Academy News

I am happy to present, with its details now, the program schedule for our Academy of Homiletics meeting in Washington DC on Dec. 3-5.  You will find it below.  West Coast folks will note immediately that we have moved our usual late Thursday afternoon reception to Thursday night following the program.  It will feature a full array of scrumptious desserts.  Those arriving from long trips in the mid to late afternoon should have time for dinner before we begin with evening worship.

If you have not registered yet or paid the dues for this year, please do so on-line, in advance.  You know by now that it was absolutely necessary for us to raise the fees for our group and our meeting this year in order to meet expenses—while at the same time cutting back in areas where we could for what I hope will still be an unforgettable time together.

There are two features of the program below to which I particularly want to call your attention.  The first is that instead of a lecture on Thursday night, our program will be a much-needed discussion with representatives of some of our homiletics publishing companies.  We are calling it “Publishing in Adverse Economic Times:  The Future of the Homiletics Book Industry.” 

In addition to the publishing reps, the panel will also include a few of our most published (and knowledgeable) authors.  There will be ample opportunity, too, for questions and discussion from the floor.  It will be a not-to-be-missed session that will impact every single member of the Academy. 

The second feature comes early on Friday afternoon.  Through some funds that we had not expected, we are having a series of five simultaneous “special lectures,” all of them related in some way to the contemporary theme of the meeting.  You will see the names of the lecturers below; each Academy attendee will select and attend one of these special sessions prior to the beginning of the work groups.

An announcement of places for all of the sessions and events will be distributed at registration on Dec. 3, with directions to each place as well.  The meeting is coming quickly now.  All is about ready.  If you have any specific questions or problems with your plans, please contact me, Lucy Hogan, our local arrangements chairperson, Jennifer Lord, our treasurer, or Luke Powery, our secretary.  We will do our best to help you work things out.  See you in Washington!

Joseph Webb

• Philip Wogaman, “Prophetic Preaching on Public Issues”
• Eugene Lowry, A Beecher jazz lecture, “Engaging the Aristotle Blues” 
• Gabriela Koster, “A Non-American Perspective on Humor in Preaching”
• Fred Smith on Creative New Urban Ministry in Washington DC
• Audrey Borschel, “Preaching When the News Is Disturbing”