by Bret Capranica | Oct 8, 2005 | Uncategorized
In my attempts to ever more organized (it is a sickness), I am attempting to arrange my posting in certain categories for certain days of the week. To show the depths of the sickness, I have created file folders in my browser and documents for each of the categories. The pastors I work with are now rolling on the floor laughing (in the squaller of the cluttered offices). So, that means that on Sunday will be something ecclesiological; Monday: devotional; Tuesday: cultural; Wednesday: personal; Thursday: theological; Friday: Frivolous; Saturday: Of Note. Like most good attempts at organization, this will no doubt fail within the first week, but at least I was able to extend my organizational disease to a new level. On Saturday, I want to simply post a few links to articles I found interesting but did not blog about. Here are two: The New York Times prints an interesting article about the Catholic Church’s recent synod. It appears that the more liberal and syncretistic brand of Catholicism followed here in the U.S. may be gaining ground vocally, but not politically. It will be interesting to watch at the Catholic system continues to morph and change their theology, as they have for millennia. Yahoo News (the service I read most regularly) posts an article on an Alabama Church feeding gold fish to their youth group. Well, that is a bit of an overstatement. According to the article, the church uses a live goldfish eating session to attract teens and expose them to the gospel. This is nothing new. Goldfish have long been the target of youth directors (pastors...
by Bret Capranica | Oct 7, 2005 | Uncategorized
What a day! But The Villa is on the property! Kelly called me about 4:00 p.m. yesterday to tell me that she was driving by the property and the home had arrived and they were attempting to maneuver it onto the lot. I rushed over to meet her. Before the evening was over, a number of church members were present, a handfull of neighbors and Kelly’s grandparents. The drivers were a bit peeved. They really don’t like having to do much more than drop the package off then leave. This project was proving to be a bit more difficult than they anticipated. As it turned out, they were able to get two of the three pieces in, but the third was too long to maneuver into such a tight space. I was given the choice for them to go ahead and push the thing through, destroying a foundation wall and doing damage to the house or having them leave it in the street for anothe crew to come out. In the street it stood – all night. This morning Kelly and I were up early and over at the property to assess the situation. We spent the day on the phone with the contractor and doing a bit around our current home preparing it for an open house tomorrow. We got the call about 3:00 p.m. that a new crew was at the property with a small remote controlled dozer, putting the third piece in. We rushed over again and watched with amazement as two guys who obviously had training as kids with remote controlled cars toyed with our...
by Bret Capranica | Oct 7, 2005 | Uncategorized
The Capranica Villa has arrived. We have a few complications on our hands that we will be working through today, but otherwise, very excited that we are seeing some good progress. Watch today for a few pictorial updates.
by Bret Capranica | Oct 6, 2005 | Uncategorized
Yesterday I read Rick Warren’s article from Pastors.com on his plea to pray for Ashley Smith. I was planning to briefly blog about it on Saturday, but Tim Challies’ article today spurred me to spew now. Reading the article it was abundantly clear that Warren was going to use Smith to promote his integrationistic programatic approach to sanctification, namely, Celebrate Recovery. Rick’s statement from the article was: “Although a believer, Ashley struggled with relapses, like so many who don'”™t have the accountability of a Celebrate Recovery group.” I am thankful that Warren said what he did. He has revealed that he does not hold to a biblical view of progressive sanctification, and I would suggest that he shows an inadequate view of the gospel itself. I am concerned that the majority of evangelicals will not carefully consider his comments. If one cannot overcome sin without a Celebrate Recovery group, then the viewpoint seems to be that the gospel is only good enough to get one to heaven, but not to make one righteous in character. For that, we need a 12 step program couched in Christian terminology. And do note – it is not that Ashley simply needed Christian support and fellowship from the body of Christ to help her grow in her understanding and application of the Bible (that is NOT what Celebrate Recovery is), nor did she need just any Christian 12 step program, she needed Rick Warren’s Celebrate Recovery plan. Without that, she could not overcome her addiction. Furthermore, Warren, by trumpeting Smith’s conversion (be sure to read Challies’ comments), demonstrates a faulty view of conversion...
by Bret Capranica | Oct 5, 2005 | Uncategorized
Marvin Olasky of World Magazine fame notes some of the interesting history you will find at the Presbyterian cemetery in Princeton N.J. Two years ago, the two pastors I serve with and myself toured the cemetery, locating the burial markers of theological greats like B.B. Warfield and the Hodges (i.e., Charles Hodge). Other facinating personages include President Grover Cleveland and George Gallup. In my estimation, one of the most facinating arrangements in the cemetery is that of Jonathan Edwards, his son-in-law, Aaron Burr, and Edwards’ grandson, Aaron Burr (the former U.S. Vice President). The former Vice President’s headsone sits at the feet of his father and grandfather. According to Ian Murray, “In a career as a soldier, lawyer, and politician – becoming Vice President of the United States – he lived ‘without God.’ Dying, virtually friendless, in 1836, Burr asked that he might be buried as near as possible to the feet of his father and grandfather in the Princeton burial ground” (Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography, 445). By the way, today is Jonathan Edwards’ 302nd birthday (HT: Justin...
by Bret Capranica | Oct 4, 2005 | Uncategorized
In my estimation, President Bush has made a very shrewed choice in his selection of Harriet Miers for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. His poll numbers have plummeted to all time lows (only with slight increases lately), His management style has come under intense scrutiny due to Katrina and Rita (not unlike Reagan’s management approach), his top political adviser (among others) is in a legal morass, and the war in Iraq gains fewer supporters by the day (perhaps due to the almost exclusively negative reporting in the media). Thus, Bush has picked an appointee with stealth armour. Bush says he is not a man moved by the polls, unlike his predecessor. But as the referenced article suggests, he may be making decisions that will impact his long-term legacy more than his current popularity. Both liberals and conservatives seem to be somewhat nervous about this pick. Conservatives are trusting that there is something Bush knows about Miers, due to their long and trusted political relationship, that the rest of the world does not know – and that until she is confirmed, she won’t tell. Seems to me there were similar hopes for Miss. Mier’s predecessor. James Dobson’s assurances that she is an evangelical Christian create no calm in my mind about how she will interpret the constitution – especially sincie “evangelical Christian” is a virtually meaningless term today. President Bush is a shrewd politician. He has shrewed political advisers whispering in his ear. No man who sits behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office for two terms avoids the question of his legacy. President Bush could have picked...
