Customer Reviews

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

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This is an uplifting book. Capon is particularly adept at unveiling our shallow "theologies of the Cross." This stuff is Calvin with a flair. Those who preach will appreciate his lively Buechner-esque style. I enjoy the way he anticipates various protests from his reader, then answers him/her with earthy honesty. For example, to those who insist on topical over lectionary preaching, he quips: "Like topical anesthetics (topical sermons) don't go deep!" The price of the book is worth the first part. The second part, on the mechanics of the sermon, is not as fun to read, but will be helpful for those just starting out in the pulpit. --Phil Jones, pastor Ayden Christian Church, Ayden NC.

Capon urges those of us who preach to keep our focus on what is most important, namely Jesus Christ. It's not about keeping the rules nor about holding the right doctrine. It's about being held in love by the God who made us and wants to save us by grace through Christ. If you only read one book on preaching this year, it needs to be this one.

It is odd that men are called to preach sermons, isn't it? Fallible preaching by fallible men is a dangerous affair. As Christians we hold the Bible to be infallible, our final authority for faith and life. God has used men to preach the perfect Word of God, to put into words what Scripture means. The foolishness of preaching is almost comical when viewed that way.

Capon is a writer who I love to read, partly because I disagree with him so much. His theology is wacky, his methods are unconventional, and his wit is too sharp at times. On the other hand, he is challenging in many ways and he is an amazing writer. I always come away from reading Capon having learned much more than when I read an author I already know I agree with.

If you are in the position where you have to preach a sermon in a couple of months, you could do a lot worse than this book. In the second section Capon specifically addresses preachers and gives some great advice for those who want to learn the real work of preaching sermons. His timetable and schedule is realistic, spiritually challenging, and thoughtful.

As good as the second section is for preachers, the first section (The Bedrock of Preaching) is more applicable for all believers. Capon's first chapter is his take on gospel presentation. This is something that I have reflected on many times since the first read, and will probably do so for years. This first chapter alone is worth the price of the book and will certainly provoke a lot of thought.

One of the many quotes I really like from the book, "Topical sermons are like topical anesthetics: they don't go deep." (63)

Capon also offers some great writing advice on page 131. It's a small addition to the book, but some of the best advice on writing that I have read.

This is not Capon's best, but there is plenty to glean from this work whether you are a preacher or not. Get this book after you have read, and liked, some of his other works like The Romance of the Word.

As the title might suggest, this is not a book for everyone. It is, more specifically, a book for preachers, and I would add, writers too. Though even then, the preacher or writer in question should have thick skin and a strong handle on his or her doctrine. I disagree with Capon about much: his politics, his ethics, often his theology, and sometimes even his preaching. Yet I could not put this book down.

Capon (b. 1925) is an American Episcopal priest and author who has been actively writing and publishing books for over 40 years, beginning with Bed and Board in 1965. He writes about family, money, sexuality, health, food, children, theology, and cigars with unparalleled wit.

In The Foolishness of Preaching, Capon tackles the tension between the divine force and human impotence of the act of delivering a sermon week-in and week-out. He reminds his readers, mostly pastors, of the necessity for "a passion for the Passion." He warns against the cult, creed, and conduct of religion that have lulled our congregations to sleep as we (preachers) use those "grim pills" as replacements for the jaw-dropping shocker of GRACE.

He writes, "I think good preachers should be like bad kids. They ought to be naughty enough to tiptoe up on dozing congregations, steal their bottles of religion pills, spirituality pills, and morality pills, and flush them all down the drain. The church, by and large, has drugged itself into thinking that proper human behavior is the key to its relationship with God. What preachers need to do is force it to go cold turkey with nothing but the word of the cross--and then be brave enough to stick around while it goes through inevitable withdrawal symptoms" (Capon, 14).

Capon divides his book in half. Part 1 ("The Bedrock of Preaching") deals with foundational issues of Gospel-proclamation. While part 2 ("The Practice of Preaching") deals with practical issues of weekly preaching. He offers valuable helps for those who use only notes as well as for those who preach from a detailed manuscript.
Though I cannot follow Capon at each turn (at many turns!), I am deeply thankful for this book. The Foolishness of Preaching has made its way on to the (very) short list of books I recommend on the subject of preaching. Experience Capon and enjoy. You'll likely thank me later. Though you be mad as heck at him!

Capon is very sound, and you will see he is very, very different.

He will paint a picture to your ear that will last.

After reading several of his books, I had to talk to him. I called his church and asked him what helps you come up with great ideas to deeply communicate such difficult concepts? A gracious and warm man said, I read the Bible and it flows out.

I greatly enjoy Capon's writing & agree with much that he says. I find missing-the biblical connection that "Faith-Pisteu", (Lean on- trust in -depend on) is a living faith-a love response to the the one who loves us.. Capon's light clarification of faith is a bit casual ie believe what God has done),In my view the focus sidetracts the truth that one is to lean on -trust in-& depend on th one wh has done it.He is alive-faith is alive-I love him because he first loves me-Not cheap-but costly John 3:16 "God SO LOVES the world-that he Gave..." Essentialy faith is to be a love response, to God's love for me ie a Living faith-James clarifies this somewhat......The 500 lb elephant Capon describes-is now lopsided on the other end-Me thinks love is reciprocal-God desires me -that i might desire him...Not require-but yes desire

Although the author has some great insight into the need to look at Christ alone he really dismisses any use of the Law as legalism.

The law used wrongly, to make people keep trying to keep it as a means to measure their relationship to God, should be abandoned.

But the law used correctly, as a guide to point us to our need for the sacrifice of Christ, is very much still valid in preaching. All use of the law is not "relgion". The OT laws were meant to be a part of faith just as NT communion and baptism are today. If you dismiss the OT laws as legalism you must also dismiss the NT sacraments as such also. And I don't think he really means to do that.

Also to make some points he travels into speculative areas instead of those that are more scripturally clear. For instance he makes the point that God creates out of nothing. Then he makes the point that He can recreate out of nothing. And he then basically said that there was a point when you were nonexitent so whose to say that after you die you may be nonexistent again so that God may raise you up from "nothing" just as he created the world from nothing in the first place.

He equates "nothing" with nonexistence. I have a problem with that. When Jesus says. "apart from me you can do nothing" is He saying that what you do apart from Him never happened? No, of course not. He's saying it is "zero, of no account to yourself, adds nothing to you (i.e. the Work of Christ is all you really have)".

So be aware of such things if you read this book.

This is a pretty good help in preparing sermons and the techniques that go into it. The author encourages the reader to use his own style when preaching. I was put off by the author's advice to have a smoke and drink a beer when the sermon preparation is complete. If you can get past that, this will be a good addition to your library.