Blayne Banting, DMin, PhD

Associate Professor of Preaching and Christian Ministry

Teaching Philosophy

Education is formation. Through it we are informed, reformed, and transformed. Together in a community of senior and junior learners, we hold each other accountable while the Spirit does His work in us.

Background

Blayne was born and raised in Saskatchewan and has served as pastor and professor in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Prince Edward Island. He is married to Peggy and they have 4 adult children and 6 grandchildren.

Education

PhD Pastoral Ministry - Trinity Seminary/Canterbury Christ Church University, 2009
DMin Homiletics - Acadia Divinity College/Acadia University,1998
M.A. Theology and Philosophy - Lincoln Christian Seminary, 1990
MDiv - Canadian Theological Seminary (Ambrose), 1987
BRE - Alberta Bible College, 1978

Research

Homiletics (Preaching)
Church Leadership
Spiritual Formation
Humour/Creativity Studies

Publications

Books:

• Taking Up Preaching: The Spheres of the Preaching Life. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2023.
• Taken Up and Preached: A Collection of Biblical Sermons. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2019.
• Take Up and Preach: A Primer for Interpreting Preaching Texts. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2016.
• With Wit and Wonder: A Preacher's Use of Humour and Imagination. Eugene, OR: Resource Publications, 2013.

Paper Presentations:

• “Understanding Biblical Preaching: A Taxonomy.”  Paper presented at the Evangelical Homiletics Society, October 17-19, 2019. Wake Forest, NC: Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
• “It’s a Grey Matter: An Apology for Right-Brained Preaching.”  Paper presented at the Evangelical Homiletics Society, October 15-17, 2015. Louisville, KY: Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
• “And Speaking of God…: A Theology for Biblical Preaching.”  Paper presented at the Evangelical Homiletics Society, October 16-18, 2008. Birmingham, AL: Beeson Divinity School.
• “Sit-Down Comedy: An Appraisal of Jesus’ Use of Humour.”  Paper presented at Canadian Society for the Study of Religion, May 29, 2007. Saskatoon, SK: University of Saskatchewan.

Book Reviews:

• 7 Lessons for New Pastors. 2nd ed. by Matthew D. Kim. Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2021. Journal of the Evangelical Homiletics Society, 22.1 (March 2022): 94-95.
• Building a Community of Interpreters: Readers and Hearers as Interpreters by Walter R. Dickhaut. Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2013. Journal of the Evangelical Homiletics Society,16.2 (September 2016): 53-54.
• Reading and Understanding the Bible by Ben Witherington III. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015. Journal of the Evangelical Homiletics Society, 16.2 (September 2016): 63-64.
• What Shall We Say? Evil, Suffering, and the Crisis of Faith by Thomas G. Long. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011. Journal of the Evangelical Homiletics Society.