Handbook of Themes for Preaching. Edited by James W. Cox. Louisville: Westminster/ John Knox Press, 1991. 265 pages. Hardcover, $19.95.  

The Handbook of Themes for Preaching can be a fine tool for many teachers and preachers. Edited by James W. Cox, Professor of Christian Preaching at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, it covers more than a hundred themes. Topics range from the environment, secularism, suicide, and politics to familiar theological themes such as election, guilt, covenant, and conversion. Each article consists of two to four pages of material following a uniform pattern: definition, analysis, biblical passages, and suggestions for preaching.  

The articles are meaty and concise—a wonderful combination. They quickly clarify meanings, reflect thoughtfully on the key issues, and point to biblical texts related to the theme. The preaching suggestions give preachers’ creativity a nudge, but wisely refrain from offering full-blown sermons that might tempt preachers not to wrestle with the message for themselves.  

The contributors are drawn from across Protestantism. Many of them are Southern Baptists. The fact that a Methodist wrote the article on baptism, however, shows that this is not a Baptist-dominated volume. Writers seek to be even-handed in their treatment of debated issues.  

Given the controversial nature of many of the issues and the diverse group of contributors, readers may find some articles disappointing. The article on inspiraton [sic], for instance, does not mention the inspiration of Scripture or cite either 2 Tim. 3:16 or 2 Pet. 1:20-21. On the whle [sic], though, this is a valuable volume. Instructive, incisive, occasionally perhaps even irritating—it cannot help but stir the creative juices of many a preacher, teacher, and thoughtful Christian.