‘Toch meen ik er nog iets aan te mogen toevoegen’. Exploratief onderzoek van een lijdenspreek van C. Graafland

This article explores a sermon for Lent preached by Cornelis Graafland (1928-2004), from the point of view of Graafland’s 1965 argument that preachers should be authentic; they should be real in their sermons. Based on 1 Peter 4:1, Graafland focuses on the suffering of Christ and that of the Christian congregation. Examination of selected excerpts from the sermon suggest that self-disclosure is Graafland’s way of embodying the preacher’s becoming real. Because this concept of self-disclosure does not feature in reflections on or research into Reformed experiential preaching, the question remains what can be learned from this mode of preaching, or if it is merely the unique talent of an exceptional preacher. These considerations recommend further research into Reformed experiential preaching and the concept self-disclosure.