lectionary. This is the first.Apart from its actual usefulness as a workbook, two features intriguedme. One is that the workbook comes highly recommended by some notedhomileticians and writers: John Killinger; Don Wardlaw, F. Dean Lueking,and Wm. H. Willimon. The second and more compelling factor was the“promise” that he was using Buttrick’s “move” approach (see my reviewof Buttrick’s Homiletic above). Aha! I thought, I will see Buttrick “inaction”!Biddle is careful to emphasize that this is a workbook. He urges preach-ers to plan ahead in blocks of 13 weeks (one-fourth of a year), familiarizingthemselves with the pericopes, selecting the texts for sermons and starting afile for each sermon. (Certainly it seems that more liturgically determinedblocks of time would be better suited to the preacher’s purpose than anarbitrary number of weeks.) More intensive planning occurs in two-week138 Consensusunits, and the final sermon preparation in one-week units. This is wise ad-vice for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that doing a creativething like preaching takes time.The workbook follows the same format for each Sunday and the festi-vals of the Epiphany, The Transfiguration, Reformation Sunday, All SaintsSunday, and Christ the King: (l) citation of the lessons according to theCommon, Lutheran and Roman Catholic lectionaries; (2) “Comments onthe Lessons” which presents overviews of the variations and sometimesthe themes of the lessons; (3) “Commentary” on each lesson, exegeticallybased; (4) “Theological Reflections” which attempt “to locate any commonthemes in the passages and relate them, and to restate the central thrustof each passage”; (5) “Homiletical Moves” which are“‘moves’ to ‘move’the preacher to ‘move’ the congregation to faith in Christ or more faithfulobedience to Christ”;each set of moves is given a suggestive title, and oneof the lessons is selected and elaborated upon as “this preacher’s choice”;(6) a suggested hymn; and (7) a brief prayer.It is worth remarking that preachers will need to open their Biblesalongside this workbook, and not just their lectionaries. Biddle commentson the longest lections (e.g., John 2:13-25, RC, vis-a-vis 2:13-22, Lutheran,Lent 3), and frequently backs up to get an adequate context. Moreover,RSV versification is not always used (cp. RSV and JB on the First Lesson,Advent l). As well, the practice of skipping verses (especially true of RClections) is deplorable.The “Theological Reflections” are more or less helpful. The weaknessof them is that in a short paragraph the attempt is made to reflect on threelessons (or more when lections vary). In Buttrick’s scheme, the articulationof the “field of Theological understanding” of a text is a crucial stage, be-cause “moves” are developed by putting together theological understandingand lived experience so that preaching may in fact be mediation betweenGod and our neighbours, between the gospel and the world in which the“being-saved community” finds itself.It is hard to evaluate Biddle’s “Homiletical Moves”. Here is an example,the First Lesson of Lent 1, Genesis 22:1-18^ which is entitled “God WillProvide”:God tests Abraham by commanding him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice.Abraham obeys God and Isaac trusts Abraham.God provides a ram for the burnt offering.God promises to bless Abraham and multiply his descendants becauseof his faithful obedience.God tests us but will not allow us to be tempted beyond our endurance,therefore let us trust in God when tested.“Moves”, according to Buttrick, begin in an analysis of the movementof the text (plotting the moves of a text, a structural analysis), developinto “move sentences” which are expanded into carefully designed “moves”which, when preached, will form one “image” in consciousness. Biddle’ssuggestions lie somewhere between a plot of the text’s structure and “moveBook Reviews 139sentences”. Generally he is closer to the former, except for the last entrywhich is usually of a “let us” variety urging some response to the text.It is in fact those last entries to his series of “moves” which get to beannoying because they are invariably of a hortatory nature. A “let us. . . ”functions exactly like a “must” or an “ought” or a “should”, and thus eachset of moves ends up in “law” language. Such language does not create faithnor obedience; it vitiates gospel and promise. Ignore these last entries.Biddle encourages users of the workbook to read Buttrick and otherhomileticians. I would second that. I suspect that without an understand-ing of how “moves” are designed and of the “logic” which links them into acoherent sequence, Biddle’s series of “Homiletical Moves” will become notonly so many “points” (which are anathema to Buttrick), but will encour-age a dull rehearsal of the text with an hortatory moral tacked on at theend.Nevertheless, users will certainly benefit from the exegetical commen-tary and other format features, and gain significant help from Biddle’s briefoverview of the lectionaries, his thoughts about becoming more creative inpreaching, his introduction to the liturgical seasons, and his bibliographyof preaching and worship resources.Eduard R. RiegertWaterloo Lutheran SeminarySongs For A Gospel PeopleEdited by R. Gerald HobbsWinfield, British Columbia: Wood Lake Books, 1987A new thoroughly singable collection of hymns old and new has beencompiled to reflect the diversity and heritage of the Christian church in to-day’s world. Published under the auspices of the United Church of Canada,as a supplement to their Hymnal (1930) and The Hymn Book (1971), thehymnody attempts to bearthe mark of today’s church. It is ecumenical, drawing from allmembers of the family of God throughout the world. It is pluralist,recognizing that in the church we are a mixed community, and thatour words and musical styles need to reflect that diversity. It isbiblical and rooted in our church’s story, because being faithful inthe great issues of justice and peace in our world means drawingnourishment from our past. It is inclusive, imaging and nurturingthe wholeness of the body of Christ (foreword).A public request for new Canadian hymns by the editorial committeepresented them with the incredible task of sorting through 3,000 submis-sions. Only 12 of these are included in the book, but with selections from

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