Rhetoric Review Sep 2008

Austin Phelps and the Spirit (of) Composing: An Exploration of Nineteenth-Century Sacred Rhetoric at Andover Theological Seminary

Michael-John DePalma University of New Hampshire

Abstract

This paper highlights the largely unacknowledged theoretical and pedagogical contributions of Austin Phelps, the accomplished nineteenth-century preacher and teacher of rhetoric, in two ways: First, it demonstrates that Phelps's methods of instruction depart from the documented trends in rhetorical education at American colleges during the mid-nineteenth century in that he endeavors to teach the sermon as a form of civic engagement. Second, it shows how Phelps's discussions of the unconscious in the process of composing and his insights into the role of emotion in the writing process anticipate aspects of the process movement in Composition Studies.

Journal
Rhetoric Review
Published
2008-09-18
DOI
10.1080/07350190802339267
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Open Access
Closed
Topics
rhetorical criticism writing pedagogy service learning teacher development
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

  1. Cope (2015)
    “Inspiration of Delivery”: John A. Broadus and the Evangelical Underpinnings of…
    Rhetoric Society Quarterly
  2. Hirst (2013)
    The Influence of Theology on the Rhetorical Theory of Austin Phelps
    Advances in the History of Rhetoric
  3. DePalma (2012)
    Rhetorical Education for the Nineteenth-Century Pulpit: Austin Phelps and the I…
    Rhetoric Review

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CrossRef global citation count: 4 View in citation network → Build reading path →

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