3.4 UA: Examine a Figure from Pre-Reformation History
Order Description
INTRODUCTION AND ALIGNMENT
This exercise attempts to examine a figure from pre-reformation history, anyone post 1st century,
and prior to Martin Luther.

Upon completion of this assignment you should be able to:
??Examine a figure from pre-reformation history.

RESOURCES
??Any scholarly evangelical historical theology or church history text

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
A Homily is an instructive address – from the Greek homilein – meaning conversation, discourse,
to consort with, address. Homilies were the main tools used for the 1st 100 years after Christ.
This era saw the preaching ministry of people like:
??100-150 AD: Ignatius, Polycarp
??230 AD: Origen, who changed the homily to a catechism- teaching, instruction
??Chrysostom, Augustine- these added rhetoric, and forms of speech

Thus, while people like Origen stressed teaching and instruction (what to say), it was those like
Chrysostom and Augustine who stressed forms of speech (how to say it). The student of preaching does well to keep an eye toward both catechism and rhetoric.

At some point beyond the 2nd century, Latin approach to the homily began to be felt. Tertullian
began to accommodate the mass, hence the homily began to be abbreviated – the centerpiece
was communion, not preaching. This was to have negative consequences on preaching, and the
Church in general. It was the monks who kept preaching alive during this period. For guidance
and inspiration, they were reading the sermons of Tertullian, Augustine, Chrysostom, and
Polycarp.

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In this exercise, you will do a brief study of the life of a preacher during the prereformation
era, prior to Martin Luther. You will want to examine the following:
a. Around what historical event does their name surface?
b. What was their general emphases in preaching- were they teaching doctrine, combating
heresy, or something else?
c. What was it about their preaching that caused them to be effective?
d. What was it about their preaching that caused them to be less effective?
e. Lastly, what characteristics in this person’s preaching do you want to import into your own
preaching?
2. Answer these questions, adding any other material you feel is germane, in a 1-2 page
document.
3. Submit Word document