Syllabus

Narrative Sermons (TC 849)

Boston University School of Theology
Fall Term, 2011
Class Sessions: Wednesdays, 3 PM - 5:50 PM

Prof. David Schnasa Jacobsen

Phone: (617) 353-7322
E-mail: dsjacobs@bu.edu
Office Hours: Tuesdays through Fridays by appointmentcome on in!

Learning Goals:
This course is designed to explore the many options available to the preacher who is interested in
narrative and story. It is, for the most part, seminar in format. Therefore, students will want to
develop a clear idea of their own learning goals for this course. Your professor is more than
happy to meet with you individually to help you find the resources that will meet your goals.

The only requirement framing these goals will be that students also take time to integrate their
work in narrative homiletics theologically. Narrative theologies take numerous forms and
provoke very different kinds of questions for preachers and theologians alike. Students are
encouraged to go beyond matters of method and technique to ask important theological questions
about narrative as it relates to preaching, scripture, theological anthropology, Christology, etc.
Opportunity for such reflection will happen both in the presentations and in a final response
paper to Campbell's or Longs book.

Any students in this course who have a disability that might prevent them from fully
demonstrating their abilities should meet with the instructor as soon as possible to initiate
disability verification and discuss accommodations that may be necessary to ensure your full
participation in the successful completion of course requirements.

Boston University uses software that can check for plagiarism. Students may be required to
submit their written work in electronic form and have it checked for plagiarism.

Required Texts:
Campbell, Charles. Preaching Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1997).
Long, Thomas G. Preaching from Memory to Hope (Louisville: WJKP, 2009).
Robinson, Wayne, ed. Journeys Toward Narrative Preaching (Eugene: Wipf and Stock, 2007).
Taylor, Barbara Brown. The Preaching Life (Boston: Cowley, 1994).

Choose One of Four Required Texts (for student presentations, by Session 2):
Ellingsen, Mark. The Integrity of Biblical Narrative (Minneapolis: AugsburgFortress, 1990).
Lowry, Eugene. The Homiletical Plot (Exp. Ed., Louisville: WJKP, 2001).
Mitchell, Henry. Celebration and Experience in Preaching (Nashville: Abingdon, 1990).
Rice, Charles (et al.). Preaching the Story (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1980). On reserve only

All of the above optional books are also available on reserve at the library reserve desk.
Format: In the following schedule, what I do is in plain type face; what you do is in bold.

SCHEDULE
Session1 Introductions, Storytelling, Syllabus
9/7 Lectures: "A Primer in Narrative" & "Brief Survey Narrative Preaching" Scheduling
For next class: Read Robinsons Journeys toward Narrative Preaching

Session 2 Discussion of Robinson's book: What is the range of Narrative in preaching?

9/14 Lecture: Literary Criticism, Biblical Exegesis, and Homiletic Theory
Side by Side: Comparing Narrative Approaches to Biblical Texts

Session 3 Presentation: Henry Mitchell (narrative and character identification)

9/21 _________________ _________________ _________________

Session 4 Presentation: Eugene Lowry (narrative and sermonic plot)

9/28 _________________ _________________ _________________

Session 5 Presentation: Mark Ellingsen (narrative and world incorporation)

10/5 _________________ _________________ _________________

Session 6 Presentation: Charles Rice (narrative as meeting of story worlds)

10/12 _________________ _________________ _________________
For next session: Read Barbara Brown Taylors The Preaching Life

Session 7 Debriefing of first set of assignments

10/19 Discussion of Taylors book
Lecture: The Limits of Story and Questions for Narrative Preaching

Session 8 Presenter: _______________ Figure/Idea: _________________

10/26 Presenter: _______________ Figure/Idea: _________________

Session 9 Presenter: _______________ Figure/Idea: _________________

11/2 Presenter: _______________ Figure/Idea: _________________

Session 10 Presenter: _______________ Figure/Idea: _________________

11/9 Presenter: _______________ Figure/Idea: _________________

Session 11 Presenter: _______________ Figure/Idea: _________________

11/16 Presenter: _______________ Figure/Idea: _________________
For next class: Read Preaching Jesus (chapters 5-8) and From Memory to Hope (chapters
1-2 & 5) for discussion in next class

11/23Thanksgiving Recess
Session 12 Discussion of Campbell's book, chapters 5-8, and Longs book, chapters 1-2 & 5
11/30 Lecture: Issues in theology and narrative preaching

Session 13 Hand in Assignment 3 to discuss in class

12/7 Evaluation

Assignments:

Assignment 1: Assigned Shared Presentation (first hour) and Sermons (second/third hours)
With this first presentation and sermon students will be presenting the narrative homiletical
method of one of four seminal figures in the field. Students will be responsible for giving within
that first-hour presentation:
(1) a thirty-minute summary on the person's narrative homiletic, and
(2) a ten-minute theological analysis of their perspective, with
(3) a ten-minute period for questions.
Presenters will need to bring photocopies of their notes and bibliography each Wednesday to
share with classmates. Full and final sermon manuscripts for the second and third hours of
that class period are to be handed in the day before you preach (that means Tuesday by 3
PM!). The 10-15 minute sermon will be graded in light of the criteria that your figure (either
Lowry, Mitchell, Ellingson, or Rice) establishes. Above all, however, each sermon will be
graded by how well hearers hear the gospel through it. Therefore, we will also take a few
minutes after each sermon in class for classmates to respond.
Due: Tuesday, 3 PM the day before Sessions 3-6 (Sept 20, 27, Oct 4 and 11)
Grade: 30% of total

Assignment 2: Self-Selected Presentation and Sermon (50 mins.)

With this presentation and sermon students will be responsible for presenting the narrative
homiletical method of one of the figures in the field or of your own development. Students will
be responsible for giving within a fifty-minute session:
(1) a thirty-minute summary on the person's narrative homiletic or a proposed method, and
(2) a ten-minute theological analysis of that perspective, with
(3) a ten-minute period for questions.
Once again, presenters will need to bring photocopies of their notes and any bibliography each
Wednesday to share with classmates. Full and final sermon manuscripts for the sermon
session are to be handed the day before you preach (that means Tuesday by 3 PM!). The
10-15 minute sermon will be graded in light of the criteria that your figure or you yourself
establish. Above all each sermon will be graded by how well hearers hear the gospel through it.
Well take ten minutes after each sermon for in class response.
Due: Tuesday, 3 PM before Sessions 8-10 (October 25, November 1, 8, and 15)
Grade: 50% of total

Some suggestions for Assignment 2 presentations:

Jana Childers, Performing the Word: Preaching as Theatre
Evans Crawford, The Hum: Call and Response in African American Preaching
Justo Gonzlez and Pablo Jimnez, Pulpito: An Introduction to Hispanic Preaching, (esp.
chapters 2-3)
John C. Hoffman, Faith-full Stories: The Narrative Road to Religion
Richard Jensen, Telling the Story
Thomas Boomershine, Story Journey
John Holbert, Preaching Old Testament: Proclamation and Narrative in the HB
Ed Riegert, Imaginative Shock: Preaching and Metaphor
Ed Riegert, Hear the Story
Christine Smith, Weaving the Sermon: Preaching in a Feminist Perspective
Fred Craddock, As One without Authority and Preaching
Frederick Buechner, Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale
Richard Thulin, The "I" of the Sermon
Tom Long, Preaching the Literary Forms of the Bible
Or you may want to explore resources for other kinds of potential "mobile" sermon forms:
Daniel Buttreys 1st Person Dramatic Sermons
Elizabeth Schssler Fiorenza's "Creative Actualization" (see In Memory of Her)
or other ideas with the approval of the professor.

Assignment 3: Book Review and Constructive Response (4 pp.)

Write a two page book review of either Charles Campbell's Preaching Jesus (chapters 5-8) or
Tom Longs Preaching from Memory to Hope (chapters 1-2 and 5) together with a two page
constructive response featuring your own emerging position on narrative preaching. The book
review should include (1) a summary of Campbell's or Longs work, (2) some critical
engagement and (3) an evaluation or critical appreciation of his contribution to understanding
preaching in relation to narrative. Don't sweat it. With reviews, brief is good. With the response
portion, also two pages, begin to sketch your own understanding of narrative preaching
theologically. How does your understanding of narrative preaching relate to such theological
issues as: your doctrine of scripture, your understanding of the Gospel, your Christology, your
theological anthropology, eschatology etc? Try to view this as a synthetic approach to the
theological issues we have explored relative to narrative preaching this term.
Date Due: Session 13 (December 7)
Grade: 20% of total

Grading:
With the first two assignments, the percentage of your overall mark goes up. I want to give you
opportunities to explore and try out narrative and other mobile sermon forms. Students need
not fear that an early problem leads them to homiletical purgatoryfar from it. The final
assignment gives you the opportunity to reflect theologically on the relationship of narrative to
preaching and stretch your wings even further.

Nonetheless, I must offer one caveat. Since beginning pastors almost always have to produce
weekly sermons regardless of circumstances, late sermon manuscripts will result in an automatic
reduction of grade by one letter and missed presentations will result in a grade of F.

Students taking the course for doctoral credit are required to do all work at a doctoral level. In
addition, doctoral students should submit one review of a recent book related to the course
content for publication in an appropriate journal. The length should be between 500-1000 words.