Robert Farrar Capon (October 26, 1925 – September 5, 2013) was an American Episcopal priest, author and chef.
He was born in Jackson Heights, Queens in 1925 and graduated from Columbia College in 1946 and Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in 1947. A lifelong New Yorker, for almost thirty years Capon was a full-time parish priest in Port Jefferson, New York. In 1965, he published his first book, Bed and Board.
In 1977 the 51 year-old Capon was relieved of his parish duties after he revealed his intent to divorce his wife and remarry. He left the full-time ministry and devoted more time to his writing career. He authored a total of twenty books, including Between Noon and Three, The Supper of the Lamb, Genesis: The Movie, and a trilogy on Jesus' parables: The Parables of Grace, The Parables of the Kingdom, and The Parables of Judgment.
Capon described himself, in the introduction to The Romance of the Word (1995), as an "old-fashioned high churchman and a Thomist to boot." One of Capon's primary themes is the radical grace of God. Capon summarizes his broad view of salvation as follows:
In the 1990s Capon served as assisting priest at St. Luke's Church in East Hampton, New York, and was the Canon Theologian to the Episcopal Bishop of Long Island. He lived with his wife Valerie in Shelter Island, New York as of 2004.
Capon also had a lifelong interest in food and cooking, and authored several cookbooks. He was a food columnist for Newsday and The New York Times, and taught cooking classes.
Robert Capon died on September 5, 2013, in Greenport, New York. He was survived by his second wife Valerie and his eight children.
Bibliography Light Theology and Heavy Cream: The Culinary Adventures of Pietro and Madeline (Cowley, 2004) Genesis, The Movie (Eerdmans, 2003) Kingdom, Grace, Judgment: Paradox, Outrage, and Vindication in the Parables of Jesus (Eerdmans, 2002) The Fingerprints of God: Tracking the Divine Suspect Through a History of Image (Eerdmans, 2000) The Foolishness of Preaching: Proclaiming the Gospel Against the Wisdom of the World (Eerdmans, 1997) Between Noon and Three: Romance, Law, and the Outrage of Grace (Eerdmans, 1997) The Astonished Heart: Lost and Found in the History of the Church (Eerdmans, 1996) The Romance of the Word: One Man's Love Affair with Theology (Eerdmans, 1995) Health, Money, and Love ... And Why We Don't Enjoy Them (Eerdmans, 1990) The Mystery of Christ ... and Why We Don't Get It (Eerdmans, 1993) The Man Who Met God in a Bar: The Gospel According to Marvin : A Novel (1990) The Parables of Judgment (Eerdmans, 1989) The Parables of Grace (Eerdmans, 1988) The Third Peacock: The Problem of God and Evil (1971) The Parables of the Kingdom (1985) Capon on Cooking (1983) The Youngest Day: Shelter Island's Seasons in the Light of Grace (1983) (foreword) Good Food from a Japanese Temple: a 600-year Tradition of Simple, Elegant Vegetable Cookery (1982) A Second Day: Reflections on Remarriage (1980) Party Spirit: Some Entertaining Principles (1979) Food for Thought: Resurrecting the Art of Eating (1978) Hunting the Divine Fox: Images and Mystery in Christian Faith (1974) Exit 36: A Fictional Chronicle (1975) The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection (1969) An Offering of Uncles: The Priesthood of Adam and the Shape of the World (1967) Bed and Board: Plain Talk About Marriage (1965)
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External links Interview Bio