Preaching From a Biblical Anthropology

211 Pages·2017·1.55 MB·English

Luther Seminary
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Doctor of Ministry Theses Student Theses
2016
Preaching From a Biblical Anthropology: Sources
and Methods for Correlating the Gospel and the
Human Condition
Paul N. D. Miller
Luther Seminary
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Condition" (2016).Doctor of Ministry Theses. 16.
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PREACHING FROM A BIBLICAL ANTHROPOLOGY:

SOURCES AND METHODS FOR CORRELATING THE GOSPEL

AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

by

REV. PAUL N. D. MILLER

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of
Luther Seminary
In Partial Fulfillment of
The Requirements for the Degree of
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
2016
© 2016 by Rev. Paul N. D. Miller

All rights reserved
ABSTRACT
Preaching from a Biblical Anthropology: Sources and Methods for Correlating the
Gospel and the Human Condition

by

Rev. Paul N. D. Miller

Preachers‘ understandings of the human condition are foundational to preaching
that is faithful and effective, yet are often unreflective or dogmatic. Biblical anthropology
provides both revelation about humankind and a variety of perspectives, aiding the
preacher in addressing diverse situations. Topics explored: Old Testament anthropology
undergirding the New; the fundamental unity of the human being; the differentiation of
law, sin, and human nature; the doctrine of theological anthropology; law and gospel
preaching. Research draws on preachers‘ journals and listener feedback surveys to
identify and demonstrate patterns of creative proclamation of the human situation and a
corresponding Gospel response.

ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank my advisor Michael Rogness for his patience and wisdom in
this process, and for excellent editorial help. His article ―Preaching the Gospel on Mars
Hill‖ summarizes well what needs to be said about preaching in our time. Thanks also to
Christopher Smith for outstanding guidance in research technique and thesis structure, to
all my professors in the Luther Seminary D. Min. program, and to my colleagues in the
cohort of 2016. It has been wonderful to be surrounded by people who take preaching so
seriously, setting an inspiring standard of excellence and sending my thoughts in new
directions.
This research project could not have happened without the preachers who agreed
to engage these ideas with me and journal about them. I had to promise that they would
remain anonymous, but… you know who you are.
Thanks also to the people of St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Canyon Lake, Texas.
Thanks are due to the staff and the Council members from the years I was in this program
for their support, and to my Parish Response Group for their generosity with their time
and their willingness to share thoughts and feedback.
Finally, my family: thanks especially to my brother Nathan Miller for editorial
help and feedback on the thesis as it was being prepared, to my daughter Ruth for
understanding (more or less) when I had ―homework‖ to do, and to my wife, Marie, for
making this program work in our life and supporting me throughout.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................ vi
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ............................................................................................ vii
1. INTRODUCTION, PROBLEM, JUSTIFICATION, AND RATIONALE ...................1
The Human Condition as Key to Faithful and Effective Preaching ......................2
Why Biblical Anthropology? ................................................................................9
2. THEOLOGICAL AND BIBLICAL FRAMEWORK .................................................14
The Bible as Source .............................................................................................15
The Old Testament as Foundational Anthropology .....................................15
The Old Testament as Diverse Treasury of Reflection ................................23
The New Testament and the Humanity of Christ .........................................30
The Correlation of the Gospel and the Human Condition in Scripture ........35
Theological Developments ..................................................................................40
Biblical Anthropology in the Early Church .................................................40
Reformation Preaching and the Human Condition ......................................51
3. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................61
In Dialogue with Post-Enlightenment Anthropology ..........................................61
Reclaiming Law and Gospel ...............................................................................67
The ―Fallen Condition Focus‖ .............................................................................74
4. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ..........................................................................................76
Overview of Research Tools ...............................................................................77
Methodology and Assessment .............................................................................80
5. ANALYSIS OF RESULTS .........................................................................................84
Preachers‘ Influences and Commitments ............................................................84
Sermon Entries - Overview .................................................................................89
Strategies .............................................................................................................90
Promising Approaches .................................................................................90
The ―Neutral/Negative‖ Strategy .................................................................94
The ―Human Condition Focus,‖ with Neutral, Negative, and Positive
Statements ....................................................................................................97
iv
Case Studies – What Did They Hear? .................................................................99
6. EVALUATION..........................................................................................................103
The Preachers Reflect on Their Experience ......................................................103
Evaluating the Research Process .......................................................................106
Avenues for Further Study ................................................................................108
Conclusions .......................................................................................................110
7. REFLECTION ...........................................................................................................113
APPENDIX A ..................................................................................................................121
APPENDIX B ..................................................................................................................122
APPENDIX C ..................................................................................................................123
APPENDIX D ..................................................................................................................160
APPENDIX E ..................................................................................................................167
APPENDIX F...................................................................................................................196
WORKS CITED ..............................................................................................................199
WORKS CONSULTED ..................................................................................................201

v
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
FCF Fallen Condition Focus
HCF Human Condition Focus
NRSV New Revised Standard Version
vi
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Tables
Table 1: Dynamics of Proclamation in Pre-exilic and Exilic Prophets (Steinke) ............. 36
Table 2: Analysis of Pre-exilic and Exilic Prophetic Responses (Brueggemann) ............ 36
Table 3: The Gospel Correlated to the Human Situation in Romans 5-8 ......................... 37
Table 4: Stuempfle's Analysis and Examples of the Law/Gospel Dynamic ..................... 69
Table 5: W. Paul Jones' Analysis of "Theological Worlds" ............................................. 70
Table 6: The "Neutral/Negative" Preaching Strategy ....................................................... 95
Table 7: The "Human Condition Focus" as a Preaching Strategy .................................... 98
Table 8: Examples of the "Human Condition Focus" as a Tool for Preaching .............. 112

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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION, PROBLEM, JUSTIFICATION, AND RATIONALE
Travelling in Peru, I was able to worship in a local church, a large congregation
that is part of a Pentecostal movement originating in Brazil. The guest preacher, from
Brazil, took up the topic of famine. His primary text was Genesis 12:10: ―Now there was
a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to reside there as an alien, for the
famine was severe in the land‖ (NRSV). Building on that verse and the narratives before
and after it, he invited listeners to reflect on their experience of famine, crisis, and
vulnerability. He developed the theme: When we are not currently experiencing famine,
how does the fear of famine shape our decisions? How does famine or the fear of it affect
our trust in God, and how might our faith affect our fear? He set Abram and Sarai‘s
experience next to Naomi and Ruth‘s in the book of Ruth. Do we experience famine as if
we have failed? Do we draw close to God in those times, or push away? Famine and the
fear of it emerged as experiences that bind all of humankind together, even as he began to
lay out a gospel response rooted in John 6 and Philippians 4.
It is hard to evaluate sermons, especially across boundaries of culture and
theological tradition; all preaching is contextual and I was not part of the primary context.
Some things in the sermon struck me as odd or even inappropriate. However, there was
much that drew my attention and held it, and much to stimulate thought and faith. It
would be hard not to consider the sermon a success, since it both built up my faith and
stirred reflection on what makes for good preaching. I found myself wondering: Why
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