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Professor of Preaching and Worship

wilheda@bethanyseminary.edu

Office: 765-983-1813

Biographical Sketch:
I was born and reared in Detroit, Michigan. I am ordained in the Church of the Brethren (1987). After serving for three years as a hospital chaplain and nine as a pastor, I completed my doctoral work in Practical Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary in 2004 (focusing on Homiletics and Biblical Studies). I am now Professor of Preaching and Worship at Bethany and teach upper-level courses for the Association of Chicago Theological Seminaries DMin Program in Preaching. My spouse Mark and I have three teenage children. In addition to distance/outdoor swimming and quilting, I enjoy traveling and reading books with my family.

Education:

• Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary, 2004.
• Clinical Pastoral Education, Lehigh Valley Hospital Center, Allentown PA, 1987.
• M.Div., Princeton Theological Seminary, 1986.
• B.A. with honors, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1982.
• Graduate course work in Jewish philosophy and worship (one semester), Jewish Theological Seminary, New York, 1981.

Recent Honors:

• Preaching the Gospel of Mark: Proclaiming the Power of God, listed among the 2008 “BookMarks” of Christian Century (March 10, 2009) and among noteworthy books for 2008 in Preaching Magazine (March/April 2009).
• Fellow in Residence, Cathedral College of Preachers, National Cathedral, Washington D.C. (May-June 2006).
• Believing in Preaching included among “The Year’s Best Preaching Books” by Preaching Magazine (2005).

Courses Recently Taught:

• Intro. to Preaching, M120 (and hybrid/online version, M120H)
• Preaching and Public Discourse, M125
• Preaching Gospel(s), M325/B325
• Prophetic Voices in Preaching, M326
• M. Div. Review, F302 (capstone course in Min. Formation/Practical Theol.)

Recent Publications:

• Preaching the Reign of God: Voices of Jesus for the Church and World (forthcoming, Westminster John Knox Press).
• Preaching for God’s Transforming Justice: A Lectionary Commentary, co-edited with Ronald J. Allen and Dale P. Andrews. Three-volume lectionary commentary series (forthcoming, Westminster John Knox Press, 2011, 2012 and 2013).
• Preaching the Gospel of Mark: Proclaiming the Power of God (Westminster John Knox Press, 2008).
• Believing in Preaching: What Listeners Hear in Sermons, with Mary Alice Mulligan, Diane Turner-Sharazz and Ronald J. Allen (Chalice Press, 2004).

Websites of Interest:

• Academy of Homiletics - http://www.homiletics.org/
• Homiletics (journal of the Acad. of Hom.): http://www.homiletic.net
• Societas Homiletica (the international assoc. of hom.): http://www.societas-homiletica.org/society/

For a complete listing of accomplishments, Curriculum Vitae (coming soon)