Book Review: "As one Without Authority", Fred Craddock

 

Craddock, Fred. As One Without Authority (Chalice Press, 2001). 

 

 

 

            In “As one without authority”, Craddock brings forth the Inductive Method in preaching as a new and desired goal for preachers, especially contrasted to the Old Homiletics’ Deductive Method. His main argument seems to be that the Inductive movement in preaching corresponds to the way people ordinarily experience reality (p.66), therefore, it helps preaching to connect to a world that is increasingly accustomed with the weakening of the power of words.      

            Craddock is right when he states that Preaching is a hard job. Either because it is just words or because it is words. It has always been and will always be difficult because it is not easy to communicate in a meaningful way at every level of human interaction. Just talking to people in meaningful way in daily life is not always easy, let alone when one thinks about the task of preaching every week.

            In this context, Craddock reclaims the power and centrality of the word and the speaking as an act in the present, which impacts preaching in a definitive way. Sermons are not just speech, but a speaking act. The new preaching brings the notion that the preacher believes the sermon needs the hearer to be complete. Not only mouth, but mount and ear bring the meaning to full circle. In Cradock, it seems that for the first time in centuries the hearers receive more dedicated attention as a part of the communicational process happening from the pulpit to the nave. Words and speech are inherent to the nature of Christian faith that its adherents do not keep silent (p.38) It would be only natural then that words for Christian Preaching are not “just words”, but words from the Word which bear meaning, weight, and impact on the lives of the hearers.

 

            Inductive preaching has influenced the way many preachers write their sermons, and that includes me, as it foments the speaker-listener relationship in ways that it is an ongoing process of production of meaning on both ends

Another interesting aspect of Craddock’ work is where he points out that Preaching is a matter of movement (p.54), and therefore, Pastoral involvement in daily life and in the life of the congregation is essential for inductive preaching (p.82). This daily relationship with the congregation materializes, for example, in home visits, is an unmatched contribution to the ministry in the specific location the pastor is placed.

 

            With the advantage of hindsight of over half a century, I would make a point that Craddock’s insistence on the Inductive as superior to the old deductive method not always holds true in every context. Especially in a post-modern, pre-pagan society in which we live now, where each person owns their own truth. In this context, deductive, affirmative preaching may find its place bringing solid teaching to the lives of people lost in the woods of materialistic relativism.

            I would disagree with Craddock’s affirmation that Paul outlined evangelism as starting not in preaching but in listening (pg 43). This constitutes a misappropriation of the text’s meaning in function of its context, where Paul asks, “how can they hear if there is no one to preach?”. The point of the text is exactly that evangelism starts with somebody to preach/speak, so that people can listen and be reached by the Gospel of Hope.

            The reading of Craddock is a good exercise of seeing the pulpit both in the shadows and in the spotlight, giving birth to good reflection in the place of preaching in the congregational/pastoral relational life.