The Foolishness of Preaching : Proclaiming the Gospel Against the Wisdom of the World

Capon, Robert Farrar

ISBN 10: 0802843050 / ISBN 13: 9780802843050

Published by Eerdmans Publishing Company, William B., 1997

Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 11025381-75

Synopsis:

What is the foundation of good preaching? How should preachers prepare themselves to faithfully and effectively address the church? And, just as importantly, what ought congregants, who come to church to hear a word from God, hope for from their preachers? These are often asked — and often answered — questions. But Robert Farrar Capon tackles them with a freshness and a frankness that make both the questions and the answers new.

In Part 1 of the book, "The Bedrock of Preaching," Capon discusses how essential it is to have "a passion for the Passion" (to believe passionately in the Good News of salvation in Christ), how to overcome the stumbling blocks to genuinely accepting grace, and how to relinquish a false sense of control over our salvation. This part of the book also has important things to say to those of us who listen to sermons and who look to the pulpit for words of grace and hope that are truly meaningful to our lives today.

In Part 2, "The Practice of Preaching," Capon concentrates on the mechanics of preaching in anything but a mechanical way. He begins by discussing the ingredients of preaching, emphasizing the importance of not just reading but really hearing the Word in the original Greek and Hebrew, and offers some pointed comments on the Common Lectionary. He then goes on to illustrate how to preach effectively from notes, giving specific, day-by-day suggestions for preparation. He also shows, using the full text of one of his sermons as an example, how to preach from a more fully written manuscript and explains how to move from first notes to final notes for a sermon, again using some of his own notes as an example.

In Capon's creative hands these instructions are not just a nuts-and-bolts exercise; they are lively, challenging lessons in preaching that, for all their practical advice, never lose touch with the center of preaching and belief — the astonishing grace of Jesus Christ.

About the Author: Robert Farrar Capon (1925–2013) was an Episcopal priest and prolific author. Over the course of his career, he held a variety of roles, including parish priest at Christ Church in Port Jefferson, dean of the George Mercer Jr. Memorial School of Theology, assistant to the rector at St. Luke’s Church in East Hampton, and canon theologian to the Episcopal Bishop of Long Island. His many books included The Supper of the Lamb, The Fingerprints of God, and The Foolishness of Preaching.

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Foolishness of Preaching : Proclaiming ...
Publisher: Eerdmans Publishing Company, William B.
Publication Date: 1997
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: Very Good