Column Title: In Search of Right Words: Saint Augustine, Rhetoric, and Preaching
By Brandon Knight, Ph.D.
William Carey University
September: “The Hammer of Eloquence”
Column Description: Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, in his work On Christian Doctrine, illustrates the important relationship between preaching and rhetoric. Even in his day, many questioned what use the church could possibly gain from the study of oratory. Nevertheless, Augustine saw something much deeper in communication that many Christians still miss centuries later. This column will be a personal journey through Augustine’s On Christian Doctrine, through which he shows how God can, in fact, use rhetoric to help us see more clearly the beauty of scripture as well as find the right words when articulating gospel truths to others.
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The Hammer of Eloquence
Whether you liked him or not, Barack Obama was an eloquent speaker who drew the honor and attention of his opponents even as a young senator. Listen to this statement from his 2004 Democratic National Convention Keynote Address, which still finds resonance with many Americans a number of years later:
Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us — the spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of “anything goes.” Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America — there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America — there’s the United States of America.[i]
Obama’s rhetorical style, at least in this example, is beautiful; not flowery. Eloquent; not unclear. Not least important, it possesses the substance of truth. Whether we realize it or not, an unusual communication topic has cropped up in the spotlight following the recent presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden: eloquence.
Sure, much of the discussion and fodder following last month’s presidential debate has been directed at the senility and aging of President Biden. However, whether we realize it or not, we are also discussing eloquence and our displeasure with the current president’s performance.
Let’s be honest, Joe Biden is no Barack Obama. Biden, however, is not the only inartful communicator as of late. Many of us find ourselves in a similar predicament whether we stumble over words, repeat phrases over and over (see, I’m doing it now), or simply “go blank” despite all our preparation.
The discussion for Christian leaders, nevertheless, goes deeper than whether one is eloquent. Eloquence is often the aim of new students of rhetoric and communication because they want to be considered among the greats of history whether in the pulpit or in civic service. Why do we desire eloquence above all? This aim should be questioned. Eloquence is a double-edged sword that can make or break church leaders.
A Hammer that Breaks the Rock in Pieces
In On Christian Doctrine, Augustine discusses the importance of eloquence to Christian communicators. To him, eloquence and truth must be partnered to properly instruct and move the hearer to action. However, if one is to be seen as vital out of the two, truth must reign over eloquence.
The bishop warns his readers to beware the dangers of eloquence: “O eloquence, which is the more terrible from its purity, and the more crushing from its solidity! Assuredly it is ‘a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces.’” The problem, as Augustine assesses, is that eloquence is pleasing and can be given preference over truth. In fact, he references the prophet Jeremiah who calls out not just the sins of the people but, more significantly, the failings of the prophets to prophesy truth (5:30-31). Instead, they fell to the predations of eloquence which drew the applause and popularity of people. To put it differently, we can be crushed by the hammer of eloquence.
As a past professor of rhetoric, Augustine knew of the vain glory found in eloquence. In OCD writing as a church leader, he identified that eloquence must be subservient to truth. He admits the temptation as much but warns of its dastardly end if not fought off: “God forbid, I say, that with us there should be such terrible madness! For what shall we do in the end thereof?” Several churches fall prey to the “cult of personality” because they have in their possession an eloquent leader.
The problem, of course, is that propping up a good speaker does no good alone for the hungry hearts in the pew. Not only that, but so often churches who thrive under a cult of personality crash once that leader leaves. Eloquence cannot construct the strong foundation needed to weather the storms (Mat. 7).
There is also a less insidious danger that we must be aware of as it relates to eloquence. Augustine contends that even despite our best intentions to speak truth with elegance, we can inadvertently hide truth. In other words, we can add so much flowery content to our sermons that it hides rather than uncovers the truth. The bishop calls this a “frothy mass of ornamental words” which is not too distant from some of the papers I wrote as an undergraduate. I remember once hearing a professor say, “There is so much fluff in your paper, it is going to float away like a cloud.” The same is possible in our sermons.
As an example for Christian leaders, Augustine points to Cyprian who over time matured from his, let’s just say, more flowery content. Using his writings, he shows how language can be beautiful but unclear. “Let us seek this abode: the neighboring solitudes afford a retreat where, while the spreading shoots of the vine trees, pendulous and intertwined, creep among the supporting reeds, the leafy covering has made a portico of vine.”
Although Cyprian’s language is beautiful, it is neither pleasing nor helpful to most because we are left confused by what is meant. The truth is hidden not from our mistakes, or lack of eloquence, but, in fact, from our trying to be too eloquent. This makes me think of Vice President Kamala Harris’ go-to phrase: “What can be, unburdened by what has been.”
Don’t ask me what it means.
Ultimately, the bishop points to the fact that the mature Christian communicator should be able to use eloquence if necessary to move the will of the hearers; however, they should be careful not to be used by it. Rather, in whatever context we find ourselves, we must speak in a way that will reinforce truth.
Rather than being broken by the hammer of eloquence through a vain search for applause, we must instead realize that we need truth more.
The bishop reminds his readers and even us, the word of the Lord is enough: “Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
Notes
[i] “Barack Obama 2004 Democratic National Convention Keynote Address – American Rhetoric,” accessed July 10, 2024, https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/convention2004/barackobama2004dnc.htm.