A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " The virgin birth of Jesus is a religious Tenet of Christianity and Islam which holds that Mary miraculously conceived Jesus while The crucifixion of Jesus is an event recorded in all four Gospels (;;) which takes place after his arrest and trial and includes his scourging Within the body of Christian beliefs the resurrection of Jesus is a core event on which much of Christian doctrine and theology depend Church (disambiguation Christian Church and the word church are used to denote both a Christian association of people and a Place of worship The term New Covenant (; Greek:, diathēkē kainē is used in the Bible (both in the Hebrew Bible and the Greek New Testament) to refer The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament The purpose of this timeline is to give a detailed account of Christianity from the beginning of the current era ( AD) to the present Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Books of the Bible are listed differently in the canons of Jews and Catholic, Protestant, Greek Orthodox Slavonic Orthodox Georgian Armenian Apostolic A Biblical canon or canon of scripture is a list or Set of Biblical books considered to be authoritative as Scripture by a particular religious The biblical apocrypha (from the Greek word ἀπόκρυφος meaning hidden) are books published in an edition of the Bible whose canonicity Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных In many religions the supreme Deity ( God) is given the title and attributions of Father. Christian views of Jesus consist of the teachings and beliefs held by Christian groups about Jesus including his divinity humanity and earthly life In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance This is an overview of the History of Christian Theology from the time of Christ to the present Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology that aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections Christian tradition is a collection of Traditions of practice or belief associated with Christianity. Early Christianity is commonly defined as the Christianity of the three centuries between the Crucifixion of Jesus ( c This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils. A creed is a statement of Belief — usually Religious belief — or Faith often recited as part of a religious service See also Evangelism, Christianization A Christian mission has been widely defined since the Lausanne Congress of 1974 as that which The East-West Schism, or the Great Schism, divided medieval Christendom into Eastern (Greek and Western (Latin branches which later became known as the The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Denominationalism|List of Christian denominations|Church (disambiguation A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name structure and doctrine within Prayer is an important theme in Christianity, and there are several different forms of prayer Ecumenism (also oecumenism, œcumenism) refers to initiatives aimed at greater Religious unity or cooperation Christianity and other religions appear to share some elements Christian movements are theological, political or philosophical interpretations of Christianity that are not generally represented by a specific church Christian music is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life A Liturgy is a set form of ceremony or pattern of worship Christian liturgy is a pattern for worship used (whether recommended or prescribed by a Christian congregation or The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when Christian symbolism is defined as the investing of outward things or actions with an inner meaning the expression of Christian ideas Christian art is Art produced in an attempt to illustrate supplement and portray in tangible form the principles of Christianity. Throughout the History of Christianity, a wide range of Christians and non-Christians alike have offered criticisms of Christianity, the Church, and Christians Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured deliberate manner intended to inform influence or entertain the listeners In Religion, a prophet (or prophetess) is a person who has encountered the Supernatural or the divine and serves as an intermediary Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, or religious topic, usually expounding on a type of belief or law within both past and present contexts. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a Proposition or Premise to be true Law is a system of rules enforced through a set of Institutions used as an instrument to underpin civil obedience politics economics and society

Delivery

Sermons are usually, but not always, delivered in a house of worship, most of which have a pulpit or ambo, an elevated architectural feature. A pulpit (from Latin pulpitum "scaffold" "platform" "stage" is a small elevated platform where a member of the clergy stands A sermon is also known as a homily within the Catholic Church. A homily is a commentary that follows a reading of scripture In the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, and in the Eastern Orthodox Church The word "sermon" comes from a Middle English word which was derived from an Old French term, which in turn came from the Latin word sermō; ("discourse"). Middle English is the name given by Historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of Old French was the Romance Dialect continuum spoken in territories which span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. (Actually, it meant "conversation", and early sermons were delivered in the form of question and answer, only later did it come to mean a monologue).

In modern language, the word "sermon" can also be used pejoratively in secular terms to describe a lengthy or tedious speech delivered with great passion, by any person, to an uninterested audience. Words and phrases are pejorative if they imply disapproval or contempt A sermonette is a short sermon (usually associated with television broadcasting, as stations would present a sermonette before signing off for the night). Sign-off (or in British/Irish/New Zealand English closedown) is the sequence of operations involved when a radio or Television station shuts down its

Diverse traditions

See also: Khutba

In traditional Indian philosophy, a teacher or guru delivers a talk known as a satsang. Khutbah ( Arabic: (خطبة khuṭbah) serves as the primary formal occasion for public preaching in the Islamic tradition A guru (गुरु গুরু is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge wisdom and authority in a certain area and uses it to guide others Satsang ( Sanskrit sat = true sanga = company describes in Indian philosophy (1 the company of the "highest truth" (2 the company of a Guru, and (3

In rabbinic Judaism, homiletical literature is found primarily in various forms of Biblical exegesis, known as midrash. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Midrash ( Hebrew: מדרש plural midrashim, lit "to repeat" is a Hebrew term referring to the not exact but comparative ( homiletic Sermons center around Torah study and, as is prevalent in the modern period, during prayer services. Torah study is the study by Jewish people of the Torah, Hebrew Bible, Talmud, Responsa, Rabbinic literature and similar Jewish services ( Hebrew: תפלה, tefillah; plural תפלות, tefillos or tefillot; Yinglish: davening

In Islam, the Khutba (Arabic: (خطبة khuṭbah) is a sermon delivered before Friday prayers and after Eid prayers. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Khutbah ( Arabic: (خطبة khuṭbah) serves as the primary formal occasion for public preaching in the Islamic tradition There is also a khutba delivered during Hajj in the plains of Arafat, just outside Mecca. This khutba addresses the entire Muslim nation, as its message is carried back by pilgrims to their respective homelands.

Sermons in the Christian tradition

See also: Homiletics

The Sermon on the Mount by Carl Heinrich Bloch. Homiletics ( Gr homiletikos, from homilos, to assemble together in Theology the application of the general principles of Rhetoric In the Gospel of St Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount is a compilation of Jesus' sayings epitomizing his moral teaching. Carl Heinrich Bloch ( May 23, 1834 &ndash February 22, 1890) was a Danish painter

In Christianity, the most famous sermon is the Sermon on the Mount by Jesus of Nazareth. In the Gospel of St Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount is a compilation of Jesus' sayings epitomizing his moral teaching. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) This sermon was probably preached around 30 A.D. and is recounted in the Gospel of Matthew (5:1 - 7:29, including introductory and concluding material) as being delivered on a mount on the north end of the Sea of Galilee, near Capernaum. Year 30 was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. The Gospel of Matthew (Gk Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον is one of the four Canonical gospels in the New Testament and is a Synoptic gospel The Sea of Galilee, also Sea of Genneseret, Lake Kinneret or Lake Tiberias (Hebrew ים כנרת) (Arabic بحيرة طبريا) The Sermon on the Mount lays out many of the core principles of Christianity. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Another rendition of much of the same material may be found in the "Sermon on the Plain" in the Gospel of Luke (6:17 - 49, including introductory material). The Sermon on the Plain was a sermon given by Jesus of Nazareth according to the Gospel of Luke; it may be compared to the longer Sermon on the Mount The Gospel of Luke (Gk Κατά Λουκάν Ευαγγέλιον) is a synoptic Gospel, and is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the

During the later history of Christianity, several figures became known for their sermons or a particularly significant sermon. Preachers of the early church include Peter (see especially Acts 2:14b - 36), Stephen (see Acts 7:1b - 53), Tertullian, John Chrysostom, Gregory Nazianzus. Peter is a popular male Given name. It comes from the Greek word πετρος (petros meaning "rock" The Acts of the Apostles is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, Anglicised as Tertullian, (ca This article refers to the Christian saint For other uses of the name see Chrysostomos. Gregory of Nazianzus (329 – January 25 389) (also known as Gregory the Theologian or Gregory Nazianzen) was a 4th-century Archbishop Sermons in this era were used to spread Christianity across Europe and Asia Minor. Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black During the Middle Ages, sermons inspired the beginnings of new religious orders (eg, Saint Dominic and Francis of Assisi). Religious orders ('Religious Institutes' cf canons 573-746 are the major form of consecrated life in the Roman Catholic Church. Saint Dominic (Domingo also known as Dominic of Osma, often called Dominic de Guzmán and Domingo de Guzmán Garcés (1170 &ndash August 6 For the opera by Olivier Messiaen see Saint-François d'Assise. Pope Urban II began the First Crusade in November 1095 at the Council of Clermont, France, when he exhorted French knights to retake the Holy Land in Palestine. Pope The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II with the dual goals of conquering the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land and freeing The Council of Clermont was a mixed Synod of ecclesiastics and laymen of the Catholic Church, which was held on November 27 1095 at Clermont France This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Holy Land ( Arabic: الأرض المقدسة al-Arḍ ul-Muqaddasah;Ancient Aramaic: ארעא קדישא Ar'a Qaddisha; Hebrew: ארץ_הקודש Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.

In the Roman Catholic tradition, the art of preaching has developed through the theological field of homiletics. Homiletics ( Gr homiletikos, from homilos, to assemble together in Theology the application of the general principles of Rhetoric

Many sermons have been written down, collected and published. Such sermons include John Wesley's 53 Standard Sermons, John Chrysostom's Homily on the Resurrection (preached every Easter in Orthodox churches) and Gregory Nazianzus' homily "On the Theophany, or Birthday of Christ" (preached every Christmas in Orthodox churches). Martin Luther began a tradition of publishing sermons (Hauspostille) on the Sunday lessons for the edification of readers. This tradition was continued by Chemnitz and Arndt and others into the following centuries.

Role in Protestantism

The Reformation led to Protestant sermons, many of which defended the schism with the Roman Catholic Church and explained beliefs about scripture, theology and devotion. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. The word schism (ˈsɪzəm or /ˈskɪzəm/ from the Greek σχίσμα skhísma (from σχίζω skhízō, "to tear to split" Since the distinctive doctrines of Protestantism held that salvation was by faith alone, and convincing people to believe the Gospel and place trust in God for their salvation through Jesus Christ was the decisive step in salvation, in Protestantism the sermon and hymn came to replace the Eucharist as the central act of Christian worship. In Theology, salvation can mean three related things being saved from or Liberation from something such as Suffering or the punishment of Sola fide ( Latin: by Faith alone also historically known as the doctrine of justification by faith is a doctrine that distinguishes most A hymn is a type of Song, usually religious specifically written for the purpose of praise adoration or Prayer, and typically addressed to a deity/deities The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those To rouse deeper faith in the churchgoers, rather than have them partake in a ritual, was the goal of Protestant worship conditioned by these beliefs. Faith is a Belief in the trustworthiness of an Idea. Formal usage of the word "faith" is usually reserved for concepts of Religion, as in

In the 1700s and 1800s during the Great Awakening, major sermons were made at revivals, which were especially popular in the United States. The Great Awakenings refer to several periods of rapid and dramatic Religious revival in Anglo-American religious history generally recognized as beginning in the 1730s A revival meeting is a series of Christian religious services held in order to inspire active members of a religious body and to gain new converts The United States of America —commonly referred to as the These sermons were noted for their "fire-and-brimstone" message, typified by Jonathan Edwards's famous "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" speech. This article is about the theologian (b 1703 for other uses of Jonathan Edwards see Jonathan Edwards. Most famously preached on July 8 1741 in Enfield, Connecticut, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is Jonathan Edwards' most recognizable Sermon In these sermons the wrath of God was clearly one to be afraid of, although fear was not the message Edwards was trying to convey in his sermons, he was simply trying to tell the people that they could be forgiven for their sins.

Types

There are a number of different types of preaching, that differ both by their subject matter and by their intended audience. and accordingly not every preacher is well-versed in each type. The types of preaching are:

• Topical preaching - concerned with a particular subject of current concern;^[1]
• Biographical preaching - tracing the story of a particular biblical character through a number of parts of the Bible. A biography (from the Greek words bíos (βίος meaning "life" and gráphein (γράφειν meaning "to write" is an account ^[2]
• Evangelistic preaching - seeking to convert the congregation or bring them back to their previous faith through a recounting of the Good News. Evangelism is the Christian practice of proselytisation. The intention of most evangelism is to effect Eternal salvation to those who do not follow the This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament ^{[3] [4]}
• Expository preaching - exegesis, or preaching from a text and seeking to expound the text to the congregation. Expository preaching (also referred to as systematic exposition) is a form of Preaching that expounds upon the meaning of a particular text or passage of Scripture Exegesis (from the Greek 'to lead out' involves an extensive and critical interpretation of an authoritative text, especially of a Holy ^[5]
• Redemptive-Historical Preaching - Preaching that takes into consideration the context of any given text within the broader history of salvation as recorded in the canon of the bible. History A method of preaching that was forged in the fires of debate in the Reformed churches of the Netherlands in the early 1940s

It is worth noting that sermons can be both written^[6] and outspoken. ^[7]

Delivery methods

Sermons also differ on the amount of time and effort used to prepare them.

• Scripted preaching - preaching with a previous preparation, it can be with help of notes or a script, or rely on the memory of the preacher. A manuscript is any Document that is Written by hand as opposed to being printed or reproduced in some other way
• Extemporaneous preaching - preaching without overly detailed notes and sometimes without preparation. Extemporaneous preaching' is a style of Preaching that was popular in the late 1800s among Baptist ( Primitive Baptist especially Methodist Usually a basic outline and scriptural references are listed as notes.
• Impromptu preaching - preaching without previous preparation. Impromptu preaching is a Sermon technique where the preacher exhorts the congregation without any previous preparation

See also

• Preacher
• List of preachers
• Expository preaching
• Extemporaneous preaching
• Popular Sermon of the Medieval Friar
• Khutba
• Kerygma
• Theology
• Midrash
• Christian Virtues
• Redemptive-Historical Preaching

References

Bibliography

• American Sermons: The Pilgrims to Martin Luther King Jr. Preacher is a term the for someone who preaches Sermons or gives homilies The following is a list of famous Preachers Catholic Ignatius of Antioch, (35–107 (also Eastern Orthodox Church) Polycarp Expository preaching (also referred to as systematic exposition) is a form of Preaching that expounds upon the meaning of a particular text or passage of Scripture Extemporaneous preaching' is a style of Preaching that was popular in the late 1800s among Baptist ( Primitive Baptist especially Methodist The Franciscan and Dominican Friars are members of mendicant orders who beginning in the thirteenth century preached the popular sermon on Sundays Khutbah ( Arabic: (خطبة khuṭbah) serves as the primary formal occasion for public preaching in the Islamic tradition Kerygma ( Greek: κήρυγμα kérugma, pronounced "kay-roog-ma" is the Greek word used in the New Testament for preaching (see Luke Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective Midrash ( Hebrew: מדרש plural midrashim, lit "to repeat" is a Hebrew term referring to the not exact but comparative ( homiletic A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Virtue ( Latin virtus; Greek) is moral Excellence. Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting individual History A method of preaching that was forged in the fires of debate in the Reformed churches of the Netherlands in the early 1940s , Michael Warner, ed. (New York: The Library of America, 1999) ISBN 1-883011-65-5

• Edwards, O. C. , Jr. A History of Preaching. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004. ISBN 0-687-03864-2

• Willimon, William H. and Richard Lischer, eds. Concise Encyclopedia of Preaching. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995. ISBN 0-664-21942-X