by Bret Capranica | Jun 23, 2005 | Personal
Yesterday marked the first brush fire of the summer for us here in Southern California, and this one was close to home. The mountain range to the south of where I live was ablaze yesterday, producing some awesome and ominous pictures (if I can figure out how to post pics, I’ll see what I can do to put one up here). I couldn’t resist telling a number of our folks at church last night that I had the urge to preach outdoors from Exodus 19 on the smoking Mt. Sinai and the glory of God. Thankfully, no homes in our area were lost and no injuries. With the large amount of rain we have had this winter there is a large amount of growth. With the triple digit temperatures we expect, the growth will quickly become fodder for future fires. Keep us in your...
by Bret Capranica | Jun 22, 2005 | Psychology
Finally, a level-headed evaluation of the biased approach a number in the psychobabble world use to classify people as mentally ill. This Weekly Standard article by Paul McHugh is an objective evaluation of how mental illness diagnosticians flee from objective evaluation standards in determining who is mentally ill. Recent mental health evaluations have suggested that well over half of the nation’s population is plagued with some form of mental illness. What I find depressing is that without critical evaluation of the applied studies, many will blindly embrace the results and elevate these doctors as mental health inerrantists. I don’t doubt that chemicals become imbalanced, especially when life is lived outside of the centrality of Christ. In reading John Piper’s recent work, When I Don’t Desire God: How to Fight for Joy, I believe he provides a helpful note: “Spiritual emotions, which are more than physical, can have chemical effects, and not just the reverse. It is true that chemicals can affect emotions. But too seldom do we pray and plan for the spiritual to have chemical effects. As legitimate as sedatives and anti-depressants may be in times of clear chemical imbalance, we should not overlook the truth that spiritual reality may also transform the physical and not just vice versa” (p 182). A chasm that cannot be crossed does not exist between the spiritual and the physical. They are inextricably linked. To avoid the spiritual (the centrality of Christ and His Word) will inevitably lead to physical (including mental) consequences. And the opposite must also be true. Life lived in Christ and for His glory can and will have...
by Bret Capranica | Jun 21, 2005 | Blogging
If you have not been to Phil Johnson’s blog, “Pyromaniac,” you must delay no longer. Phil claims that he was not going to be a daily blogger, but the response to his wit and wisdom has no doubt tempted him beyond resistence. I, for one, am thankful for this particular lack of self-control on Phil’s part. Be sure to see yesterday’s “Monday Menagerie” and his description of the church of the “Capuchini deathcraft” in Palermo, Italy: a freakish result of errant...
by Bret Capranica | Jun 21, 2005 | Presidential History
Being a lover of presidential politics, past and present, I enjoyed reading former Clinton aide Dick Morris’ description on the differences between Bill and Hillary. Justin Taylor’s blog alerted me to the article.
by Bret Capranica | Jun 21, 2005 | Personal
The blog hiatus is finished. For ten days I attended classes at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. I was privileged to study with Dr. Daniel Block, outgoing professor of Old Testament interpretation at Southern (Dr. Block is moving this week to Wheaton College). The class was perhaps one of the best academic experiences I have had to date. Dr. Block is a profound student of the Word of God and his life is thoroughly impacted by what he has gleaned from God’s truth. My life was thoroughly impacted by the time spent with him. Another highlight of the time away was becoming better acquainted with the members of my cohort. God has providentially provided good friendships with four godly men, a few of which have stumbled into “The Capranica” lately. David Cox, a fellow cohort student and Missouri pastor, is “The Cap’s” latest fan and we warmly welcome him. So, the break is over and its back to regular contributions at “The Capranica.” I’m looking forward to...
