Preaching from the depth

Bonhoeffer and the challenge of contemporary preaching

Abstract

Responding to a letter that lamented the lack of aesthetics and erudition in the church’s liturgy and preaching, Bonhoeffer indicates that he thinks the simple language of the bible must be retained, but crucial for him is the “depths out of which it arises”. Expanding on what he means by the “depth”, Bonhoeffer points his questioner to the books of Bernanos and how they reflect something of what the daily and personal encounters of preachers with the crucified Christ looks like. What does this mean in the context of contemporary preaching and how does it help us to better understand and practise the art of preaching at a time and in a world that is home to diverse cultures and largely values very different and more popular aesthetic and cultural expressions? Which lessons can we learn from Bonhoeffer’s “preaching from the depth” for contemporary preaching?”