Articles

What’s at Stake in a Preacher’s Spirituality of Time?

Authors

  • Donyelle C. McCray

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21827/ijh.2016.39429

Abstract

A preacher’s spirituality of time may seem like a peripheral issue, but this realm is one where much is at stake. In this article I argue that the preacher’s approach to time scaffolds the overall endeavor. I begin by considering the church’s unique position in time, arguing that the church is fundamentally an event or a happening rather than an institution. Then, I explore ways preaching can foreground the church’s identity as an event. After describing preaching as the narration of a theological moment in the church’s life, I turn to practical implications. In addition to homileticians, my primary interlocutors for this piece include two renowned spirituality scholars, Evelyn Underhill and Abraham Joshua Heschel. I conclude that ecclesiology, pneumatology, and performance are all profoundly shaped by a preacher’s appreciation for the holiness of time.

Author Biography

Donyelle C. McCray

Donyelle McCray, born 1974, is Assistant Professor of Homiletics and Director of Multicultural Ministries at Virginia Theological Seminary, USA.

Published

2016-02-12

Issue

Section

Articles