This book examines the authority and power of a sermonic text through its fictive qualities.
The author argues that a sermonic text functions in the manner of a work of fiction and creates
an event and space that forces a decision upon the reader. The text creates a place where the
Kingdom of God is about to happen and is happening. Consequently the reader is forced to make
a decision. Will he or she go and do likewise or reject the Kingdom of God? In this way a
sermonic text acts like a work of fiction and invites a reader into its space and event. If the
reader of the sermonic text chooses temporally to enter the event of the text the reader has
the potential to participate in its dynamics and is forced to make a decision either to believe
or not believe. Like a work of fiction it does not require those external guarantees of
authority that are found in the community of faith: its doctrines creeds and ecclesiology.
Rather the authority of the sermonic text is intrinsic as in a work of fiction and stands on
its own. The discussion is interdisciplinary drawing upon literary theory cultural theory and
theology.
