About Andrew W. Blackwood

Andrew Watterson Blackwood (1882-1966) was a pastor, professor, and prolific author, in the service of Jesus Christ. He was once one of the leading figures in American homiletical theory, and has left a rich legacy for those who would serve the cause of Jesus Christ today.
An ordained Presbyterian, Blackwood spent what he called “seventeen happy years in the pastorate” before turning to full time seminary teaching. His teaching career began in 1926 when he accepted an appointment as Professor of English Bible at Louisville Seminary. The bulk of his teaching career, from 1930-1950, was spent at Princeton Theological Seminary, where he was chair of the Department of Practical Theology. In 1950, he moved to become Professor of Homiletics, Temple University, where he served until his retirement in 1958.
A frequent quoter of the famous line from James Denney, “No man can bear witness to Christ and himself at the same time,” Blackwood would prefer that we devote little time here to studying his biography. He would call us to give greater attention to what he lived for, the nourishing of preachers who would in turn nourish parishioners with spiritual food from the Word of God to the glory of Jesus Christ. This leads us to the fruits of his labors.
I. A Legacy of Strong Books
Blackwood once remarked that when a preacher gets a new pen it should be dedicated to the service of God by way of a definite act of prayer. In the same context, he quoted the phrase Nulla dies sine linea (no day without a line).1 Often at his desk by five in the morning, Blackwood used his pen every day for the sake of the Lord.2 The result of that discipline is a legacy of strong books and significant articles. This bibliography covers virtually every aspect of a minister’s work.