Jarl Waggoner's Reviews

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The Ethics of Persuasive Preaching by Raymond McLaughlin

Baker Book House, 1979

Reviewed by Jarl K. Waggoner

The Ethics of Persuasive Preaching addresses itself to an issue that should be relevant to every preacher. The author's stated purpose is to acquaint people with the ethical problems involved in persuasion (p. 9). McLaughlin defines his terms before turning his focus on ethics and delineating the areas that concern preachers. In chapter 2 he highlights the biblical passages concerning truthfulness and integrity. He also surveys the major views of persuasion, concluding that persuasion itself is neutral: "Of more concern to us is the question, How does one determine when persuasion is ethical or unethical?" (p. 59). McLaughlin seeks to answer his own question in the remainder of the book by measuring ethics in light of the ends sought, the means used, and contemporary ethical standards, before seeking to spell out a biblical standard for persuasive preaching.

McLaughlin's definition of Christian communication adds considerably to his discussion throughout the book. He defines it as the "sharing of information for the purpose of affecting receivers in a predetermined way consistent with the Christian gospel and ethic" (p. 13). Probably the most specific and helpful section applicable to persuasive preaching is the discussion of the invitation. While arguing for persuasion and emotional appeal, the author rightly condemns invitations that make use of crowd pressure, confusion, and emotionalism to create visible, though not lasting, results.

Some theological problems do not detract from the spirit of McLaughlin's book. His desire and intent is to arrive at a balanced biblical ethic that honors God and His Word and applies to the Christian communicator. For instance, he sees the folly of separating ethical ideas from their sources. This, of course, requires that the Bible be the ultimate source of the preacher's ethic. He sees the inconsistency of the ends justifying the means: "When results dominate a speaker or preacher to the point where he compromises his soul through the employment of a bag of rhetorical or psychological tricks, he is guilty of prostituting oratory to undesirable sophistry" (p. 46). Again, this balance is seen in the author's approach to preaching, when he says of the preacher: "He must utilize all of his ethical powers . . . in the preaching of the gospel. But he must never prostitute these qualities as cheap tools of persuasion" (p. 75). McLaughlin thus favors a logical appeal (logos) over ethos or pathos but does not exclude the other forms of appeal.

McLaughlin's evaluation of ethical systems is insightful, as evidence in his examination of the ends sought (chap. 3) and the means used (chap. 4). However, his best criticism is reserved for Fletcher's situation ethics. While the system apparently appeals to some Christians, the author is quick to point out that, though love is the ruling principle in the system, Fletcher does not define how love operates. Furthermore, situation ethics exhibits a naive faith in man's judgment quite in contrast to Jeremiah 17:9.

While there is much to commend this work, some rather important weaknesses should be noted. His treatment of emotional appeal (pathos) in chapter 4 is extremely superficial and does not deal with specifics. This is disappointing because this is an area in which preachers seek guidelines.

McLaughlin's rhetorical expertise is impressive, but his theology is disappointing. For example, he evidences a degree of relativism that is disturbing. He contends that the Bible is absolute in authority but must be interpreted and applied relatively in some details (chap. 1). Such thinking is only one step removed from declaring the Bible's authority to be relative. Indeed, though disclaiming situation ethics, McLaughlin's theology reflects the very heart of situation ethics at points, as in the following comments from chapter 3: "One cannot establish an absolute and claim that the end never justifies the means. For example, to save a life, to protect the dignity of an individual in an extreme case, or to safeguard national security in a time of war or impending war, lying is sometimes justified as the lesser of two evils (p. 71) . . . Christians reject the idea that the end justifies the means, except in certain extreme circumstances where it clearly applies" (p. 72).

Such hierarchicalism is no basis for an ethic for the Christian communicator. Though his intent is good and his system will "work" most of the time because of its biblical element, there is too much relativism to satisfy the absolute requirements of a holy God.

Similar theological problems are encountered in McLaughlin's attacks on absolutism in biblical standards. He begins by wrongly defining legalism. He essentially equates legalism with laboring to carry out the biblical moral code (p. 96). Legalism is not obeying rules, rather it is a wrong attitude toward, or motivation for, obeying rules. With his legalistic strawman assembled, the author then connects it with absolutism. "Who can challenge the situationist's criticism of extreme absolutism and its accompanying evil, legalism?" (p. 106). The answer is, an absolutist. Legalism does not naturally accompany absolutism.

McLaughlin's shaky theological foundation leaves him a shaky ethical system. He discredits his own ethical principles by stating, "The following principles of ethical rights and wrongs must be general. Exceptions to almost every rule could be found" (p. 141). He never arrives at a comprehensive ethic. The best he can do is set forth Matthew 22:37-40, love for God and love for man, as his guiding principle without applying it to any degree.

The Ethics of Persuasive Preaching is interesting in that it raises some crucial questions. Unfortunately, all too often it gives the wrong answers. It does prove helpful in pointing out the ethical problems involved in persuasive preaching, and in that regard accomplishes its purpose. However, we still await a work that deals with these issues and arrives at more definitive biblical conclusions.

This review originally was published in the November 1983 issue of The Fundamentalist Journal.