World Christianity
Southwestern Journal of Theology
Volume 61, No. 2 – Spring 2019
Managing Editor: W. Madison Grace II
By Jeffrey D. Arthurs. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2017. xi + 166 pages. Paperback, $20.00
In Preaching as Reminding: Stirring Memory in an Age of Forgetfulness, Jeffrey D. Arthurs, professor of preaching and communication at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, argues that preachers function as the Lord’s “remembrancers,” tasked with stirring memory of God’s grace and work in the hearts and minds of God’s people (9). Preaching need not be defined by novelty, but rather by a retrieval of what Christians know already yet forget or grow numb to in this age of distraction.
The book is divided into two halves. The first three chapters provide a biblical theology of memory. Arthurs stresses that, according to Scripture, “remembering is more than mental recall. It involves emotion and volition as well as cognition” (13). This is why both the Old and New Testaments are filled with admonitions to “remember” and with activities, structures, and rituals that recall God’s faithfulness in the past. The Bible is clear about two aspects of memory: God remembers his covenant and his children, and his children all too often forget him. Chapter three serves as a bridge from a biblical theology of memory to how preachers are God’s chosen instruments to help believers remember correctly. Arthurs draws from preachers in the Bible, notably Moses, the prophets, and Paul, and demonstrates that the discipline of remembering was a central element of their preaching.
The second section is methodological in nature and outlines how preachers can best serve their hearers as the Lord’s remembrancers. Arthurs explains how style, delivery and ceremony can stir memory in both the individual and collective consciences of the congregation. He gives practical insight on how preachers can leverage tone, intonation, body language, facial expression, corporate reading, and the ordinances to “keep the truth warm in heart and mind” (126).
Preaching as Reminding is a helpful volume with three noteworthy strengths. First, the subject manner—memory—is not often addressed in the field of homiletics. Arthurs gives his readers a unique lens through which to view their task. Using the vocabulary of 2 Peter 1:12–13, Arthurs reminds preachers of their calling: “One of the most crucial functions preaching accomplishes, a function often neglected in homiletics textbooks, is the stirring of memory. We need not—indeed we should not—scurry about like a character in a video game searching for originality. That is not our calling” (4). Arthurs helps preachers develop an attractive unoriginality in their preaching and hopes to see sermons remind and, in a sense, reunite (re-member) Christians to the life, death, and resurrection of their Lord. This framework will invigorate and encourage the preacher who feels the pressure of homiletical innovation.
Of course, preaching should not be characterized by a drab rehearsal of uninspiring truths. Rather, preachers should take stock of, and improve upon, their emotional intelligence, non-verbal cues, and delivery skill. Preachers should not be “charlatans” or “hucksters,” but should be authentic communicators who, as far as possible, remove all hurdles to effective communication (105). Chapters four through six are excellent in helping preachers understand how delivery and style can either advance or inhibit people’s understanding and internalizing of the sermon.
Second, Arthurs’ use of neuroscience throughout brings an interesting dialogue partner to the conversation. To be clear, he does not rely upon neuroscience to argue his case; the book is filled with biblical references and logical argumentation that the stirring of memory is a biblical call upon preachers. Instead, Arthurs uses neuroscience to show how God has designed the human brain. His use of neuroscience and memory is a way to appreciate and uphold the imago Dei, for we are people wired for memory because God is a God who remembers. Preachers would do well to understand this aspect of human nature. Had Arthurs emphasized this point at the expense of biblical data, this would be a significant weakness. Thankfully, he avoids this pitfall.
Finally, Arthurs is a superb writer whose prose, illustrations, and insight are a delight to read. The book is simultaneously theological and practical, serious and entertaining, weighty and light. It is wide-ranging in terms of quotations and illustrative material, giving it a compelling depth and color.
Preaching as Reminding is not a manual on sermon preparation nor a primer on preaching basics. Beginning preachers will be better served by resources that address the foundations of preaching: exegesis, hermeneutics, outlines, illustrations, application, and the like. However, for the preacher who has these tools firmly in his belt, Preaching as Reminding is an excellent volume that will energize his passion for proclamation and will shed new light on the preaching moment.
