Robert of Basevorn

We read part of Robert of Basevorn’s The Form of Preaching for class one class period ago, and since we didn’t talk about it much in class that day, I want to think about it a little here. It is interesting that in at least some pulpits of that time period, “the preacher divides the main text into brief phrases, sometimes into single words, and prepares a miniature sermon on each division, which is further subdivided” (Bizzell 526). Basevorn’s work is dedicated to the elements of a sermon that is based on a single text (usually one Scripture verse).

In many pulpits today, however, a preacher generally chooses longer passages of Scripture if she even bases her sermon on a particular text. When she talks about the passage, she likely sticks to explaining and elaborating on the story or the larger ideas in the passage rather than on the individual words.

Basevorn’s focus on expanding the details of a text could be considered a formalist reading (discourse analysis, close reading) of Scripture. For him, the phrasing and order of words are important; for one thing, he takes issue with any minute alterations a preacher might make to a text he has chosen by changing verb tense, omitting words, or substituting conjunctions. And like a literary critic, he finds great significance in all the words in a text. He gives an example of one text in which “rock” could refer to a literal rock or a hard heart while “waters” could refer to liquid or to “doctrine” (534).

I think his congregation might have gotten bored when he only used one or two sentences to teach them. At the same time, some modern-day preachers could learn something from the “formalist” way he interprets and values even the individual words in the sentences.