n Homileties-empiriese ondersoek van prediking en gesindheidsverandering

A homiletical-empirical investigation of preaching and attitude change The issues of preaching, and the change of attitude that preaching (should) bring about in the hearts and minds of hearers are dealt with in this article. In order to arrive at relevant and plausible conclusions, homiletical-empirical methodology was utilised. The aim of the article is to highlight the fact that both preachers and hearers have certain personal attitudes affecting the influence of preaching on their experience and realisation of faith. In this article a distinction is made between generic attitudes and attitudes towards specific issues. Generic attitudes consist of attitudes dependent on social circumstances and the influences of fellow-believers, attitudes with personal benefit as aim, and intrinsic-religious attitudes. Specific attitudes consist inter alia of the following aspects: the attitude of the hearers towards the Word, the congregation, worship, preaching as such, and expectations of the future. The article is concluded by selected perspectives for the praxis of preaching and attitude change.