Preaching Fools: The Gospel as a Rhetoric of Folly

The court jesters, clowns, foolish ones: all images of the comic, sometimes tragic, fool. Across national and cultural borders, the archetype of the fool has played a significant role in how communities interpret and ascribe identity. As Charles Campbell and Johan Cilliers remind us, the Christian preacher, tasked with delivering a paradoxical gospel, is also a fool. In a delicate exploration with enlightening results, Preaching Fools uses a diverse representation of fools and foolish actions to show how modern preaching is inseparable from the folly of the cross. Campbell and Cilliars walk the fine line between the ugliness and beauty of the gospel and challenge readers toward a deeper engagement with its unsettling message.

Charles L. Campbell is Professor of Humanities at Duke Divinity School. He lives in Durham, North Carolina.

Johan H. Cilliers is Professor in Homiletics and Liturgy at the University of Stellenbosch, Faculty of Theology. He lives in Stellenbosch, South Africa.