The Language of the Contemporary Preaching of the Gospel: With the Suggestions of the Pope Francis

Abstract

This article deals with the language of communication of the Gospel. At the first place the reader finds the explanations about the sources from which homiletics—as a part of practical theology as well as a discipline dealing with the language of preaching—takes guidance. They are: God’s revelation transmitted in the Scriptures and in the Tradition of the Church, the indications of the Holy See, the liturgy, and secular disciplines dealing with correctness and the art of speaking such as rhetoric and grammar.

Over the centuries homiletics managed to developed the indications concerning the language of communication of the Gospel. They have been enriched recently by numerous suggestions of the Pope Francis. Some of them are analyzed and presented in this paper. Among them: the simplicity of the language and its adaptation to the intelligence and perception of the listeners, the brightness, the warmth and familiarity, imagery and beauty, creativity and conciseness, and—a positive tone. One can not forget that the language expresses the person. The care for the language means in consequence the care for the deep human, intellectual, spiritual, and pastoral formation of the preachers.