The Form of Preaching
Encyclopedia
The Form of Preaching is a 14th century style book or manual about a preaching style known as the "thematic sermon
", or "university-style sermon", by Robert of Basevorn. Basevorn’s text was not the first book about this topic to appear but was popular because it is very thorough.
Basevorn wrote The Form of Preaching in response to a large number of impostors who were posing as preachers and representatives of the church but who were not granted the authority to do so. His text makes the qualifications of what is necessary to be a preacher, and provides a manual-style instruction on the rhetoric
al and stylistic skills one must have to excel at preaching. His importance is in the historical study of rhetoric, particularly 14th Century rhetoric, because The Form of Preaching is the text that best encapsulates the thematic sermon, a preaching style that developed in the early 14th century, and continues to be used today.
. The introduction also includes his criteria for one to be given the title of preacher. They are, first, that one must live a moral and just Christian life. Second, one must have adequate knowledge of sacred texts, including the Bible
, Ten Commandments
, and scripture. Third, one must be given the authority of the church (from a bishop or Pope
) to practice as a preacher. He makes clear, however, regardless of how well schooled and knowledgeable a woman is about Christianity, she cannot preach.
, Saint Paul
, Saint Augustine, Saint Gregory and Saint Bernard, probably Bernard of Clairvaux
.
Jesus’ methods receive the most attention because, to Basevorn, Jesus "included all praiseworthy methods in His own, as the fount and origin of good" (p. 128). Basevorn highlights six styles that trace specifically to Jesus: promising salvation (it is effective to use when people need little convincing), threats of damnation (it is effective to use on the stubborn), preaching by example (citing examples of a good Christian life), preaching by reason or logic, speaking clearly, and speaking obscurely. Basevorn provides little explanation for the latter two styles. He cites the passage “Behold, now thou speakest plainly, and speakest no proverb” from John 16:29 for the style of speaking clearly; for the style of speaking obscurely, he writes "it is frequently said about His hearers that they did not understand the Word". (p. 129)
Saint Paul’s method combines reason and authority into one method in which they work in tandem. In Saint Paul’s style authority confirms reason. Saint Paul, as well, appeals to Basevorn because his writings and sermons reflect his compassion and charity he had for his audience.
Closely reading a single passage from a sacred text and developing a sermon from a single theme in that specific passage is Saint Augustine’s style, and appeals to Basevorn because it is a type of thematic sermon. The merit in Saint Augustine’s style, according to Basevorn, is it is best suited for people with short memories or attention spans.
Morality, not faith, is the point of emphasis in Saint Gregory’s sermons. Basevorn appreciates Saint Gregory’s style because he provides tangible examples of morality and the merits of Christianity in practical terms. He of Basevorn's five sources is the lone one to do so.
Lastly, Saint Bernard’s style stands out to Basevorn because he frequently cites from primary sources, so that a more authoritative source confirms what he says in a sermon.
While the intrinsic ornaments deal with the composition and structure of a sermon, the extrinsic ornaments are:
These ornaments are presentational and are a means for delivering an effective sermon.
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
", or "university-style sermon", by Robert of Basevorn. Basevorn’s text was not the first book about this topic to appear but was popular because it is very thorough.
Author
Little is known about its author Robert of Basevorn, and what little is known about him has been extracted from his lone work. This includes Basevorn’s own name, which he hints at in writing that "Should any one wish to know who and of what status is that friend to whom this work is dedicated, and who I am and what is my status - I write all this from beginning to end - let him look at the capital letters and he will learn" (p. 111). Combining the first letter from each of the book's chapters spells Domino Willelmo abbati de Basingweek Robertus de Basevorn which translates to: To Lord William, Abbot of Basingwerk, [from] Robert of Basevorn. A known manuscript of the text is dated 1322, and beyond this, there is no other knowledge about Basevorn.Basevorn wrote The Form of Preaching in response to a large number of impostors who were posing as preachers and representatives of the church but who were not granted the authority to do so. His text makes the qualifications of what is necessary to be a preacher, and provides a manual-style instruction on the rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
al and stylistic skills one must have to excel at preaching. His importance is in the historical study of rhetoric, particularly 14th Century rhetoric, because The Form of Preaching is the text that best encapsulates the thematic sermon, a preaching style that developed in the early 14th century, and continues to be used today.
Subject matter
The preaching style first appeared in 1230-1231, at the University of Paris. The format of a university-style sermon takes a single theme from scripture and continuously develops the theme over the course of the sermon. A thematic sermon consists of six parts which are as follows:- The theme, which is taken from a passage of scripture
- The protheme, the introduction of the theme, which is followed by prayer
- The antetheme, an explanation of the sermon’s purpose
- The division of the theme into sub-themes
- Further subdivision of the sub-themes
- Analysis of the divisions and subdivisions
Opening remarks
The Form of Preaching can be divided into three sections. The first section deals with Basevorn’s introductory remarks. This include his intentions for writing the text as a teaching manual. Basevorn considers preaching an art, so there are aesthetic characteristics to preaching in addition to having a wide knowledge of ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. The introduction also includes his criteria for one to be given the title of preacher. They are, first, that one must live a moral and just Christian life. Second, one must have adequate knowledge of sacred texts, including the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
, and scripture. Third, one must be given the authority of the church (from a bishop or Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
) to practice as a preacher. He makes clear, however, regardless of how well schooled and knowledgeable a woman is about Christianity, she cannot preach.
Sources of good preaching
Basevorn says there is no one good style of preaching to emulate, but cites five sources that cover the spectrum of effective preaching styles. He argues that emulation or imitation is an acceptable practice because there is no shame in mimicking what has already been proved effective, and that too much emphasis is put on trying to be original. His five sources are JesusJesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, Saint Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
, Saint Augustine, Saint Gregory and Saint Bernard, probably Bernard of Clairvaux
Bernard of Clairvaux
Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian order.After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order. Three years later, he was sent to found a new abbey at an isolated clearing in a glen known as the Val...
.
Jesus’ methods receive the most attention because, to Basevorn, Jesus "included all praiseworthy methods in His own, as the fount and origin of good" (p. 128). Basevorn highlights six styles that trace specifically to Jesus: promising salvation (it is effective to use when people need little convincing), threats of damnation (it is effective to use on the stubborn), preaching by example (citing examples of a good Christian life), preaching by reason or logic, speaking clearly, and speaking obscurely. Basevorn provides little explanation for the latter two styles. He cites the passage “Behold, now thou speakest plainly, and speakest no proverb” from John 16:29 for the style of speaking clearly; for the style of speaking obscurely, he writes "it is frequently said about His hearers that they did not understand the Word". (p. 129)
Saint Paul’s method combines reason and authority into one method in which they work in tandem. In Saint Paul’s style authority confirms reason. Saint Paul, as well, appeals to Basevorn because his writings and sermons reflect his compassion and charity he had for his audience.
Closely reading a single passage from a sacred text and developing a sermon from a single theme in that specific passage is Saint Augustine’s style, and appeals to Basevorn because it is a type of thematic sermon. The merit in Saint Augustine’s style, according to Basevorn, is it is best suited for people with short memories or attention spans.
Morality, not faith, is the point of emphasis in Saint Gregory’s sermons. Basevorn appreciates Saint Gregory’s style because he provides tangible examples of morality and the merits of Christianity in practical terms. He of Basevorn's five sources is the lone one to do so.
Lastly, Saint Bernard’s style stands out to Basevorn because he frequently cites from primary sources, so that a more authoritative source confirms what he says in a sermon.
Ornamentation of a sermon
The Form of Preaching’s third focus is the ways in which a sermon can be ornamented. Ornamentation includes aesthetic techniques but also formal characteristics that comprise a sermon’s structure. In all, Basevorn cites twenty-two ornaments. The list of ornaments can be divided into two main categories: ornaments that are intrinsic to a sermon’s content, and ornaments that deal with the presentation of the sermon. The first fifteen ornaments are intrinsic to a sermon, and the list of intrinsic ornaments is as follows:- Invention of the theme
- Winning-over of the audience
- Prayer
- Introduction
- Division
- Statement of the parts
- Proof of the parts
- Amplification
- Digression (or transition)
- Correspondence
- Agreement of correspondence
- Circuitous development
- Convolution
- Unification
- Conclusion (p. 132).
While the intrinsic ornaments deal with the composition and structure of a sermon, the extrinsic ornaments are:
- Coloration
- Modulation of voice
- Appropriate gesture
- Timely humour
- Allusion
- Firm impression
- Weighing of subject matter (p. 132).
These ornaments are presentational and are a means for delivering an effective sermon.
Sources
- James J., Murphy. “Introduction.” Three Medieval Rhetorical Arts. Ed. James J. Murphy. Berkeley:University of California Press, 1971. xii-xxiii.
- Basevorn, Robert of. “The Form of Preaching.” Trans. Leopold Krul O.S.B. Three Medieval Rhetorical Arts. Ed. James J. Murphy. Berkeley: University of California Press, pp. 111–215.