To begin to answer this question of the difference between sermon and
homily, you may try looking at John O'Malley's essay in _De Ore Domini_.
In it O'Malley divides the history of preaching in two stages with the
dividing line being around 12th/13th c. The earlier stage is characterized
by preaching in which exegesis of the Biblical text is done line by line or
word by word. This somewhat conversational exploration of the pericope is
what, I think, most people refer to as 'Homily.' Sermons on the other hand
characterize the kind of preaching done in the later period. The sermon
uses a different organization. Rather than using the close reading of the
text as in the homily, the sermon analyzes the Biblical theme through
_distinctiones_ which are delineated up front for the audience. Sermons
tend to be pretty clearly organized. Therefore, I see the major difference
being one of organization and presentation. It just so happens there seems
to be a chronological divide, as well.
You may already know the volume, but perhaps it would be helpful to look
at _De L'Homelie au Sermon. Histoire de la predication medievale_ for a
variety of essays exploring both homelies and sermons.
I'm looking forward to reading what other people have to say on the
subject. I hope this helps.
--Darleen
At 11:14 AM 10/14/97 +1200, you wrote:
> Could someone out there define for me the difference between a
>sermon and a homily? I know that homilies were based on traditional
>liturgical sources and usually tied to a particular day of the liturgical
>calendar but so to were the majority of fourteenth century sermons so what
>exactly is the difference?
> Cheers,
> Marcus.
>
>
>
Darleen Pryds
Assistant Professor
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Center for Interdisciplinary Studies
Virginia Tech.
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0227
tel. (540) 231-7004
"The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common
form of its innate violence. To allow oneself... to surrender to too many
demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone
in everything, is to succumb to violence. More than that, it is
cooperation in violence." --Thomas Merton
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