"She Really Believes We Need Saving"

Teer, Tony, Will, and I recently sat down to discuss our mutual appreciation for the preaching and writing of our friend Fleming Rutledge.

In case you missed it, Wycliffe College is sponsoring an event in Fleming’s honor in June at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Greenwich, Connecticut. The details are HERE if you’d like to join us.

Show Notes

Summary

This conversation explores the art of preaching, focusing on the influential work of Fleming Rutledge. The speakers discuss the importance of keeping Jesus at the center of sermons, the impact of cultural context on theology, and the necessity of recognizing sin and redemption in preaching. They also delve into the differences between proclamation and apologetics, the role of evil, and the unique style of Rutledge's preaching that challenges contemporary theological perspectives.

Takeaways

• Fleming Rutledge emphasizes keeping Jesus at the center of preaching.

• Theocentric sermons focus on God rather than human experience.

• Cultural context significantly influences theological perspectives.

• Sin and redemption are central themes in effective preaching.

• The agency of God is crucial in understanding salvation.

• Liberal theology often downplays the need for salvation.

• Fleming's preaching style is both gracious and challenging.

• Evangelical preaching should focus on proclamation rather than self-improvement.

• Understanding the gospel is not the primary goal of preaching.

• Fleming's strong Christology informs her approach to evil and redemption.

Sound Bites

• "Keep Jesus the main thing."

• "She really believes we need saving."

• "Her sermons are deeply challenging."