James W. Cox, ed. Best Sermons 1 (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1988), 384 pp., $16.95, cloth.

Geoffrey W. Bromiley, the prolific theologian/translator of Kittel's Theological Wordbook of the New Testament and much of Barth's Church Dogmatics, is said to translate in his sleep, It must also be true that James W. Cox edits and writes as he slumbers -- otherwise he would get no sleep!

Professor of Christian Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Cox is a veritable industry. Nevertheless, what flows from Cox's pen and editing desk is not "preaching pulp" -- it is well worth the reading.

Best Sermons 1 is the product of a unique sermon contest directed by Harper and Row, the San Francisco publishing house which has recently demonstrated a genuine interest in contemporary preaching. The contest was nationally advertised and produced over 2000 entries from throughout the world.

Entries were judged in six sermon categories: evangelistic, ethical, doctrinal/theological, expository, pastoral, and devotional. From the abundance of entries, one winning sermon and three honorable mention sermons were chosen for each category.

The judging process was directed by Cox, and included fellow judges Walter J. Burghardt, S.J., Theologian in Residence, Georgetown University; David Allen Hubbard, President, Fuller Theological Seminary; John Killinger, Senior Minister, First Congregational Church, Los Angeles; James Earl Massey, Dean of the Chapel, Tuskegee University; Carolyn Weatherford, Executive Director, Woman's Missionary Union, Southern Baptist Convention; and William H. Willimon, Minister to the University and Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke University. Fully half of the judges -- Hubbard, Massey, and Willimon -- are Preaching Contributing Editors.

Best Sermons is an audacious title. Indeed, the title would seem to claim more than the book can possibly deliver. Discerning the "best" in any field, and even the most analytical disciplines, is a daunting task. Acknowledging this, Editor Cox commented: "As with any competition of this nature, selecting the best of many fine entries is not easy." Furthermore, "The evaluation of a sermon, whether that sermon is heard or read, is an inherently subjective undertaking...."

Nevertheless, the Best Sermons competition was designed to minimize arbitrary judgment and to maximize objectivity. Each winning sermon was evaluated by three judges, who focused on the criteria of originality, scriptural and/or Christian basis, relevance, clarity, and interest.

Readers of Best Sermons 1 will discover the twenty-four winning sermons joined by twenty-eight additional sermons commissioned by Cox from individuals of "considerable visibility" in the preaching world. Together, these fifty-two sermons comprise one of the freshest and most interesting collections of sermons to emerge in recent years.

The twenty-four winning sermons demonstrate their worthiness with energy, discernment, pathos, and conviction. The commissioned sermons are drawn from preachers of proven and acclaimed ability, and are clearly from among the best in each preacher's arsenal.