Theology of Preaching

I've been concerned for some time that there has been more emphasis in the pulpit on the pragmatics of preaching than on a theology of preaching. That's why I've appreciated reading Dr. Albert Mohler's recent commentaries entitled "Why Do We Preach?" In sum, Mohler points out that a theology of preaching should take Trinitarian form, "bearing witness to the God who speaks, the Son who saves, and the Spirit who illuminates."

Some of the following quotes were of interest to me:

• The authority of the preacher is instrinsically rooted in the authority of the Bible as the church's Book and the unblemished Word of God.
• In preaching, finite, frail, and fault-ridden human beings bear bold witness to the infinite, all-powerful, and perfect Lord. Such an endeavor would smack of unmitigated arrogance and over-reaching were it not for the fact that God Himself has set us to the task.
• True preaching is not an exhibition of the brilliance or intellect of the preacher, but an exposition of the wisdom and power of God.
• This [exposition of the wisdom and power of God] is possible only when the preacher stands in submission to the text of Scripture. . .Either the preacher or the text will be the operant authority. A theology of preaching serves to remind those who preach of the danger of confusing our own authority with that of the biblical text. [I would add that when the text is the preacher's authority, he is not allowing himself to fall into the trap of pragmatic preaching, or preaching for church growth only, but preaching for the glory of God.]

I'll share more quotes to which I was drawn later. These will do for "chewing" now.