Christian life and practice Books

Book SynopsisIn part an exploration of spirituality, in part an anthology, this searching and profound book challenges us to respond to the call of solitude and complete abandonment to God, symbolised by the great emptiness and silence of desert places.

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Book SynopsisDiscover your spiritual gift in the company of Columba, Brigid, Cuthbert, Patrick and other Celtic saints in this ground-breaking and original book. As the rediscovery of Celtic spirituality has transformed Christian experience in recent years, Celtic Gifts explores the dramatic impact that a Celtic understanding of vocation and ministry could have in the life and work of the Church today, especially where small congregations, limited resources and overburdened clergy create particular difficulties. Offering a positive, imaginative and biblical solution to problems that are all too common today, Celtic Gifts will encourage every Christian to explore their own vocation and calling.

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Book SynopsisTo go on pilgrimage is not simply to travel to a holy place, but it is to recognize that each day of our lives God calls us to draw nearer to him. This prayer book provides essential sustenance for pilgrimages of both kinds; whether our journey is physical or of the spirit, it will enable an to discover and celebrate Christ's presence with us at every step of the way. The Celtic vision of Christ present in all creation shapes each outline for daily prayer that is provided. The earth, the sky, trees, rivers, flowers, insects and all created things become stopping places for thanksgiving, reflection and refreshment as do the emotions that we experience along the way. From the uncertainties of setting out to the ecstasy of arriving, joys and trials alike point us to Christ and serve to bring us closer to our journey's end.

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Book SynopsisWalsingham is a place saturated with prayer, where pilgrims since the Middle Ages have remembered the mystery of God becoming man through the consent of a woman and where they have been invited to say their personal Yes to God as Mary did at the Annunciation. This delightful, illustrated prayer book and devotional companion will take you round all the special places in Walsingham. It can also be used in your own home, enabling you to make a spiritual journey to England's Nazareth whenever you wish. Prayers are provided for each of the significant sites and their familiar stories are retold. There are also prayers for a wide range of personal and devotional needs to enable you to draw closer to God who walks with us along every stage of life's journey.

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Book SynopsisCarmelite spirituality is a way of life that spells Freedom. Rooted in the experience of the desert mothers and fathers who sought God in solitude, it can accommodate many temperaments and approaches. The primary focus is on Finding the way of prayer that will bring you closest to God. This warm and engaging book introduces six great Carmelite Figures and their individual ways of prayer. Let Teresa of Avila, St John of the Cross, Brother Lawrence, Therese of Lisieux and others help you discover the pathway to authentic spiritual growth.

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Book SynopsisTo look at our lives afresh and to find beauty in what has always seemed so ordinary, or hope in what has seemed lifeless and dead, is to experience true ecstasy. Teresa of Avila, a practical and down-to-earth spiritual guide, takes us on an exciting journey of discovery and shows us that heaven is literally on our doorstep.

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Book SynopsisThis beautiful collection of meditative prayers offers a profoundly valuable resource for clergy and congregation, for worship preparation and the liturgy. Will help all who read them to engage in worship with a greater sense of expectation.

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Book SynopsisPrayer Mountain is a practical handbook to the mountain ranges of the spiritual life. It takes us on a climbing tour of ten Biblical mountains and, with the companionship of those who have climbed them before, encourages us in our own ascent towards the presence of God.

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Book SynopsisSeventy intercessory prayers for worship, and one hundred twenty meditations that are ideal for either reading aloud or for quiet reflection. Themes include: our world with its beauty and mystery; our relationships; work and recreation; our joys, sorrows, and concerns; our worship; our beliefs and questions; and special occasions that mark the passage of the year and of our lives. This is the Second Edition under the same title.The First Edition had 60 meditations. This one has 120.

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Book SynopsisMany people today are looking to the ancient discipline of following a rule of life to strengthen their sense of living in Christ. In 49 short chapters this wise and gentle rule from the Society of St John the Evangelist provides practical guidance.

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Book SynopsisThe figure of Hildegard of Bingen towers both over her own and our present age. Her ideas about healing, the arts, the relationship between science and theology, the interdependence of male and female and the interconnectedness of all living beings with each other and their Creator have extraordinary relevance to our contemporary understanding of these issues. Yet for all Hildegard's astonishing creativity and originality, her spirituality is firmly rooted in the Rule of St Benedict and its emphasis on daily prayer and meditative reading of the Scriptures. This introduction to her life and thought includes many practical spiritual exercises that will enable us to bring Hildegard's wisdom and vision of wholeness to our busy, fragmented lives today.

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Book SynopsisEncourages openness of heart & hand based on Jesus' teachings about wealth and attitude to money. Offers many creative ideas for teaching & preaching on this theme & provides imaginative worship resources that can be reproduced freely in service sheets.

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Book SynopsisNo longer seen as an exclusively artistic or religious calling, or simply referring to the caring professions, vocational living with its risk, creativity and rich rewards is open to all - individuals and organizations alike. In this practical guide, the internationally renowned, best-selling author John Adair shows how you can find the place where you will flourish best, as an individual or as part of a team. In How to Find Your Vocation he: • examines the key characteristics of vocational people • explores the possibility of vocational living in all walks of life • creates a healthy balance between the demands of work and family • enables you to discern where your 'inner compass' is leading you. This ground-breaking book also explores the concept of corporate vocation, demonstrating how organizations that cultivate vocational qualities can gain a clear competitive advantage.

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Book SynopsisAssisi, Greccio and neighbouring places associated with St Francis and St Clare are among the world's most popular pilgrim destinations. This pocket guide is the perfect travelling companion for all visitors to this beautiful region of Italy. Written by an experienced tour leader, it includes a blend of historical and practical tourist information, illustrations, maps and street plans, to enable visitors to make the most of their stay. Festivals associated with Francis, especially the blessing of the Christmas crib, are celebrated with great gusto and this book explains what special treats visitors can experience at different times of the year.

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Book SynopsisOpen the ancient door of an old church, says Ronald Blythe, and framed in the silence is a house of words where everything has been said: centuries of birth, marriage and death words, gossip, poetry, philosophy, rant, eloquence, learning, nonsense, the language of hymn writers and Bible translators - all of it spoken in one place. This work contains words spoken by Ronald Blythe in the churches he serves as a Reader in the Church of England, and as the local writer expected to add his own distinctive voice. Originating as addresses given at Matins or Evensong, they follow various paths into old and new liturgies, literature and the local countryside. They bring together the author's delight in language, his recollections of farming, his recognition of friends and neighbours, and the hopes he has found in faith.

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Book SynopsisWeek by week, in thousands of places of worship and in homes, Christians gather around the Scriptures to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed. The Revised Common Lectionary, now used widely by church communities throughout the world, has restored the Early Church principle of continuous readings through the Gospels: Matthew in Year A, Mark in Year B and Luke in Year C with additional readings from John in all three years. This pattern of reading enables the narrative of each to unfold and invites reflection on the distinctive style and approach of each of the Evangelists. Following the Gospel through the Year aims to enrich and deepen understanding by providing for each Sunday, Holy Day and major festival. It offers: * a summary of the essential message of the Gospel reading * a link to the other readings of the day * an extended meditation and reflection * an illustrative quote from the spiritual classics * a closing prayer With additioanl background notes on each of the Gospels and of the seasons of the Christian year, this book is an inspiring resource for worship leaders, preachers and those who help to lead the intercessions, and a reliable guide for personal devotional reading at all times.

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Book SynopsisThis prayer book follows the rhythms and seasons of the natural and Christian year as it is observed on Holy Island. More contemplative than the very earthy spirituality of Iona, each day of the week has a special theme: Sunday - resurrection and renewal; Monday - creation; Tuesday - incarnation and peace; Wednesday - the Holy Spirit in mission and healing; Thursday - community and unity; Friday - with broken people at the Cross; and Saturday - leisure (morning) and the Saints (night).

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Book SynopsisThis comprehensive manual is aimed especially at oblates and associates of Benedictine communities, those who regularly spend retreats or quiet days in Benedictine centres and all those who want to order their life to be more in tune with Benedictine spirituality. The book contains: the text of the Rule of St Benedict; an introduction to the essentials of Benedictine spirituality; a simple daily office and other Benedictine prayers; a "who's who" introducing us to 100 Benedictine saints and followers; a guide to living the Rule in the world and community and a tour of the Benedictine family worldwide. Many notable authors have contributed to this volume which is designed to last a lifetime. They include Esther de Waal, Columba Stewart, Kathleen Norris and Patrick Barry.

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Book SynopsisThe world, the Church and our personal lives are full of conflict - opposing demands pull us in all directions. This book presents the wisdom of Benedict, which shows how ambiguity and uncertainty can be transformative and healing.Trade Review'If you don't have this book, get it - it is full of wisdom and depth.' Nirvard Kinsella, Prior of Rosecrea Abbey, in Hallel magazine -- Nirvard Kinsella * Hallel Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThese reflections weave together literature, poetry, biography, botany, nature and scripture to offer incisive comment on contemporary life. Resonating with the pattern of the natural and litugical year, it provides a commentary on experiencing the sacred day to day.

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Book SynopsisAlpha course speaker Julie Sheldon reflects on a gift that we seldom welcome: the gift of tears. We often try to fight them back, yet they can bring cleansing, healing and release. Julie tells many inspirational real life stories and relates them to biblical examples and teaching.

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Book SynopsisIs your spiritual journey more like a trudge? Does the Church hinder more than it helps? Here is a warm, welcoming and realistic guide from an immensely popular author for all who may be feeling spiritually jaded. Whatever our circumstances, Companions of Christ shows us how to embark on a journey of the heart, starting wherever we happen to be and however fit or unfit for the journey we may feel. With the help of practical spiritual exercises throughout, Margaret Silf shows us how to keep faith despite the odds. This can be a major breakthrough for beginners and seasoned Christians alike, it includes practical teaching on great Ignatian themes: imaginative scriptural meditation, spiritual discernment, detachment and practical praying.Trade Review'Like Margaret Silf's other books, this is a warm, welcoming guide full of imaginative stories to be worked on slowly. The design and layout of the text encourages the reader to ponder and reflect upon questions and suggestions which are in boxed paragraphs to hold the attention. Helpful sections on prayer, listening and letting go are all part of the practical guidance on the journey of discovery to become ever more fully human while drawing closer to God. This is an excellent introduction to the main themes of Ignatian spirituality presented in an accessible manner.' -- Yvonne Walker * The Julian Meetings *'A Trinitarian with a strong belief in the power of the Holy Spirit, Margaret Silf resists anything that puts God in a box.(...) The book is about how to keep faith, despite the odds - and even despite the Church.' -- Pat Ashworth * Church Times *

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Book SynopsisEvery priest serves as a deacon for a year - this guide aims to enrich that experience. It focuses on the theory and practice of one of the three biblical orders of ministry.Trade Review'...the book is to be recommended for the way it teases out the diaconal base for priestly (presbyteral) and episcopal ministries.' -- The Revd Dr Sister Teresa Joan White * Church Times *

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Book SynopsisAt some point, everyone will experience bereavement. Even when a death is expected, it can be a bewildering and disorientating time and its intensity increases if a death is sudden or if there are tragic circumstances. The word 'quarantine' derives from an ancient Italian practice of giving newly bereaved people extra special attention and care during the first forty days following a death. Here is contemporary reworking of that idea - readings and reflections for forty days cover a wide range of commonly felt emotions and reactions, and offer support and understanding. A shorter second section gives readings for special days - birthdays, anniversary etc and a third section offers a selection of brief prayers.

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Book SynopsisThe Rule of St Benedict, just 9000 words long and written 1500 years ago, has proved to be one of the most timeless, influential and lasting of all texts. Its realism about human character, its extraordinary practical wisdom and its original recipe for creating a work/life balance have made it famous way beyond the monastic communities whose lives it has shaped for centuries. Today many secular people are finding that the Rule makes sense of their lives too. This book simply consists of the Rule in a modern language and an introduction to the seven basic elements of Benedictine spirituality.Trade Review'New readers will find this style accessible and discover that we can still learn much from St Benedict's grasp of the human psyche. Those familiar with earlier translations will be grateful for the freshness of the language found here.' -- Esther De Waal * TLS *'A useful Book for Readers leading study groups.' -- Christine McMullen * The Reader *

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Book SynopsisA striking book of contemporary spirituality based on the medieval writings of a woman ahead of her time, Julian of Norwich. An anchorite who lived in a monastic cell attached to a parish church, she found inspiration in the simple domestic detail of her life and used it as a springboard to prayer and contemplation. Penny Roker's warm and gentle book enables readers to make an 'armchair retreat' using nothing more than things around the house to access and apply the spiritual riches of Julian. Not everyone can get away on an organised retreat, but this is a complete resource for making a retreat alone at home. It is equally appropriate for guided group meditation, of course. Each day includes a scripture reading, an excerpt from Julian's Showing of Love, a meditation to read, a practical spiritual exercise, questions to reflect upon, closing prayers, further scriptures, and reading ideas.Trade Review'She writes with a simplicity, clarity and conviction that spoke to me (...).' -- John Turnbull * New Directions *'The purpose of Homely Love is to make the spiritual riches of Julian of Norwich accessible and relevant to a wide range of people today, and Penny Roker does this beautifully. It is also a retreat guide with a difference, aimed particularly at those who cannot afford the money or the time to take part in an organised retreat and who, as the author says, have to 'make do'. Homely Love is a beautiful, earthy, wise handbook to prayer and one which, i believe, Julian Norwich would truly describe as 'homely'.' -- Jennifer Holden

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Book SynopsisMuch of today's fascination with and attraction to the Rule of St. Benedict can be attributed to John Main, a Benedictine monk, who first saw that this rule of life for monastic communities could be relevant for Christian living in the secular world. He founded a community of lay people who shared his vision and from this small beginning has grown. The World Community for Christian Meditation which today is active in numerous countries around the world and has thousands of members and associates. Its work, and its emphasis on meditation, derives directly from the Benedictine focus on prayer and lectio divina or holy reading. Right up to the end of his life in 1982, John Main wrote a series of remarkable letters of spiritual direction to WCCM's growing family. Two collections have previously been published and are now out of print and the complete letters are now published in this single volume. Together they constitute a volume of remarkable spiritual wisdom and insight, as fresh and relevant for today as when they were first written.

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Book SynopsisIn 2003, a story shook the Anglican world in general and Anglican monastic life in particular. On August 8th, seven members of The Melanesian Brotherhood, an Anglican order of Christian brothers living a simple and prayerful life and known for their peace work throughout the South Pacific and beyond, were brutally murdered as a result of ethnic conflict in the Solomon Islands. They had been taken hostage five months earlier. The Melanesian Brotherhood is the largest Anglican religious community in the world with over 300 brothers and more than 300 novices and has received a United Nations award for its peace work. From 1990-2005, Richard Carter, a British priest, was tutor, chaplain to the Melanesian Brotherhood, eventually becoming a brother himself. This extraordinary, powerful and moving book is based on his diaries from that agonizing time for the Community. It tells the harrowing story of the loss of seven good, young and holy lives and the aftermath of those deaths. It tells the story of individuals and a community trying to make sense of faith in the face of fierce conflict and tragedy. It recounts the challenge of living out the Christian faith when confronted by great fear and loss. It is thus a story for everyman. Rowan Williams writes a preface.Trade Review'This is a brave and intimate account of war, tragedy and redemption in the South Pacific. With In Search of the Lost, Richard Carter bears witness to a nation's descent into chaos and violence, but he also charts its salvation through the sacrifices of a heroic community of Christian monks. Carter documents the colliding violence and beauty of his island world with disarming honesty and grace. Infused with prayer and rich with detail, this occasionally devastating story is a testament to the power of faith to lead individuals and nations back to the light.' -- Charles Montgomery'This wonderful book brings to life the vision of the Melanesian Brotherhood, the struggle to make sense of the sacrifice and trauma of these last years, trauma for the Brothers and for the whole community of the Solomons, the overflowing joy of their witness and their freedom to communicate across cultures with confidence and vigour.' -- Rowan Williams'Richard Carter's account of the martyrdom of the seven members of the Melanesian Brotherhood is deeply moving. His account of how the brothers lived through and beyond this tragedy is profoundly honest, never flinching in his description of the pain and the moments of uncertainty. It is the story of the triumph of hope over despair and of God's creative grace over destruction. This creativity is evident in the marvellous way in which the parables of Jesus come alive, re-enacted by the Brothers as part of their preaching. We are also carried through the darkness and beyond by poetry and song. This book will make you weep and laugh, and strengthen your faith.' -- Timothy Radcliffe OP'This moving and powerful account documents the challenge of how to make sense of and live out the Christian faith when there is conflict, fear, trauma and tragic loss and sacrifice - a journey which in some form every Christian has to make.' * Fairacres Chronicle *'A riveting true-life tale of inter-ethnic violence and of the Christian peacemakers who intervened and paid the ultimate price ... At every stage of the Revd Carter's narrative - whether of internal tensions, external threats, tragedy and trauma, through to a resurrection of faith and strengthened mission - it is evident that the Brotherhood's journey is a walk with Christ.' -- Paul Winter

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Book SynopsisWalsingham in Norfolk is England's premier place of pilgrimage for Anglicans and Roman Catholics alike. Also known as 'England's Nazareth' its famous Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham dates back to the eleventh century. Its restoration 75 years ago helped to remake Walsingham as important a pilgrimage destination as it was prior to the Reformation. This pocket sized illustrated guide to Walsingham offers practical information for visitors alongside historical and devotional material.

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Book SynopsisThe Jesus Prayer Rosary will be welcomed by the growing number of people who are discovering that praying with beads can be a spiritually enriching and therapeutic experience. It will further enrich the spirituality of the many Christians who have found meditative repetition of the ancient Jesus Prayer to be a valuable devotional aid. This unique book brings together these two popular approaches to prayer and worship. It offers a Jesus-centred way of praying with beads. Ideal for complete beginners, it includes basic instruction on how to pray the rosary, using the Jesus Prayer. It comprises four sets of meditations which focus on the infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke, scenes from the ministry of Jesus, his passion and death. These include readings from the various Gospel writers. Finally, we are given insight into our experience of him as the Risen One who gradually transforms our lives. Each meditation concludes with a prayer mostly taken from the liturgy, and biblical canticles are provided as centrepiece prayers. A complete resource for praying privately or in groups, this will open up the riches of Eastern and Catholic spirituality for all.

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Book SynopsisThis is a landmark book that will renew our understanding of what the gospel - literally 'the good news about Jesus' - is for today's cultures. It begins with a key challenge - do we believe God speaks in the cultural context, or only in the Christian tradition? Part One - Listening to God in the cultural context explores the radically changing culture in which the church exists today, the rise of new spiritualities, the secularisation of society and religion's increasingly dubious public image. Part Two - Listening to God in the Christian tradition looks at key periods in Christian history as responses to cultural changes, from the ancient pagan world to modernist faith. What can we learn from the lessons of the past? Part Three moves from theory to practice and tells great stories where innovative evangelism is taking place - from supermarkets to festivals to the internet.

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Book SynopsisAn illustrated collection of the author's regular weekly column on the back page of the "Church Times", where, with a poet's eye, he observes the comings and goings of the rural world he sees from his ancient farmhouse in Constable country.

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Book SynopsisThe year takes its shape from the seasons of nature and the feasts and festivals of the Christian year. Each informs and illuminates the other in this loving celebration of nature's gifts and neighbourly friendship. Literature, poetry, spirituality and memory all merge to create an exquisite series of stories of our times. For all the changes in the contemporary countryside, timeless qualities remain and both are captured here with a poet's understanding and imagination.Trade Review'It is a delight ... Blythe integrates beautifully the cycling of seasons and generations with the cycling of the church year ... His thoughts pleasantly unfurl, and appropriately for [Blythe's] immersion in English literary history, they do so poetically ... His immediate surroundings are an obvious inspiration, but Blythe is also as familiar with England's artistic and literacy landscape ... as he is with the landscape of his local community and his native Suffolk.' -- Nick Mattiske

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Book SynopsisThe Benedictine monk and writer, Laurence Freeman, took over the mantle of John Main after his death in 1982 and continues the work that he began, teaching Christians from all traditions the simplest way of prayer - meditation. It is simple in that it requires no words, yet encountering God without the safety barrier of our own thoughts and ideas is to open ourselves to total transformation. This collection of talks on Christian meditation is full of practical advice and great spiritual insights in equal measure. It shows how discovering the presence of Christ within through meditative prayer can give shape and purpose to everything we do and are: our actions, emotions, fears, longings, failings and dreams. As John Main taught, the point of this kind of prayer is to allow God's presence to become not just a reality, but the reality of our lives.

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Book SynopsisThe journey through grief is the loneliest of all and an understanding companion can be like a lifeline when all else seems in turmoil. Joan Wilson has suffered not one but three devastating bereavements. Her daughter Marie died as a result of the notorious IRA bomb at the Remembrance Day parade in Enniskillen in 1987. Her father, Gordon Wilson's gentle words that night gripped the world's media and he later received numerous humanitarian awards. Yet it was Joan's quiet faith which held the family together through this agonizing time. Some time afterwards, their only son Peter was killed in a car crash, and this was to prove a final straw for Gordon who, already unwell, died suddenly at home. Joan relates the story of each of these losses and has collected together some of the poems, prayers, Bible readings that helped her go on. Together with these are excerpts from the many hundreds of moving letters she received from around the world. Arranged in short sections, each dealing with a different phase of grief, this is a sympathetic book to lead all who are experiencing loss through the various stages of bereavement, step by gentle step. Full of kindness and wisdom, and offering friendship and support, it is a book to be dipped into time and time again.Trade Review'Full of kindness and wisdom, her story of her recovery of a measure of peace is the story of a courageous woman of deep faith.' * The Irish Catholic *'This is the best book that I have come across on the subject of dealing with death, because of its user-friendly nature. It makes essential reading and gives encouragement and hope to the grief-stricken'. -- William Seale * Church of Ireland Gazette *

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Book SynopsisRonald Blythe has spent his life among the artists and writers of his native Suffolk. His books, especially the bestselling "Akenfield", have given East Anglia a distinctive literary voice. Here we accompany Ronald through the lanes of Constable country, we observe him in his study following his early morning writing routine, we meet John Clare, Traherne and countless other writers who continue to influence him, we join him in the ancient tradition of Anglican worship season by season, and luxuriate in the simple beauty of his ancient farmhouse and its garden, made by the artist John Nash. Literature, poetry, spirituality and memory all merge to create exquisite stories for our times.Trade ReviewTalking of bats, there is a lovely passage in this book in which the author wakes up to find a bat lying next to him. The bat is alive but doesn't respond to questioning, so Blythe carries him out to the shed, to "leave him to his bat thoughts". This is a collection of the author's columns from Church Times: a kind of rural journal of evensongs, visits from friends, books read and remembered (Auden, RS Thomas), the changing light through his windows, and the watchful moods of his white cat. There are excursions to Aldeburgh or Little Gidding, and visits from chirpy young engineers who rewire his house or find a spider gumming up the central heating.Such material could have made for an appallingly fey read, but Blythe's extraordinary attention to the world around him, and the modest exactness of his thinking, make him seem curiously apt to keep the company of those old Greeks up above. The writing throughout is exquisite ("rain-smirched light looking for the altar" in church; the "nice drudgery" of proofreading a book; a painter's "easel folded up in the car like a sleeping insect"), and a serenely humane humour is never far away: "How does one listen to the radio without hearing all this news? It is a problem." My only disappointment (and a vanishingly rare one in this job) was that the book was so short.Steven Poole,The Guardian

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Book SynopsisMany people today have a deep spiritual thirst and hunger that in many ways is as urgent as the material needs of developing nations. Unless affluent societies escape the addiction to materialism, they will be unable to feel the depth of compassion from which works of mercy and justice spring. Laurence Freeman teaches a way to spiritual health that is both ancient and new. The desert fathers practiced silent prayer and the church in our own day has rediscovered its liberating power. To sit down before God in silence does more than empty our minds of our own concerns. It opens us to the mystery of life, to seeing thing from God's perspective rather than our own limited viewpoint, to the power of faith that heals and raises us to love God and our neighbour.

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