THE BOOK OF COLLECTIONS ON THE ART OF PREACHING BY JOHANNES REUCHLIN OF PFORZHEIM, DOCTOR OF LAWS.

A large decorative woodcut initial 'A' framed in a square, featuring interlacing foliate patterns and a background of stippled circles.

The Art of Preaching

The art of preaching is the skill of attracting a person toward virtues and divine contemplation through the proclamation of the Holy Scriptures.

The Preacher

The preacher is a religious man, skilled in speaking, appointed to the ecclesiastical pulpit by the authority of a superior.

Whatever matter may arise that is necessary for the salvation of men, which must be explained through speech, whoever speaks it prudently, composedly, ornamentally, and from memory—with a certain dignity of action as well—shall be judged worthy of such a title.

THE OFFICE of the preacher is to speak aptly for persuasion, with a certain dignity.

ITS END is to have spoken well.

THE MATERIAL is every matter that presents itself to make us better every day, about which the preacher should know how to speak well.

3 parts

The parts of the art of preaching are three: Invention, Memory, and Delivery. We will easily attain these through Nature, Precepts, Imitation, and Exercise.

The greatest praise of the art of preaching is to conceal the art, so that the speech does not appear feigned and prepared, for the sake of showing off the art, selling one's talent, or displaying memory. Speech is the work of art.

SPEECH consists of: Introduction, Reading, Division, Confirmation, Refutation, Conclusion.