By Samantha Stevenson, student news writer
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky.—Dr. J. Dwayne Howell, professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Campbellsville University, will be in the Barnes & Noble College Bookstore in the Davenport Student Commons on CU's campus signing “Preaching and the Personal,” a collection of papers that he edited, on Thursday, April 3 from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. The bookstore is located at 410 N. Hoskins Ave., Campbellsville.
This collection of papers has been featured at the Society of Biblical Literature in sessions sponsored by the Homiletics and Biblical Studies section. It encourages dialogue among scholars who have an interest in critical exegesis and its various methods. It also applies to scholars who are interested in the hermeneutical and theological problems inherent to the relationship between biblical interpretation and proclamation.
Nancy L. deClaissé -Walford, Carolyn Ward Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages at McAfee School of Theology, said “Preaching and the Personal” “provides much needed insight into the preaching event.”
“Preaching and the Personal” attempts to examine the relationship with the text, preacher and congregation. In the book, Howell states that all three are active in interpreting and understanding the Scripture.
“Preaching is a personal event: a minister or speaker prepares his or her sermon and presents it to the congregation. Preaching, however, also includes the Bible as a central source; this source comes from and provides a basis for the believing community. Preaching is also personal for the members of its congregation, who are not simply recipients of the preacher's word based on a biblical text. The congregation is involved personally in that each individual interprets the words and text,” Howell said.
Howell is serving as pastor of Rolling Fork Baptist Church in Gleanings, Ky. He also serves as the chair of the Homiletics and Biblical Studies Section of the Society of Biblical Literature.
“Preaching and the Personal” was published by Pickwick Publications, an imprint of WIPF and STOCK Publishers. The book is available for purchase for $20 at Campbellsville University's Barnes & Noble College Bookstore.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,600 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.