Topics vs. Preaching Themes

PL

1. Why do we need both of these entities/taggings: Topics and Preaching Themes?

2. Where do they overlap? What are some examples of a Topic that's not also a Preaching Theme, or vice versa?

3. How do we find out whether a given Bible or Logos book is tagged for Topics and/or Preaching Themes? (The resource info panel doesn't seem to indicate.)

4. Why do we need all of these tools: Topic Guide, Sermon Starter Guide, Theology Guide, Counseling Guide, Factbook? Don't they overlap significantly, especially with Factbook? (Factbook seems to contain entries for most of the Topics, Theology entries, Counseling themes, Preaching themes.)

MJ. Smith

1. Why do we need both of these entities/taggings: Topics and Preaching Themes?

It depends on the user - I would have no problem if Preaching Themes went away but I'm sure there would be loud objections from other users. Preaching Themes is a limited set of subjects that represent common (Protestant) topics for sermons. They tie illustrations, sermons, and media together. Topics is an ever growing set of topics into which the Factbook entries may fall; there is some overlap with Preaching Themes but Topics are generally more narrow in scope. See Husser, Lydia. Preaching Themes: Dataset Documentation. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2016. and Husser, Lydia. Logos Controlled Vocabulary: Dataset Documentation. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2017.

2. Where do they overlap? What are some examples of a Topic that's not also a Preaching Theme, or vice versa?

There is a dataset that defines their overlap which is used in the search to broaden or restrict your search. I'm not finding the documentation for the dataset.

3. How do we find out whether a given Bible or Logos book is tagged for Topics and/or Preaching Themes? (The resource info panel doesn't seem to indicate.)

 

No easy answer - Context Menu and Information Panel show them.

4. Why do we need all of these tools: Topic Guide, Sermon Starter Guide, Theology Guide, Counseling Guide, Factbook? Don't they overlap significantly, especially with Factbook? (Factbook seems to contain entries for most of the Topics, Theology entries, Counseling themes, Preaching themes.)

Again, it depends on the user. Do you prefer separate tools for hammer, wrench, screwdriver, and measuring tape or do you prefer the clever all-in-one pocket version? or do you prefer fruit salad or an individual orange, apple, apricot ...Logos assumes you want the more specific tool rather than wading through the material for everything that might be related. I suspect that people with small libraries are more likely to appreciate the all-in-one pocket version while those with large libraries wish to distinguish wrenches by size. Factbook should have entries for all topics, preaching themes, theological topics, counseling topics ... in Factbook where the overlap is nearly complete there is a single entry for equivalent topic and theological topic for example.

Note that cultural concept also serves as a way to slice-and-dice the data. Semantic domains sometimes can be used in a similar manner. Having grown up on a farmer, I think of the various topical/thematic classifications as equivalent to classifying the farm animals:

• by species - cattle, horses, dogs
• by breed - Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn, Texas Longhorn
• by use - beef cattle, dairy cows
• by age - calf, heifer, cow 

You get the idea - one needs to slice-and-dice the animals differently for different purposes - it's the same with organizing Biblical data.