Preaching Fools - by Charles L Campbell & Johan H Cilliers (Paperback)

About the Book

Campbell and Cilliers walk the fine line between the ugliness and beauty of the gospel and challenge readers toward a deeper engagement with its unsettling message.

Book Synopsis

Across national and cultural borders, the archetype of the fool has played a significant role in how communities interpret and ascribe identity. As Charles Campbell and Johan Cilliers remind us, the Christian preacher, tasked with delivering a paradoxical gospel, is a fool. In a delicate exploration with enlightening results, Preaching Fools uses a diverse representation of fools and foolish actions to show how modern preaching is inseparable from the folly of the cross. Campbell and Cilliers walk the fine line between the ugliness and beauty of the gospel and challenge readers toward a deeper engagement with its unsettling message.

Review Quotes

Preaching Fools is a helpful contribution to the ongoing discussion of the nature of preaching. The ''preacher as fool'' is largely unexplored territory, and Campbell and Cilliers draw deeply on rich cultural and theological resources to get the conversation started.

--Angela Dienhart Hancock, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary "Theology Today"

... a remarkable collaboration between two teachers of preaching.

-- "Preacher Rhetorica"

... a rich engagement with embodied practices, particular linguistic performances, and a diverse array of cultural artifacts. Anyone interested in the ways religious language shapes identity and constructs the imaginative worlds we inhabit will find this book a helpful conversation partner.

--Lance B. Pape, Brite Divinity School "Homiletic"

Campbell and Cilliers have moved the conversation about ethical preaching to the next level...

--John S. McClure, Vanderbilt Divinity School "Interpretation"

There are... examples, images, and stories that preachers will find quite compelling and helpful.

--Mike Graves, Saint Paul School of Theology "Review and Expositor"

About the Author

Charles L. Campbell is Professor of Humanities at Duke Divinity School. He lives in Durham, North Carolina.

Johan H. Cilliers is Professor in Homiletics and Liturgy at the University of Stellenbosch, Faculty of Theology. He lives in Stellenbosch, South Africa.