Writing a manuscript for preaching, for oral presentation, is rather different from writing a essay, or a paper for the readers eye. In the essay that follows, I complain about the difference.
I am trying to convert some of my sermons to a form so that they can be read as entries on this blog. I think they say something relevant and I would like to share them. Unfortunately, they are written for oral presentation, and the work of reformatting them is tedious. Of course, it works the other way as well, when I take something written for publication, and try to get in a form so I can preach it, it is a mess. And it isn't just how the manuscript is laid out. When I preach I use repetition, parallel structures, short affirmative statements.
Yes.
Yes, it is that good.
Somehow such constructions look strange on the page, prepared for readers. Maybe.
Perhaps, I need to reconsider this blog. I thought the journalistic essay was the thing.
Maybe, the sermon has cadence like a poem. Just let it be.
We'll see.
Meanwhile back to editing.


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