Definition

1. Noun:
   • The core message of the gospel; apostolic preaching: "Kerygma" refers to the essential, foundational proclamation of the Christian faith, particularly as delivered by the apostles and the early church. It emphasizes the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God's promise and the call to repentance and faith.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The apostle Paul's letters often reflect the early Christian kerygma.
  • Scholars study the kerygma to understand the original message of the first believers.
  • The sermon focused on the kerygma rather than on complex theological doctrines.

Advanced Usage

• "The kerygmatic core": Refers to the central, unchanging proclamation at the heart of Christian teaching.
  • Despite different cultural expressions, the kerygmatic core of the faith remains constant.

Variants and Related Words

• Kerygmatic (adj): Pertaining to or characteristic of the kerygma; proclamatory.
  • His preaching style was direct and kerygmatic, focusing on the basic gospel message.

Synonyms

• Proclamation: A public and official announcement of the gospel.
• Apostolic preaching: The message delivered by the first apostles.
• Core gospel: The essential, foundational news of Christianity.

Notes on Meaning

• Theological Term: "Kerygma" is a specialized term used primarily in Christian theology, biblical studies, and church history. It distinguishes the foundational proclamation from later theological teaching (didache) or ethical instruction.
• Historical Context: The term is specifically tied to the content and style of preaching in the first decades of the Christian church, as recorded in the New Testament book of Acts, for example.

Noun

1. preaching the gospel of Christ in the manner of the early church