O drama da pregação: do culto terapêutico à adoração baseada na exposição bíblica teodramática

Abstract

Based on the observation that public worship in many Baptist churches in contemporary Brazil has become the “cult of the self”, this concern has led us to develop the defense of the present thesis around the possibility and the need for theodramatic expository preaching as a guideline for public worship in the Brazilian Baptist environment for the maintenance of Christian identity. We will use the language “therapeutic worship”, adopted by Philip Rieff. In response to the drama of worship in this context, we will deal with the analysis of the mediation of the Son of God, who fulfilled and perfected the triple office of prophet, priest and king, and we argue that the biblical theodramatic exposition is the best way to connect listeners to the drama of redemption in public worship, so that, although they see themselves as participants, they can be constantly reminded of the terms of the Trinitarian protagonism covenant. Theodramatic biblical exposition, as part of public worship, is an effective means of leading the listener to the identity in the centrality of Christ, so that God may be glorified in worship and in life. The biblical theodramatic exhibition lives up to the formative aspects of Christian identity in the Baptist liturgical dynamic in Brazil, making public worship rooted firmly in the metanarrative (rehabilitating the practical essentiality of the doctrine) and not in the narratives of the listeners. In this dynamic, the biblical theodramatic exposition (and its underlying principles), can be defended more than a homiletical method within the liturgical process, but as the possible and necessary way for the Baptist Churches in Brazil (many of them) to overcome the tension that there is in current public worship: collective identity (redemptive metanarrative - the world as the stage of God's glory) and individualistic identity (postmodern narrative of the “I” worship). We will defend the need for the biblical theodramatic exposition in the postmodern Brazilian Baptist Protestant context, but in a dramatic way, using the resources of the canonical-linguistic approach, addressing at the end a dialogue and monologue of Trinitarian Christian preaching in public worship, with the delimitation of canonical authority. John Calvin will have Kevin Vanhoozer to help us clarify his thinking for postmodernity and to show us the whole dimension that involves Christian worship: the communication of the Triune God is interactive; He wants to sanctify his people, but in a dramatic way, developing his speech, action and interaction; his people respond with lively adoration in the face of the triune vivacity.