The Voice of the Bridegroom

“Pastors who thrive in the priesthood often remark that they do so in the context of healthy, generative relationships with their parishioners. But when the pastoral honeymoon has passed, pastors can crash into depression and burnout. To keep priesthood alive, pastor-scholar Fr. Benjamin Roberts invites pastors to embrace their ecclesial espousal to the people. Over the long term of a lifegiving and generative pastorate, preaching can model Christ’s love incarnate in both priest and people.”


—Gregory Heille, OP, professor of preaching and theology, Aquinas Institute of Theology





“Fr. Roberts has provided a much-needed resource in the field of homiletics, presenting the discipline as a theological exercise flowing from the relationship between the preacher and the people. The Voice of the Bridegroom is not a ‘how to,’ but rather a ‘for whom’ approach to preaching, with the self-gift of the preacher at the center. It is sure to become a standard seminary text.”


—Carmina Chapp, program director, Online Theology Programs, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine





“Fr. Roberts is a skilled homiletician and experienced pastor whose passion is inspiring and supporting other pastors as they preach within a community of faith. He places the theology of marriage and the theology of preaching into a rich and fruitful conversation, inviting communities to see the act of preaching as a long-term, loving, and faithful partnership.”


—Susan Fleming McGurgan, director, Lay Ecclesial Formation, Mount St. Mary’s School of Theology