By taking readers on an illuminating ramble through the history of the church, Capon shows how we have lost this sense of astonishment by making Christianity into a religion that focuses on requirements and restrictions rather than on the Good News, and by turning the church, which should be a body of believers, into an institution that emphasizes its corporate functions to the detriment of its gospel message. After exploring all the ways in which the church has mis-embodied itself over the centuries, Capon explains how the church today might re-create itself. The key, according to Capon, is recovering the gift of astonishment with which it began.
Capon is fully alert to both the tragedy and the comedy of church history, and he covers this uneven ground with great heart and great humor - and genuine hope for the future of the church.
ROBERT FARRAR CAPON is an Episcopal priest and the author of many widely popular books, including The Romance of the Word; The Mystery of Cbrist; Health, Money, and Love; and a trilogy on Jesus' parables - The Parables of the Kingdom, The Parables of Grace, and The Parables of Judgment.
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