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

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.

Notes

¹I thank Jess Enoch, Tom Newkirk, and Jeff Ringer for their invaluable insights and constant encouragement throughout the process of writing this article. I am grateful also for the constructive feedback provided by RR reviewers Peter Elbow and David Timmerman. Diana Yount's guidance in the archives at Andover-Newton Theological Seminary is greatly appreciated, as well. Finally, sincere thanks to my family, especially Courtney, for their unwavering love and support.