Through Much Tribulation: Prophetic Preaching in an Age of Hopelessness

Abstract

Prophetic preaching is often misunderstood and mischaracterized in the mainstream as well as in our faith traditions. While some associate prophetic preaching with political and social crises and others reduce it to future telling, the tradition must not be co-opted one way or the other. Preaching in the prophetic tradition speaks God's truth to power systems and structures while calling individuals into account to live in accordance with God's eternal purposes of love and justice for all. This article seeks to provide a platform for defining and uplifting prophetic preaching while examining many of the challenges which this rich tradition presents from a historical and contemporary standpoint. This work examines the counter-cultural nature of prophetic preaching and how the tradition often lives in tension with the status quo. Despite misinterpretations, misunderstandings, and the challenges associated with preaching in the prophetic tradition, prophetic preaching remains a relevant and crucial means of communicating God's word in today's world. It is a tradition that the author has been reared and nurtured in and continues to embrace.