More than two hundred years ago, John Wesley declared: ""There is no
holiness save social holiness!"" He meant thereby to reject an
exclusively individualistic version of Christianity, and to affirm his
intention to ""spread scriptural holiness across the land, and reform
the nation."" In Wesley's view, the spheres of influence denoted in the
biblical terms ""sin"" and ""salvation"" thus have communal dimensions
which both engage and encompass every individual life. This collection
of affirmations of faith, based on sermons delivered from a United
Methodist pulpit, stands under the long shadow of Wesley's view. Sin is
a corporate and cultural manifestation of separation from God. Salvation
occurs through the invasion of God's grace, remaking common life.
Preaching describes the separation and announces the invasion. Robert
Allan Hill teaches in the areas of Biblical Studies and Practical
Theology. Since 1981 he has taught in several schools including McGill
University, Syracuse University, Lemoyne College, Colgate Rochester
Crozer Divinity School, Northeastern Seminary, United Seminary, and
various church settings. His passionate interest lies at the
intersection of Scripture and life, especially in the work of preaching.
Hence his research has combined publications related to the Gospel of
John and Gnosticism, on the one hand, and preaching in ministry, on the
other. For example, An Examination and Critique of the Understanding of
the Relationship between Apocalypticism and Gnosticism in Johannine
Studies appeared in 1997, while Snow Day: Reflections on the Practice of
Ministry in the Northeast was published in 2000. Most of his writing,
however, has been devoted to weekly sermons, over thirty years, in seven
pulpits, some of which are collected, taped, and published. Hill has
taught Greek, New Testament, Preaching, The Practice of Ministry, Church
Administration, and other courses. His perspective on pastoral theology
focuses on the special needs of the church in the northeastern USA in
the twenty-first century. Hill is currently Dean of Marsh Chapel and
Professor of New Testament and Pastoral Theology at Boston University.
