Performance Study in Service to the Spoken Word in Worship

Chapter 12, Charles L. Bartow, “Performance Study in Service to the Spoken Word in Worship” pp. 211-223

Bartow observes that performance study has been used to analyze all sorts of speech and other transmission of knowledge. While the analyses may or may not be of use we should not dismiss them too quickly. In considering preaching we must consider the text to which we are accountable. God has revealed himself in the Bible. Through this written Word of God and the living Word of God we are transformed. Thus we must be faithful to the Lord as revealed in Scripture. All our work reflects this reality. Preaching therefore draws attention not to itself but to God. All our use of presentations, rhetoric, and technology is to direct hearts and minds to Jesus as revealed in the Bible. As we do this we must remain sensitive to the tools we use.

The Musicality of Black Preaching: Performing the Word

Chapter 11, William C. Turner, Jr. “The Musicality of Black Preaching: Performing the Word” pp. 191-209

Turner surveys six elements of musicality which, he says, lend power to African American preaching. First, black preaching is by and large musical and performance-based, drawing a congregation into the performance. Second, musicality including rhythm and pitch are normally used in preaching, while in the white church this is rare. In African American preaching musicality serves deliberately to emphasize aspects of the preaching, to serve as not only punctuation but also a structural element. Turner views this musicality as rooted in native African practices which were brought into Christian expression as slaves converted. This preaching is seen as a means of God giving his power to people. It is aligned with foundational patterns of life. While Turner does make an attempt at distinctions between emotionality and emotionalism, he also seems eager to endorse a style of preaching which draws very heavily on emotion and community feeling. The sad fact, which Turner occasionally admits, is that sometimes the truth of Scripture can be obscured. Yet the high emotions are not a guarantee of departure from truth. We are well advised to treat various delivery styles as patterns from which all can benefit.

What Comes Next? Performing Music and Proclaiming the Word

Chapter 10, Clayton J. Schmit, “What Comes Next? Performing Music and Proclaiming the Word” pp. 169-190

Schmit compares a sermon to a piece of music, observing that both are effectively intended for aural reception, are prepared, and follow typical conventions. How do the musicians and preacher prepare? Through thorough knowledge of the materials and the conventions of presenting their art form both the musician and preacher can grasp and remember the overall flow of the message. Most pieces of music (Schmit says all) follow a recognizable organizational pattern. They follow naturally to their conclusion. Likewise, the sermon will always have demands and resolution, the gospel promises. In different settings the preparatory style may vary, but the final product always shows familiarity with the style and patterns used.

Schmit’s analysis of music is not always adequate, as the notes on the page or what the musician conceptualized are actual music. But as far as the public performance and transmission of music are concerned he does draw insightful parallels to the world of preaching.

Finding Voice in the Theological School

Chapter 8, Richard F. Ward, “Finding Voice in the Theological School” pp. 139-152

Ward takes several tacks which surprise me. He begins by illustrating a student who wishes to “find” her voice in a homiletics class. Ward’s assumption is that this is the right reason to be in the class and that the student is speaking of her speaking voice, not a metaphor for her means of expression or her theological orientation. Ward continues by making the vocalization used in speaking a sermon one of, if not THE prime way that truth is discovered, both by the preacher and the congregation. He then discusses the theological implications of the use of the voice. Most of his time is spent asking questions. Most of his questioning belies a postmodern reliance on Romantic philosophy, particularly existential angst. On p. 145 Ward discusses Mark 7:31-37. Not only does he consider the Holy Spirit as “it,” ut he also describes Jesus as leaving his comfort zone and somehow, when the demoniac tells what God has done by ascribing healing to Jesus, Ward says there is a misunderstanding. This page discredits Ward’s understanding of biblical theology. Ward then makes the speaker and the hearer people who together discover how God works in his people. The congregation becomes a performer of the Gospel, which in reality only God can do. Ward leaves us with more questions. Based on his other work in the chapter I find myself not inclined to try to answer the questions.

The Use of the Body in the Performance of Proclamation

Chapter 7, Todd Farley, “The Use of the Body in the Performance of Proclamation” pp. 117-138

Todd Farley is a mime and a Christian who trains preachers in presentation skills. He considers it very important that a preacher’s body motions be meaningful, purposeful, and communicate the preacher’s intent. On p. 118 he quotes Martin Luther endorsing the bodily reflection of the genuine message. He then quotes John Wesley endorsing the preacher making physicality purposeful so as to appear natural yet be managed. Farley seems of the opinion that the two were saying the same thing. In fact, while Luther endorsed allowing motion to reflect the message, Wesley took motion to be a purposeful way of manipulating the message. Farley pursues this idea, which strikes me as very disingenuous. By strategic use of motion the performer makes the audience think certain things. He then launches into a discussion of classical notions of gesture and movement, adding occasional Bible verses for illustration.

While our motions say a great deal to the congregation we are ill advised to consider what we do as a performance o the congregation as an audience. Such attitudes can create distrust and eventually prove self-defeating.

On a side note, Farley refers to the lectern as a podium. You stand on a podium. You stand behind a lectern. Never put your hands on a podium!

Performance and the New Testament in Preaching

Chapter 6, Ronald J. Allen, “Performance and the New Testament in Preaching” pp. 99-116

Allen’s chapter draws a sharp dichotomy between written and oral communication. After stating his presupposition that the New Testament emerged from an oral culture as opposed to a literary culture, he builds a case for ongoing orality of biblical proclamation. One of the significant weaknesses of Allen’s argument is his view that the first century audience was non-literate. Counter to his argument, and even found within his statements, is the fact that the literature was just that, literature. It was intended for oral/aural use but it had its own, distinctly literary, style. Therefore, it is appropriate to interpret the New Testament as literature, but to gain insight from the orality. Allen seems to dismiss the literary quality in favor of orality alone. He commends the practice of reading large portions of text aloud, which is certainly a good practice. Yet the original lectors were those trained in public speaking. Their responsibility was to understand the text well and read it faithfully. This is not identical to preaching or dramatizing a text, both ideas which Allen endorses. Allen’s dependence on orality alone makes his presentation weak. It is further weakened by his higher critical and progressive theological biases, which show throughout the chapter. A few good nuggets, perhaps, but not solidly grounded.

Reversal of Fortune: The Performance of a Prophet

Chapter 5, Mary Donovan Turner, “Reversal of Fortune: The Performance of a Prophet” pp. 87-98

Turner views the spoken word as especially important in the context of deliverance from bondage. As her example she uses the brief song of Miriam from Exodus 15:20-21. Turner’s theological bias is clearly revealed on p. 88 with her key question, “What is the relationship between ritual performance and the quest for justice, the overthrowing of bondage, and God’s constant striving to reverse the fortunes of the poor and oppressed among us?”

Turner continues to articulate a view of ritual as something reated by humans to meet our deep-seated needs to overcome the oppression of our past. Without such rituals we will apparently fall back into bondage. These rituals, such as Miriam’s song, enable us to create a story of freedom from our former oppression. In effect, we would not be free from bondage without a ritual song.

Turner takes as a thesis that the liberal accretive theories of development of biblical texts are accurate. She also sees the world through the lens of feminist liberation theology. Without those presuppositions she would not have a message in this chapter.

Performative Language and the Limits of Performance in Preaching

Chapter 4, John M. Rottman “Performative Language and the Limits of Performance in Preaching” pp. 67-86

Does the speaking of preaching actually accomplish something? Rottman looks to the performative speech theories of John L. Austin. In some instances our speaking does accomplish something. Examples would be a christening, a marriage, or a court order. Can a whole sermon or at least some of its parts fall into this category? Rottman, with Austin, suggests it can, provided it follows the accepted convention, is suitable for the occasion, is correct, complete, and sincere.

Rottman explores history of sermons to look for the idea of performative speech. Unfortunately, he takes the last hundred years as his norm and suggests that sermons have always depended on explanation of propositions. These sermons tend to fall short in their performative aspect. So Rottman looks to the New Hermeneutic of Barth to find sermons which speak as proclamation of God’s will. If this is the pattern God can speak powerfully and accomplish his will. God’s freedom to work by the Holy Spirit when and how he wishes remains a problem.

My question for Rottman would be how the preacher’s performance may differ from God’s performance through the preacher.

At the Intersection of Actio Divina and Homo Performans: Embodiment and Evocation

Chapter 3, Alyce M. McKenzie “At the Intersection of Actio Divina and Homo Performans: Embodiment and Evocation” pp. 53-66.

McKenzie contrasts “traditional” preaching with preaching in the “new homiletic,” urging adoption of these novel methods as the means to effective preaching. The New Homiletic, which emerged about 1973, stresses poetic and metaphorical language to evoke experience. This was over against old styles of preaching which focused on explaining the biblical texts and their implications. The difficulty with the older style of preaching is that it followed an Aristotelian model which assumed demonstration of truth would be linked to change of attitude and behavior. The rhetorical methods of classical learning were separated, since the Enlightenment, from the truth claims implicit in the logical argument. Therefore, propositional preaching became less effective and increasingly irrelevant. McKenzie endorses more modern views in which the preacher’s performance evokes emotive change, enabling the congregation to embody the message based on the rhetoric rather than the propositions. Thus sermons are to be built on images and illustrations. The preacher thus emphasizes self-diclosure, transparency, and “authenticity” rather than a logical argument. This allows the congregation to embrace the message and be changed as they participate in the message.

I find this a frightening idea. It feeds an erosion of definitive truth and puts our own hearts in the seat of authority.

Preaching, Performance, and the Life and Death of "Now"

Chapter 2 Paul Scott Wilson “Preaching, Performance, and the Life and Death of “Now” pp. 37-52.

Wilson builds a case for the present time being more than a momentary, static point in discourse. He views time more as a description of a cluster of events, or as a wave, with a crest, a front, and a back, all in motion. Performance is an important factor in dealing with a text which is living in a time which is also living. He suggests that presentation of a text is, in some way, performative, though he hesitates to say that our own performative and creative work is the same as the divine work. Following Nicholas Lash, Wilson ties performance and interpretation together. To accomplish this we must find an interpretation of “now” which includes our encounter with a text, our contemplation of the text, our presentation of the text, and the audience’s understanding and response. At this point in the book, I write the words “Mysticism 101” in the margin, as it seems that Wilson is suggesting that the text of Scripture may well have different meanings to different people and that the preacher’s role is to cause people to understand the Scripture, as they would not be able to receive God’s speech otherwise.

To move from the back to the front of the wave which Wilson is picturing, the preacher performs the text in such as way as to instill hope and change, looking to future events and conditions. To this end, Wilson insists that the preacher should use a manuscript or outline only as a guide, developing much of his sermon in the moment as he reads the response of the congregation and tries to point them in a particular direction.

In order to accomplish this, Wilson observes that we need to die to ourselves and accept the idea that God works outside of time. He terms this the “death of now.” It is not clear what Wilson intends us to think of as time. He seems to be reacting to a modernist construct of time as a linear series of points. Yet this mathematical definition of time does not account for the varied experience every individual brings to a situation. It does not allow for differences in responses and the timing of those responses. I fear in his reaction to a modernist concept of time, Wilson becomes a postmodernist rather than embracing a more biblical and premodern view of time, delivery of a message, and varying responses to that message. In his attempt to remove some of the limits from our concept of time, Wilson simply erases one concept without successfully proposing another.