Voices from the Past: Help for Today's Pulpit

This study examines important lessons that can be learned from the masters of the pulpit in recent past generations. The study focuses on six renown pulpiteers: Henry Ward Beecher, Phillips Brooks, John Jasper, Harry Emerson Fosdick, Andrew W. Blackwood, and James S. Stewart.

In Part One the current state of preaching in American is examined. Also explored are the need for restoring effective preaching and the cultural and historical context of the modern pulpit.

In Part Two a brief biographical sketch is presented for each of these individuals enumerated above along with a summary of some of their contributions to the field of homiletics. Special attention is given to those contributions that appear to be illuminative to those who would excel in preaching in the modern age.

In Part Three selected lessons from these master preachers are scrutinized with an emphasis being given to the application of principles from the past to today's pulpit. Each lesson explored springs from one of the master preachers considered. However, the content is often expanded and contextualized to concentrate on the application of the principle of the pulpit master to observed current need.
In Part Four the study culminates with an overview of the values to be gained from a study of the past competent pulpit communicators.