ESTABLECIMIENTO: CS-II VILLA CRISTO REY

As discussed above, preachers, as well as hearers, are disciples of Jesus Christ in a cultural-linguistic framework. Bohren (1980:21-22) also remarks that the preacher should always be a novice and a

learner. Although preachers are theological experts, as beginners they should enter the context of hearers and listen to their voices. Moreover, in a situation, preachers as learners must listen to the Word of God, who speaks to his people. Just as “the Twelve were disciples before they were apostles” (Stott 2010:14), so preachers are disciples before they are teachers or trainers.

On the role of a preacher in a cultural-linguistic framework, Dingemans (1996a:41) says the following: “God speaks to and with the congregation in the liturgical setting of the worship and the participants react and reply in prayers and songs. And at a given moment the preacher intervenes in this communication with his or her homiletical communication to assist people in their own relationship to God.” In such a framework, the preachers’ role seems to be to assist hearers in their own relationship to God. There is “a double communication” (1996a:41) in the preaching of a cultural-linguistic framework. Preachers speak to the congregation and listen to hearers because God speaks to the congregation. Preachers and hearers, as the same disciples, assist each other. Therefore, the role of preachers seems to be that of assistants to hearers.

However, in terms of discipleship, a preacher has a much more important role than that of a mere assistant; he/she must be an example of how parishioners should live in Christ. Bohren (1980:393) refers to this role as follows: “Paul demands that we should follow his example (Nachahmung) so that we may follow Christ’s example. That is because we have no figure of the Nazarene. What we see are the people who follow Jesus Christ; we can see Him only in model disciples or exemplary followers, through the Holy Spirit.”143

Preachers are not only assistants, but also models who provide the pattern of life (Vorbilder).

All disciples, including preachers and hearers, are not only speakers but also followers.144 “Basically, all discipleship is our resolve not only to address Jesus with polite titles, but to follow his teaching and obey his commands” (Stott 2010:135). However, because preachers lead hearers,145

they are model disciples whom hearers follow. In his interview with Gwon (2010:469), Oak comments on preachers, as model disciples, as follows:

Contemporary preachers must abandon tactics to delight people and restore the real authority of the Word of the living God. Simultaneously, preachers have to go down to the world of lay people …. A great messenger has not only the authoritative Word of

143 _{Bohren’s (1980:393) comments on this follow: “So habe ich Jesus Christus nur indirekt; noch ist er nicht}

schlechthin anschaubar in den Vorbildern, kommt er doch in ihnen nur als der Verborgene zum Vorschein; aber ohne diese Vorbilder ist er für mich kaum erkennbar.“

144 _{According to Bohren (1980:394), preaching is not only a verbal act but it contains the preacher’s character}

and service. The conjunction of preaching and pastoral care emerge from the preaching as both speech and action.

145 _{Bohren (1980:18). regards this as avant-garde work or a vanguard of the worker: “Wer sich um die Predigt}

God but also the figure of a servant who incarnates himself as a live pattern of lay people.

Indeed, as discipling, preaching needs preachers as servants who incarnate themselves as a live pattern for lay people. Preachers should be model disciples for preaching, as discipling.

4.3 CONCLUSION

In the current homiletical crisis, what ought to happen in contemporary homiletics? As considered in this chapter, because of the change of hearers, a paradigm shift from a hermeneutics of reading in the written print culture to a hermeneutics of hearing in the secondary orality culture is needed. In terms of the direction toward a hermeneutics of hearing, the concept of the hearers in preaching should be changed from solitary readers to unified hearers.

Hearers can be faithful listeners through the disciplined life of particular Christian communities. The discipling of hearers is an essential ministry for preaching. There is a complementary relationship between preaching and discipling. Through discipleship training, hearers can become faithful listeners who can help preachers to prepare and proclaim good preaching. Therefore, we need to look for concrete ways with regard to training for listening.

CHAPTER 5: AN ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL TOWARD A

HERMENEUTICS OF HEARING

Chapter 4 focused on the importance of a hermeneutics of hearing as normative task. In the view of pragmatic task, this chapter will examine how one should listen to the words of God in a text in terms of a hermeneutics of hearing. Preachers’ faithful listening to Scripture takes precedence over parishioners’ faithful listening to a sermon (cf. Bohren 1980:147), because, if preachers fail to listen to the words of God, parishioners will also fail to listen faithfully. Moreover, the researcher will consider how to communicate a sermon, prepared by faithful listening, to hearers in terms of the Reformation and Renaissance.

5.1

HOW TO LISTEN TO THE SCRIPTURES

The joy of preachers emanates from the successful hearing of God’s words (cf. Bohren 1980:19). However, according to Cilliers (2004:18), preachers will struggle if they experience having heard nothing from Scripture. It seems that, in the process of preaching, preachers face some obstacles when listening to God’s words.