Preaching to bring the heart home : the language of emotions in selected sermons of recognized effective preachers.

This dissertation investigates the use of emotional language in the sermons of three effective preachers. These were identified by a 1996 study conducted at Baylor University. This project builds on research into emotions and persuasion. It offers an understanding of why emotions are vital to persuasion and effective preaching. It also clarifies the nature of rhetorical criticism and how that might be used to identify emotional language in sermonic texts. An analysis of nine typical sermons (three sample sermons from each preacher) builds on earlier research. Five criteria are used to identify emotional language: (1) explicit emotional lexemes, (2) sensory language, (3) metaphor, (4) identification, and (5) scene. This work deepens homiletical understanding of the aptitude of these preachers. It also offers this five-fold criteria for further use by others in sermonic criticism concerning emotional language. Finally, this project suggests to preachers how greater consideration of emotions in preaching could enhance the practice of preaching.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• Love, Matthew D., 1988-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Gregory, Joel C., 1948-

• Persuasion.
• Emotions.
• Fred B. Craddock.
• Rhetorical criticism.
• Gardner C. Taylor.
• Barbara Brown Taylor.
• Preaching.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/14504

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/14504