The Preaching Church: The Poor as Sacra Praedicatio

This book proposes a theology of preaching from the perspective of the poor. Traditional homiletic methodology concentrates on the how of preaching. Pastro maintains that the real question for a renewal of preaching is theological the who of the preaching. The center of the who is the Triune God living in the poor community. Drawing in productive ways from Bonhoeffers Christus als Gemeinde existierend as well as years of listening attentively to the Mexican immigrant community in the U.S. that he served for decades Dr. Pastro demonstrates the myriad ways that the Holy Spirit indwells in the pueblo among the poor inspiring those like him who listen. --Tamara R. Williams Professor of Hispanic Studies Executive Director Wang Center for Global Education Pacific Lutheran University There is broadly speaking a tendency in the field of theological and pastoral studies to consider homiletics--the art of preparing and delivering biblical messages--as a matter of lesser importance. This is a big mistake. In fact homiletics is the crown of pastoral and theological formation. And Vince Pastros The Preaching Church: The Poor as Sacra Praedicatio is the most precious jewel of that crown. Nec plus ultra! --Carlos Caldas Research Fellow The Jesuit School of Philosophy and Theology Belo Horizonte (Brazil) Fr. Vincent Pastro approaches the preaching event in a way that is disciplined fresh and invigorating. A deeply spiritual and accessible journey into the dynamism of the preaching event. The active subjects in the dialogue are Word Spirit and People a Holy Preaching that meets Jesus Christ as incarnate and proclaimed in the pueblo of God. This new sacramental paradigm does not begin with how to preach but who is the privileged voice of revelation: the suffering poor beloved of God. --Paul Janowiak SJ Professor of Sacramental and Liturgical Theology Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara in Berkeley Vincent J. Pastro is a Catholic presbyter from the Archdiocese of Seattle. He has pastored Mexican immigrant communities for many years and has a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis Missouri. He is the author of Enflamed by the Sacramental Word (Pickwick 2010).