Editing Homiletics (section)

=== Branch of pastoral theology ===
The ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' defines homiletics as "that branch of rhetoric that treats of the composition and delivery of sermons or homilies".<ref name=CE>{{Catholic Encyclopedia|wstitle=Homiletics |volume=7 |first=Patrick A. |last=Beecher |inline=1}}</ref> This definition was influential in the 19th century among thinkers like [[John Broadus]] and [[Karl Barth]]. Karl resisted this definition of the term, saying that homiletics should retain a critical distance from [[rhetoric]]. The homiletic-rhetorical relationship has been a major issue in homiletic theory since the mid-20th century.<ref>See Robert Reid, Andre Resner, Lucy Lind Hogan, John McClure, James Kay</ref>

The first form of preaching was largely the [[homily]].<ref name=CE/>