![]() ![]() As Lutherans, we do well in seeing God’s salvation work in the people of Scripture as filtered through our Law/Gospel paradigm. In fact, I had anticipated this would happen even though I had explicitly stated in the assignment to incorporate something about Christian vocation in the metanarrative. I was not surprised by either the lack of references to contemporary, real-world moments or the typical reduction to the Law/Gospel dynamic. ![]() ![]() However, the bigger picture, the “full counsel of God,” was mostly absent-particularly the ongoing significance of the First Article and the daily life of the believer in the created realm. The Gospel heart of our metanarrative was wonderfully present in all the readings. As a result, the students had captured well the sin/grace dynamic that courses through God’s work of redemption and our faith. For most part, references to the contemporary world were limited to the description of creation otherwise, the accounts focused extensively on God’s actions with ancient Israel, Jesus’ work and the anticipated return of Christ. I also noticed that they took the familiar shape of salvation history with extensive references to events in the Biblical record. When the students read their metanarratives, I could tell they had put in significant energy in doing so. In many churches, listeners could come regularly and come away with a sense that the preacher notched every tree, but there’s still no path through the forest. However, the overarching narrative of the sermon needs now to be stated, not simply assumed. But whatever the appetites among the listeners, a metanarrative is good news. If there is no overarching narrative in which personal stories and the human story are set, then, why even speak of a God who does not make a difference anyway? It could be argued that many of the listeners came before the pulpit hoping for a master narrative within which to reflect on the disconnects and contradictions of their lives. To believe in God is immediately to raise questions of whence, whither, and why to begin to think of God’s relation to the world in terms of origin, purpose, and end. Imagine presenting Jesus, or trying to be church, or interpreting events, or engaging the issues in one’s world without a context, a larger picture within which to set these activities. The position of this essay is Yes, for the gospel to be the gospel, there must be a master narrative, a frame of reference in which life, relationships, Jesus, church, and history are set. Here is how Craddock answers the question, “Is a metanarrative integral to our preaching?” Craddock is a master storyteller in his preaching and has been one of the most influential writers in the homiletical field during the last 40 years. ![]() The basis for the assignment came from an article written by Fred Craddock. These metanarratives were then read in class. One assignment was to prepare a “metanarrative” of the scriptural story which was also to be a confession of their personal faith. The class was small, five students, which allowed for numerous in-class practical exercises. Louis, called “Story and Narrative in Preaching.” Even though I had taught the course 11 years ago, I totally revamped the reading materials, what the students would do during class time, and what assignments they would turn it to me. This summer I taught a free elective at Concordia Seminary, St. Part of the metanarrative according to Michelangelo ![]()
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