Masters of Preaching

The Most Poignant and Powerful Homilists in Church History

By (author) Ray E. Atwood Foreword by Jerome Hanus

Hardback - £88.00

Publication date:

23 December 2011

Length of book:

322 pages

Publisher

Hamilton Books

ISBN-13: 9780761857808

The history of Catholic homiletics is rich and layered with theology and spirituality. Every period of Church history contains preachers who have been blessed with oratorical skills and spiritual depth. They are saints, scholars, bishops, priests, and deacons from the Eastern and Western traditions. Masters of Preaching—the first book of its kind—lays the foundations for a deeper understanding of Christian preaching. It is an important contribution to the subjects of history and preaching. This exceptional text sheds light on the lives and sermons of the Church’s most talented preachers. Through the lives and works of thirty-one men, the reader will experience fine sermons from the most eloquent homilists. There is much to learn from this important book.
The Catholic Church has been blessed with fine preachers throughout her two thousand year history. Their words continue to inspire those who read them. I am pleased to recommend Masters of Preaching. This book provides the reader a history of preaching from the perspective of those who have [actually] preached. I hope that readers will learn much from the Church’s best homilists.
Most Reverend Jerome Hanus, O.S.B., Archbishop of Dubuque

Here is a lucid, comprehensive book on preaching from a Catholic perspective. Father Atwood reaches deep into the Church’s long tradition of great homilists and makes their wisdom and gifts readily available to today’s seminarians, priests, and especially lay ministers eager for inspiration and guidance. The book describes preaching styles and themes from a wide variety of ancient and contemporary sources, always with an eye to helping homilists deepen their own spiritual awareness and hence increase the impact of thei words. The book includes a sample homily from each homilist discussed and invites readers to see for themselves these . . . wonderful examples of preaching in practice.
Allen J. Frantzen, professor and faculty scholar, Loyola University, Chicago