RT Article
T1 Preaching to Awaken the Woke
JF Reformed theological review
VO 82
IS 2
SP 127
OP 155
A1 Pugh, Jeffrey
LA English
YR 2023
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1880642697
AB A confrontation is occurring within conservative congregations between conventional evangelical and ‘woke’ mindsets that directly affects the authority of the preacher. Two scenarios are presented from recent preacher experiences from within churches that ostensibly hold a conservative evangelical theological position. The particulars of this new Western cultural phenomenon are outlined using two postmodern philosophers to assist in making sense of these scenarios. Psychodynamic analysis shows that a knee-jerk response to ‘woke’ triggering distorts Christian community at deep levels. A similar cultural shift can be traced from the New Homiletic to the present via homileticians who suggest that preaching must accommodate itself to this culture’s justice claims to avoid confrontation. This results in a significant truncation of the scope of preaching authority. Two alternative strategic responses provide space for authoritative preaching: one revisits the theological template upon which catechesis is offered to new believers, replacing the ‘woke’ view of history with a more biblical eschatology. The other strategic response is to empower the whole congregation with alternative political processes derived from Matthew 18. This provides space for the illuminating work of the Spirit to again use preaching to transform the hearts and minds of believers regardless of their mindsets.
K1 Catechesis
K1 Postmodernism
K1 Preaching
K1 Psychodynamics
K1 Rule of Christ
K1 Woke
DO 10.53521/a357