Christianity Books

Book SynopsisThough the Christmas story is well known, most of us have learnt it from school nativity plays and carols. On the whole, this familiar version is more concerned with light than darkness. The backwards approach taken here allows the movement to be in the opposite direction, enabling us to get under the skin of a complex narrative.Trade ReviewCottrell has a gift for inhabiting the most diverse perspectives . . . All are rendered in glorious physical language, a strange but apt mix of Scripture and modern idiom. The result is revelatory. * The Tablet *An action-packed 114 pages brings the "well-known" story to new life. * Methodist Recorder *The author's approach tilts the narrative on its head, enabling the reader to get under the skin of the complex tale. * The Month *

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Book SynopsisA resource to help leaders prepare young people for confirmation.Trade ReviewA great course … Easy to use with minimal preparation, flexible, imaginative * Revd Richard Harlow *

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Book SynopsisA user-friendly guide to doing ministry and mission online for existing and new practitioners.Trade ReviewANYONE who has groaned at the site of an out-of-date church website will welcome this book. Pam Smith has been engaged in online ministry for two decades and is now a priest in the Church of England. She is clearly frustrated by the hostility she still encounters to using the internet for Christian purposes. She patiently goes through the most common objections and gives answers that sound like understatements (such as "The idea that being in an online Christian community is ‘easy’ is quickly dispelled by experience"). She is keen on quoting the Acts of the Apostles, drawing inspiration from early Christians promoting the gospel in a confusing environment. Smith says that the book is "nota ‘How to . . .’ manual", but it none the less feels like one. After going through theological arguments and basic principles, she provides helpful chapters on pastoral care, online discipleship, dealing with disruptive people, and building community. There is a lot of sound advice, including some that will be familiar to many but is worth reiterating. "Never post in anger," for example, is advice that I easily overlook. The author alludes several times, sometimes obliquely, to operating in a post-Christendom context with new attitudes to belief and authority. She writes that the old method "where one person who is authorized by the Church distributes his or her knowledge . . . is difficult to impose online, where people are used to questioning and responding". I cannot help feeling disappointed that the book does not build on these points to explore how the internet can help us to develop less hierarchical and more questioning Churches. This book has one serious weakness. While it is full of good advice, almost none of it is backed up by examples. The chapter on pastoral care includes useful thoughts about balancing varied needs and instincts. I would have found it several times more helpful if this had been illustrated with case-studies. I found it hard not to shout "Give me examples!" at the end of almost every section. If, like me, you are someone who learns through stories, you may find this book less appealing than do those who are suited to learning in more theoretical ways. The saddest thing is that there are still so many Christians unwilling to accept the importance of using the internet in the service of the Kingdom of God. As Smith puts it: "We must avoid reaching the point where what we do inside the church is so distant from what we do in our homes and workplaces that people assume our gospel is as outmoded as our technology." -- Symon Hill * Church Times *I started this book full of reservations, most of them related to the fact that I am not a social media man and am therefore both ignorant and prejudiced. I finished with most of my reservations calmed. The concept of online mission and ministry is somewhat strange to someone who puts great emphasis on the notion of interpersonal contact in community. How, I asked, is it possible to have a meaningful Christian community without personal contact? Evangelism – yes; advice and counselling (of a sort) – yes; but the sort of relationship that develops into real warmth, I was not so sure. And I am still not sure. But then, if I am honest, to what extent if the traditional model of Church good at these things? Pam Smith makes the very valid point that "to be incarnational we need to meet people, where they are" – and that, for many, is online. There is a whole raft of people for whom the Internet is the natural place to go in their search for meaning, so it is good that there are people out there who are willing and able to respond to that need. Pam Smith gives a lot of wise advice. She is alert to the dangers of this unregulated environment and to the many unresolved question that still exist. She is aware that this is work in progress. This book, although avowedly not a handbook for practitioners, offers much practical and spiritual wisdom to those who are involved at any level in online ministry (indeed, its ‘how-to-deal-with’ sections should be required reading for anyone with an online presence) and, as such, should be welcomed. Although it is undoubtedly possible for people to feel that they belong to a valid community online, and to gain strength and meaning from that, I still feel that such belonging is incomplete. It is no substitute for actual belonging to a physical community with all its indefinable pains and pleasures. To me, this book does not adequately address the issue. A faith that only gets its sustenance online is missing something vital – but then, I suppose that all our experience of faith are in some measure incomplete. -- Timothy Kinahan * The Church of Ireland Gazette *

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the theological and textual connections among ancient and modern epicleses, primarily through analysis of a selection of epicletic texts in contemporary Western eucharistic prayers and the theological principles that shaped them.Trade ReviewDespite what the back cover suggests about the book reflecting on pneumatology and issues from justice to interfaith relations, this book actually offers precisely what its title promises: a tightly focused study of invocations of the Holy Spirit within eucharistic prayers from early Christian communities and from the twentieth century. Even if narrower than advertised, however, Anne McGowan’s work addresses another profound question: she explores the way in which the past influences the present, examining the impact research into ancient liturgical texts had on those who revised eucharistic prayers from the 1960s onwards. So let us forget the marketing copy and evaluate the book for what it is. McGowan herself outlines two goals: the first as mentioned above, and the second to propose ways that more recent liturgical research might help the various Churches ‘to articulate and incorporate a more expansive understanding of the connection between the Holy Spirit and the Eucharist’ (p. 12). She begins with a survey of epicleses and related components within ancient eucharistic texts, intertwined with the tale of liturgical historians’ evolving understanding of the genealogies of the prayers. McGowan then presents the history of modern revision, using invocations of the Holy Spirit to illuminate the theologies of Western Churches engaged in worship renewal. The last half of the book compares the multitude of epicleses in select modern denominational worship books, before concluding with a short speculative chapter. But while the aims are clear, at times the volume feels like several books in one. The first section is a painstaking comparative textual analysis of epicleses within representative eucharistic prayer types; the later examination of modern prayers offers similar detail. Chapters on the history of liturgical scholarship are more narrative, however, while the studies of modern traditions each end in theological critique. Essentially, the book functions best as a handy reference volume, potentially useful both to those interested in the history of scholarship and to those more specifically curious about liturgical revision. In this, McGowan underlines areas for further development. For example, in the last section she observes that, while the twentieth-century prayers feel exceedingly similar – thanks to ecumenical cooperation and different revisers finding inspiration in the same ancient sources – a closer investigation demonstrates that different churches nonetheless shaped liturgies congruent to their own traditions. Presenting this diversity as a strength, McGowan suggests that the way forward lies in encouraging variety within each tradition too, thus broadening overall Christian appreciation of the Holy Spirit’s role (pp. 269–70). The embrace of diversity then turns beyond Western Churches towards Christianities elsewhere. Though McGowan here works exclusively with prayer texts, she acknowledges that keeping actual practice outside the work’s scope means she cannot provide a complete portrayal of the lived understanding of the sacrament (pp. 21, 273). While this decision is comprehensible, given the ease of using official liturgical resources compared with the incredible plurality of devotional practice, the neglect of the embodied nature of eucharistic prayer remains a missed chance to put the discussed texts into stronger context: if the nuances of language demonstrate the difference between, say, a Roman Catholic and a Methodist prayer, then pondering particularities of practice, even if only generally, would no doubt strengthen McGowan’s argument concerning diversity. Similarly, it would have helped readers if the author had explained her selection of modern denominations – as it stands, the choices seem somewhat random. McGowan sets out to demonstrate a very specific argument and to reflect theologically on her observations. The weight of detail unfortunately threatens to overwhelm the course of that argument, and makes the theological reflection seem almost an afterthought. McGowan does a good job describing how research into ancient liturgy influenced contemporary liturgical composition, but leaves unasked the theological question of why revisers thought it important to do so. By bringing so many different strands of liturgical study together, from ancient epicleses to the process of revision creating modern prayers, however, the book provides a valuable resource. -- Mark Godwin * Theology journal *The book by Anne McGowan, which is the Alcuin Club Collection for 2014, is a must-read for anyone with a serious interest in the Eucharist. McGowan investigates and assesses the place of the Holy Spirit in the texts of Eucharistic Prayers, ancient and modern, and she proves herself to be an adept "splitter", as she unravels the evidence and demonstrates the diversity of Eucharistic faith and practice. As McGowan reminds us in a comprehensive and elegantly written introduction to the book, there can be no real worship, let alone prayer, without the presence and in-breathing of the Holy Spirit. The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 marshals research into the epiclesis (the invocation, or calling, of the Spirit), and charts how scholars handled the evidence as the agenda for liturgical revision was beginning to take shape in the Western Churches. Part 2 provides an overview of how the Eucharistic epiclesis was adopted and modified in the framing of Eucharistic Prayers in the latter part of the 20th century. These texts are the assessed in separate chapters on the Roman, Anglican and Protestant ecclesial traditions. McGowan is a sure guide through the scholarly debate on the origins of the invocation of the Spirit in Eucharistic Prayer, and her close reading of liturgical texts leads her to make well-calibrated judgements on the place of the Spirit in the prayer of the Churches of the West. An appeal is made in the conclusion of the volume to refresh and extend how we speak of the Spirit by recovering the metaphors for the Spirit in the Bible and in the writings of Christian spiritual tradition. Due attention is also given to the rich contexts of global Christianity as a register of how we may speak of the Spirit today. More, I think, could have been made here of the transformative effect on those who gather to celebrate the Eucharist in an expectant and receptive way. St John’s Gospel presents the promised Spirit as the medium in which the abiding significance of Christ’s words and deeds becomes present and active. Such making present is at the very heart of what is invoked, celebrated, give, and received in the Eucharist, and that is why worship truly can, and does, change lives. The gift of the Eucharist enables us to become what we are made in baptism, namely, to be Christ in and for the world. -- Anne McGowan * Church Times *An excellent study * Anaphora *

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Book SynopsisWhat are the essential values we need for building a just, sustainable and compassionate society in which all can participate?Trade ReviewThe aim of this book is nothing less than to assess and reset the terms of the debate about the kind of nation we want to be.The contributors to this book examine some fundamental questions. How can we draw upon the wellsprings of social solidarity today? What would a new social contract - a new understanding about the respective rights and obligations of the individual citizen and the state - look like today? At a time when budgets and other resources are being reduced, what are the principles we should adopt to distribute them? In short, what values can the Christian faith bring to the table to help address the problems we face today? These and other core questions about the kind of society we seek lie at the heart of this book. -- John Sentamu * Good Book Reviews *The Prime Minister’s reaction, and the vigorous defence of the Church’s involvement in political affairs put up by the Archbishop of York as the book’s editor, might suggest that here is another Faith in the City. This, however, is not a new Faith in the City. It was not officially commissioned, nor was it the Church of England’s input into the recent election campaigns, nor a ‘report’ with agreed policy recommendations. It is the distillation in eleven essays of a series of symposia convened by the Archbishop of York at the time of the previous General Election and in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008. His purpose at a time of significant political turbulence was to find a ‘dynamic and accessible common language’ (p. xiii) in which to chart a hopeful way forward. Dr Sentamu’s description of the kind of group he wished to assemble is fulfilled in the essays which are the fruits of their four years of discussion. They are readable and probing, and the Archbishop himself, whose two pieces bookend the collection, gives voice to the passionate engagement which prompted him, in the search for ‘firm foundations for Britain’s future’, to collect the group together. Even if we do not hear the cut and thrust of the arguments they must have had, the wisdom contained in the essays leaves us in no doubt that their conversations were times of significant engagement with each other and with some very important issues. The Archbishop of Canterbury calls for ‘solidarity’ and for a renewed sense of the ‘common good’ in the rebuilding of an economy which overcomes the inequalities manifest in the uneven resources found in different parts of the country, indeed in the same city. As the means to that solidarity he proposes four building blocks: the Living Wage, the availability of good housing, excellent education and training and access to financial services the last being an area where, as is well known, he believes the Church has a particular contribution to make by supporting credit unions. It is disappointing that his essay, like the book generally, lacks any real analysis of the roots of the 2008 crisis, since many of the obstacles to the realization of the common good, as well as the secularist individualism which he has in his sights, are amply illustrated by that crisis and the government’s chosen road to recovery. The need for work, and worthwhile work at that, was a common theme in the discussions, and the essay by Andrew Sentance, a one-time member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England, on the future of the economy, as well as former government minister Andrew Adonis’s essay on education, the piece by Julia Unwin of the Rowntree Foundation on the changing face of poverty, and Oliver O’Donovan’s ‘Reflections on work’ all look to the need for the provision of properly remunerated work of good quality as basic foundations on which to build. There are three very readable and thought-provoking essays on shared responsibility for health (Kersten England), on responding creatively to ageing (James Woodward) and on reinvigorating our representative democracy (Ruth Fox). In different ways they all allude to the common theme of the need for personal responsibility and the search for solidarity coupled with the Christian value of the vital importance of each individual. Philip Mawer (no doubt drawing on his years of experience in making sense of deliberations in the councils of the Church of England!) very successfully draws the threads of this interesting collection together. It is striking that there is nothing on the deeply significant topics of our dysfunctional criminal justice system or the neuralgic topic of immigration. Less surprising, but very significant, is the fact that you would not on reading this book gain any sense of outrage at the food banks and other bitter fruits of this government’s sustained onslaught on the poorest and most vulnerable in the name of support for ‘hard-working families’ and ‘the taxpayer’. It is certainly the genius of an established church to enable this perceptive and wide-ranging conversation on the issues of the day, and then to speak with a civilized wisdom and humanity. But the book does also exemplify how difficult such a church finds it to voice real outcry in the face of injustice, or any really sharp judgement on the appalling financial imprudence that the 2008 crisis revealed. These are not to be found here; had they been voiced, the book would no doubt have caused much more offence and even been thought to be the party political utterance the group was determined to avoid; but their absence is the absence of the truth about where we are. The well presented proposals of this group could be a very useful basis for progress, but only if that truth is faced. -- Peter Selby * Theology journal *

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Book SynopsisThe Cross and the Father’s Love

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Book SynopsisA compelling case for an entrepreneurial approach to ministry and mission, exploring its biblical basis and potential benefits.Trade ReviewEntrepreneur is a word which people often find difficult when applied to religious organisations and this is something Michael Volland is well aware of. This ministerial trainer on mission and diocese missioner's latest book The Minister As Entrepreneur: Leading and Growing the Church in an Age of Rapid Change published by SPCK devotes some time and space dealing with this apparent problem. One of the problems which is identified in this text, which is based largely around a piece of fairly small scale qualitative research he did amongst Anglican Clergy within the Diocese of Durham, is the association with the language of business and the market. He gives a quote from CMS head and Fresh Expressions expert Jonny Baker indicating why many within the church feel there are problems with this language; they link it with negative aspects of capitalism. Whilst Volland clearly seeks to go beyond this business approach in his examination of the subject and use of the term it has to be recognised that this book feeds into wider debates within the CofE on theological education and training. The language and ethos of the business environment has been central to the GreenReport (Talent Management for Future Leaders and Leadership Development for Bishops and Deans: A New Approach). This small book I think would best be seen as part of this wider discussion around how we identify gifts and vocation and how we encourage those who might have specific gifts of leadership or callings into specific types of ministry, both lay and ordained. Language and it’s use is the focus of the first part of the book which takes the familiar form of operationalising the terms being used and going through the literature review. Within the first few chapters Volland also engages in some interesting theology particularly in chapter three which is titled "An entrepreneurial God? In this first part of the book Volland is clear to lay out the limitations of this text and the research sample it is based upon. The discussion questions around each chapter at the end of the book together with his initial comments show that this book is intended as a discussion starter. This is indeed how it should be viewed, being somewhat brief in nature. Having read previous work by Volland, such as Through the Pilgrim Door, it is clear that writing in a less academic form is his preferred medium and this is why some parts of the book read better than others. In the preface he appears to be using his natural voice whilst later it reads slightly more awkwardly as he moves away from using the voice of the storyteller wrestling with complex academic questions and more into the more usual formal academic style. I much prefer the former style which has emerged from Volland, Baker and their pioneer contemporaries. The natural style they have developed is one which is clearly rooted in their experiences as practitioners who engage with academia and I think it is very readable. The sub-headings are a useful feature which are well used in this book, guiding the reader well and it is notable that these disappear during the second half of the book. The first 65 pages are distinctly different in tone to the second where he presents his research findings and conclusions as I have indicated. This is perhaps because he identifies the two halves of the book being written for different audiences. The first half is focused on and addresses a broader audience than the latter which not only focuses on his ordained Anglican sample but seems to be addressed those living within a similar occupational bubble. It is clear from his comments that time has led to this restriction but it is a shame as because it means one feels as if they have walked into local debate around resources and recognition. Of course there is wider application or this book would have not been published and that needs to be taken into account. Pages 101 – 103 in chapter 8 are perhaps the most central within this second half of the book because within them Volland outlines what his respondents felt aided the exercise of entrepreneurship in their ministry. These 19 points not only relate to entrepreneurship, I would argue, but what is central to healthy churches, mission and ministry more broadly. I believe they form the basis of what our discussions on the future should be. As I say this is a useful, easy to read, short text which should be taken as a discussion opener or way into engaging with a number of difficult questions which need to be grappled with more widely than just within the CofE. -- Sally Rush, College Lecturer * IMHO Blog *Michael Volland’s book has an admirable aim: to contribute to the emergence of a culture in which entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship are properly understood and recognized as gifts of God to his Church – especially in a time of rapid and discontinuous cultural change. He begins with the bold statement: ‘I am a Christian minister. I am also an entrepreneur’ (p. 1). By this he means not an ability to make money but an attitude of relentlessly and energetically wanting to improve things. This is characteristic of many, like Volland, who are advocates of pioneer or fresh expressions ministry. Volland has written up a research project based on Bill Bolton and John Thompson’s influential book Entrepreneurs: Talent, Temperament, Technique (Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, 2000; 2004), whose online tool for assessing entrepreneurial potential is used by the Church of England for selecting OPMs (ordained pioneer ministers). He adapts their definition of an entrepreneur to produce a more ‘Christian’ version: ‘a visionary who, in partnership with God and others, challenges the status quo by energetically creating and innovating in order to shape something of kingdom value’. It is notable that this is a rather different definition than that which appears in the subtitle (‘leading and growing the church’). Kingdom value might sound a bit vague, but Volland uses it to mean the furtherance of God’s coming kingdom of justice, provision, wholeness, peace and reconciliation. Armed with this definition, his local bishop helped him to find eighteen parish priests in Durham diocese who display entrepreneurial traits. He then focused on interviewing seven who achieved outstanding results in the online test. The summary of his resulting research is interesting without being riveting. These priests were not necessarily doing things that were strikingly new, but they had a positive ‘glass-half-full’ attitude. One said that ‘the sheer weight of bread and butter stuff can be a hindrance. And yet, we need to find the perceived opportunities in the bread and butter stuff’ (p. 104). None complained of church buildings as a problem, even when they caused difficulties or proved very expensive. I expected therefore that Volland would identify resilience as a key entrepreneurial trait alongside the familiar ones of vision, creativity and innovation. And while I don’t have problems with his use of the image of an entrepreneur in an analogical sense about God, I’m surprised he didn’t support this by reference to the biblical wealth of occupational metaphors that are used about God: potter, gardener etc. Volland notes that entrepreneur is a contested term in the Church, citing one prominent church leader who ‘loathes it’, and arguing that we need to reverse a negative image of entrepreneurs that emerged in public consciousness in the 1980s, based on associations with greed. In fact, as Bolton and Thompson show, for many entrepreneurs generation of wealth is a by-product of their activity rather than the primary motivating factor. I wish Volland had taken this further to recognize the huge contribution that many contemporary UK Christian entrepreneurs make to furthering the kingdom in the course of their commercial activities, through the provision of innovative goods and services, providing employment, and generally making the world a better place. It’s disappointing that when he comes to list notable Christian entrepreneurs in Christian history, they are all saints, church leaders or social reformers who displayed entrepreneurial traits. The great nineteenth-century Nonconformist entrepreneurs like Titus Salt, George Cadbury and Joseph Rowntree don’t get a mention. Entrepreneurs need to be welcomed for the essential work they do in business, not simply because they’re a source of useful funds or even a useful metaphor for church pioneers: many even have useful suggestions to make for innovative approaches to church life and growth. That reservation apart, this is a valuable book which deserves to be widely read. -- Richard Higginson * Theology journal *One of the tensions of modern day ministry is that between the desire of the pastor to be ‘soul friend’ to the congregation and a seemingly irresistible push towards being seen as the managing trustee. The chief executive of the local church, in other words. This is particularly the case among current approaches to mission which adopt a social enterprise model: a holistic approach in which churches are integrating mission with the delivery of goods and services. The rationale underpinning this approach is that fewer and fewer people are likely to drop-in to an Old Time Gospel Service, no matter how faithful the preacher or fervent those praying. Much more likely – and appropriate to this society, at this time – is that people whose immediate needs are addressed in a focused way by Christians reflecting the love of God will be drawn towards the motivation of those who have helped them. If undertaken with respect and not solely as a pretext for proselytising, then this is a wholesome and godly model. In The Minister as Entrepreneur Michael Volland offers the concept of entrepreneur as both a gift of God to the church and a model for others to emulate. Resisting the idea that the only value of enterprise in a church setting is to seek funding to repair the roof or to make up a shortfall in the funds to continue to employ the youth worker, the author proposes that many kinds of ministry and mission would benefit from a more entrepreneurial outlook. Most of us will be able to identify key players in our churches or denominational structures who we might properly describe as entrepreneurs. These are the people with seemingly boundless energy, superb networking skills and the capacity to envisage (and realise) what few others might dare to dream. Such folk are quite rare – perhaps helpfully, since they can be quite hard work! Volland brings together biblical and theological analysis and offers us some worked examples to demonstrate that the concept has a good grounding in Christian understanding. He also offers a range of potential applications. He argues that in times like ours – of discontinuous change – an entrepreneurial approach is not merely warranted but essential. Volland is Director of Mission at Cranmer Hall, Durham. He is also a practitioner in the field, working as missioner to a number of local parishes. This helpfully links scholarship with practical experience. He hopes to persuade ministers and others engaged in provoking and nurturing missional activity to function more as entrepreneurs. It seems to me that this book will further convince those who already tend towards his understanding but that it will make much less impact among those who are more introverted or traditional in their outlook. By including small group discussion questions, here is a chance to open up the theme for wider discussion among PCCs, diaconates and circuit meetings. -- Ivan King * Regent's Reviews *Volland is strong and clear in trying to dissociate the profit motive linked to an entrepreneur style from the creative and innovating energy to grasp opportunities which he wants to be central to the life of the Church. -- Ven Dr Lyle Dennen * Church Times *

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Book SynopsisTom Wright has completed a series of guides to all the books of the New Testament, each with his own translation of the text. Each short passage is followed by a commentary with helpful background information. The format makes it appropriate also for daily study.

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Book SynopsisTom Wright has completed a series of guides to all the books of the New Testament, each with his own translation of the text. Each short passage is followed by a commentary with helpful background information. The format makes it appropriate also for daily study.Trade Review'Each book is written in Wright's familiar, accessible language and can be used for either individual or group study to enhance reader understanding of the Bible.' Life and Work 'This enterprise is probably the most exciting thing to have happened in Christian education for many years.' Expository Times

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Book SynopsisA much-needed book which gives people Christians in particular permission to love themselves as they should.

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Book SynopsisA practical handbook to help churches recover confidence in their mission and ministry through conversations on the theme of blessing.Trade ReviewThis is without doubt a book for our times: essential reading and essential practice for all who yearn for a better way for churches than endless initiatives, mission statements and strategies. * Rt Revd James Bell, Bishop of Ripon *Robin Greenwood has done it again. Sharing God’s Blessing offers a creative thoughtful, clear and accessible approach to being the people of God in transitional and challenging times. It is a book rich in practical wisdom, born of seasoned experience and theological reflection. There is something for everybody and it will be particularly helpful, stimulating and a source of blessing for the local church. * The Rt Rev Professor Stephen Pickard, Executive Director, Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Charles Sturt University, Barton, Australia *This is a useful book for leadership teams as they consider tools to encourage circuits and churches to seek renewal. -- Paul Wilson * Methodist Recorder *

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Book SynopsisMuch-needed resource and aid to reflection.Trade ReviewLIZ Hoare’s Using the Bible in Spiritual Direction (SPCK, £14.99) set me on a steep learning curve, not because the book is in any way difficult, but because the subject itself has, until fairly recently, been more commonly associated with parts of Christian tradition generally remote from Methodism, such as the Desert Fathers (and Mothers!), Benedictine lectio divina, and prayer in the tradition of Ignatius Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises. In later times, the directeur de conscience was a recognised figure in French Catholic history and literature (Louis XIV had one; their interactions would be an interesting subject of research). Tradition: Dr Hoare herself (her doctorate is in Tudor history) stands within a broadly evangelical Anglican tradition; she is tutor in spiritual formation at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. Yet she writes with understanding and app recitation of (among many others) high Churchmen of the late 16th and 17th centuries and of leaders of the 19th-century Oxford Movement. In such a wide-ranging account, it is not surprising that Methodism and the Wesleys receive only passing mentions. Yet in fact several Methodist Districts, normally in co-operation with or under the leadership of Anglicans, have established courses in spiritual direction, while across the Atlantic, "Hearts on Fire" is the title of a Fellowship of United Met hodist spiritual directors and retreat leaders. Many readers, including the present reviewer, will welcome a definition of what is meant by spiritual direction, and what is not. Dr Hoare believes that spiritual direction is not, among other things, a self-improvement plan. Catholic writers have made a clear distinction between spiritual direction and the sacrament of penance. Others, including Dr Hoare herself, insist that it is not psychotherapy or counselling, still less financial planning ("Sell all you have, and give to the poor"?). "It is not in the least about handing over responsibility for our lives to another human being. "More positively:" Spiritual direction is a relational ministry between two people whereby both are seeking to listen to the Holy Spirit ... It is God the Holy Spirit, in fact, who is the real director ..." Quiet: The author speaks with the quiet authority of one who has both received and given spiritual direction for many years. Although, like John Wesley, she is a person "of one book", she draws on a rich fund of old and modern sources, to which copious notes and bibliography bear witness. She does not question the value of academic study of the Bible, but she encourages her readers to place biblical texts themselves at the centre of their pilgrimage. She sees spiritual significance in the abrupt ending of Mark and in Luke’s setting Jesus’ great sermon on the plain rather than on the mount. No review can do justice to the drawing power of this remarkable book. Readers who have already experienced spiritual direction will find their experience deepened. Those who are taking their first steps on that journey will be encouraged to go forward in confidence and hope. -- The Rev Dr Paul Ellingworth * Methodist Recorder *In this new book about spiritual direction Liz Hoare writes with an insider’s understanding. She knows the work and feel of this one-to-one ministry of accompanying people on their spiritual journeys. She moves easily between the voice of the "director" and the shoes of the "directee" as she explores the connections between this work and its roots in the Bible. As someone who has just completed a one-year introductory course to becoming a spiritual director, I found this a very helpful and interesting discussion of the many ways in which scripture lies at the heart of this role. The Bible is full of stories of people who are looking for God as they face real personal struggles, and God is there too waiting to meet them. In 138 pages she provides a map of the territory across which the journeys of spiritual direction can travel. Her particular focus is on how people draw on the Christian scriptures. She engages in a gentle conversation with a wide spectrum of different readers: those who might not see big links between direction and the Bible, and those who are wary of reading the Bible in ways that use the imagination and reflection on experience. Her own spiritual life has been nourished by the scriptures and she suggests many ways in which they can speak to us: images, metaphor, pictures, prayers and story. She explores the use of questions (very common in the Bible), the importance of listening in silence and the dangers of inappropriate use of scripture. She introduces us to a range of models commonly used in spiritual direction and highlights the way that the Bible is used in these approaches, drawing on the methods of the desert fathers, Ignatius, Benedict, the puritans and the Oxford Movement. Central to her case is the person of Jesus himself, the great model of how to have spiritual conversations with people: his attentiveness to God and the person in front of him; his use of questions; his emotional empathy; his perceptive discernment; and his own rootedness in scripture – "Did not our hearts burn within us as he opened the scriptures to us?" In an age where religion is out and spirituality is in, this field of ministry is increasing in popularity and significance. Liz has provided us with an important guide. -- The Revd Canon Geoff Maughan * The Door *... finding new insights in familiar texts ... Her writing is succinct and approachable, and offers a very readable introduction to spiritual direction. The book will be useful both to those involved in direction and those seeking direction. -- Peter Thompson * Church of Ireland Gazette *

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Book SynopsisThis book is intended as a platform to enable people to engage with and understand the Archbishop's thinking on and methodology for reconciliation. Emerging from the Anglican Communion in collaboration with the Lambeth staff, the book has a strong focus on the indaba process which marked the 2008 Lambeth conference.Trade ReviewA lively, engaging book that challenges the reader to think about how to actively live a life of reconciliation. Desmond Tutu says: 'This book draws on a wealth of stories from around the world and from Scripture, and reminds us that we are all called to be reconcilers through being who we are. We are all called to reconciliation. I commend this book to you, my fellow workers in the kingdom, as a tool and encouragement in living your life of reconciliation.' It is described by Archbishop Justin Welby as 'An excellent book' and Winnie Varghese in the Huffington Post says: 'Reading the powerful moments of revelation among groups that we have been told despise one another, feels like the deep breath of the Spirit finding an instrument within our Communion.' * http://living-reconciliation.org/endorsements/ *

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Book SynopsisThe first book to to offer a full, frank and academically responsible discussion of Jesus' experience of sexuality, as revealed in key texts (and subtexts) in the GospelsTrade ReviewThis is an important book for two reasons. First, it faces a question that is rarely addressed, namely how we are to understand the Incarnation in all its fullness. Secondly it deals clearly with the claims of those who would attribute homosexual feelings to Jesus or claim that he was married. This is not done by submerging or denying human sexuality in the Incarnation but by careful attention to the text of John’s Gospel in order to discover a nuanced account. . . It is a timely discussion that deserves careful consideration. * Revd Canon Dr Christina Baxter, formerly Principal of St John’s College, Durham *This attractively written study deserves serious attention. . . Astutely setting the Goepel’s descriptions of Jesus’ intimate relationships, where there is evidence to support them, within the sexual mores of the Jewish and Greco-Roman world of the first Christian century, [Andy Angel] rightly shows that the Johannine Jesus experienced important intimate relationships. * Francis J. Moloney, SDB, AM, FAHA, Catholic Theological College, University of Divinity Melbourne, Victoria, Australia *Andy Angel has the gift of taking scholarship seriously and wearing it lightly. . . I commend this serious and thoughtful study as an important contribution to faith in Jesus Christ that allows human sexuality to be honoured as something beautiful, commonplace and sacred. * The Right Reverend Dr Martin Warner, Bishop of Chichester *appealing honesty * Church Times *It demonstrates both an orthodox understanding of sexuality and a commitment to the biblical text under consideration . . . This is a book for anyone who has ever wondered how their sexuality fits into their spirituality * Reformation Roundtable *

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Book SynopsisComforting and practical advice for Christians battling with high levels of pressure.Trade ReviewPraise for the authors’ Encountering Depression (SPCK, 2011): I just couldn’t put it down! This is a "must have" book. The insights brought by a very experienced priest and counsellor along with those of a gifted Christian psychiatrist bring a brilliantly complementary and illuminating approach. * Dr Gareth Tuckwell, CEO of Burrswood *A treasure-house of wisdom. -- Professor Brian Thorne

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Book SynopsisGrowth in Christlikeness is a goal for all Christians and especially for those in leadership. But the images of Christ that have become the institutional norm refer to a model of pastoral ministry that seems to allow no scope for innovation or eccentricity.Trade ReviewAndrew Mayes has given the clergy twelve models of Christ-like formation for re-envisioning ministry. His reflections show us how it is in reflective prayer that we discover Christ’s vision of unity – silence becomes a prayer tool for every priest committed first to hearing God. Splendid teaching . . . I look forward to returning to it again and again. * Dr Graham Smith, Dean, St George’s College Jerusalem *

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Book SynopsisThe book will help Christians talk more confidently with their friends about the hope that keeps them going. And during those times when they are questioning the faith, the answers and ideas here may help them come to a deeper understanding of what they really believe.Trade Review.... the structure significantly contributes to the usefulness of the book as a group/home study text. There is a very helpful section at the back on precisely how to use the book in this context ... If you buy this book for no more than the quotations, you will have a thought provoking resource. -- Gillian Kingston * Church of Ireland Gazette *

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Book SynopsisA book of practical help and encouragement for anyone looking for a new start in their spiritual journey, or wanting to take that journey further for the first time. Focuses on four crucial areas of Christian discipleship - prayer, the Bible, Church and lifestyle.Trade Reviewa vibrant, clever book, dedicated to "those who want to begin, or begin again, on the Christian journey. * Magnet *this is one of the most valuable books I have come across for a long time. * The Reader *Occasionally you read something so refreshingly sane and intelligent that you find yourself thinking that there’s life in the old Church yet. John Pritchard . . . has written such a handbook for anyone who is thinking about what it means to be a Christian, or anyone whose discipleship has got boring or unsatisfying. * The Sign *

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Book SynopsisThe commentary explores the ways in which women and other marginalized people are portrayed in the Bible, and raises questions about gender roles, sexuality, political power, and family life, while challenging long-held assumptions about how biblical texts should be read and appropriated for today.Trade ReviewThis commentary will raise eyebrows, and it will raise consciousness as well. * Library Journal *

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Book SynopsisHow a better understanding the New Testament in its original pagan context can help you live and communicate the Christian gospel more effectively amidst the plethora of spiritual pathways on offer todayTrade ReviewAn urgent book for the times - passionate, brilliant, filled with hope. * Timothy George, Dean and Professor of Divinity, Samford University *Wright is the most prolific biblical scholar in a generation. Some say he is the most important apologist since C. S. Lewis. -- Christianity Today * Christianity Today *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part One: The Modern World and the Christian Message 1. The Kingdom and the Church 2. Jesus' World in Crisis 3. The Road to Paganism 4. The Light of the World 5. The Burning Bush 6. The Other Gods were Strong 7. Jesus' Vindication and the Task of the Church Part Two: On Being the Church for the World 8. Confronting the Powers 9. Equipment for the Task (1) 10. Equipment for the Task (2) 11. New Shrines for the True God (1) 12. New Shrines for the True God (2) 13. New Shrines for the True God (3) 14. The Two-Edged Sword 15. The God we Confess Epilogue: The Prayer of the Trinity

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Book SynopsisThis book lists 100 essentials of biblical and Christian knowledge that all children should know before they are confirmed. For each item on the list, the author provides a brief description or explanation, followed by suggestions for exploring the subject with children and young people, including at confirmation level.

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Book SynopsisAt last! A new book by our most popular theologian written for anyone interested in popular theology whether believer, agnostic or atheist.Trade Review‘Tom Wright is, as always, brilliant at distilling immense scholarship into vivid, clear and accessible form.’ * Rowan Williams *N.T. Wright is the most prolific biblical scholar in a generation. Some say he is the most important apologist since C. S. Lewis. * Christianity Today *Through his sermonic delivery, which is accessible, stimulating and relevant, Wright deconstructs the false barrier that has been erected between academic and practical theology. As a biblical scholar, he brings us into the world of second temple Judaism and helps us to set the Good News in its Hellenistic context. As a pastor, he gently guides us into prayer, through his meditation on the Lord’s Prayer in the final chapter, giving us lots of suggestions about how we can re-engage with the Gospel as news. -- Eimhin Walsh * The Church of Ireland Gazette *

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Book SynopsisHow to have the courage to be yourselfTrade Review· Ruth has an engaging and compelling style, revealing her own weaknesses to make us consider our own. She is brave enough to challenge the central tenets of human fallibility, the meaning of community and the way in which we can recognize our own imperfections and yet gain strength from them. * Clare Balding *

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Book SynopsisA sequence of beautifully crafted prayer-meditations for daily reading from Advent through to Candlemas.Trade ReviewLike the Psalms in honesty and depth, these are poems that can help us pray, and prayers that can awaken us to the poetry in everyday life. * Dame Laurentia Johns, OSB, Stanbrook Abbey, York *

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Book SynopsisOffers an up-to-date overview of trends and patterns in making new disciples within the church.Trade ReviewI value this book and heartily commend it. -- Justin Welby, Archbishop of CanterburyAs we have come to expect from these authors, Making New Disciples is readable in style, honest in confronting problems and hopeful in its solutions. With its broad understanding of discipleship as the development of the whole human person in Christ, there is plenty here to challenge those who are fully signed up to the discipleship agenda and a great deal of wise guidance for those who struggle to understand it. Vital reading for anyone interested in growing new Christians. -- Philip North, Bishop of BurnleyA brilliant book that doesn’t pull its punches in highlighting the contemporary challenges facing mission within the Church, but leaves you with a strong, God-centred sense of hope. I’ll be buying a copy for all my colleagues – what more can I say?! -- The Revd Rhiannon King, Director of Mission, Birmingham DioceseI really warm to Evangelism: Which Way Now? It is helpful, honest and hopeful . . . Well done Mark Ireland and Mike Booker. Though Anglicans they speak beyond their denominational boundary to all the churches in Britain who are concerned about evangelism and mission. * Reform, Journal of the United Reformed Church *If I had to recommend one single book to someone who wants to think seriously about evangelistic engagement I have no hesitation in saying that this [Evangelism: Which Way Now?] would be it. * Pilgrim Post, journal of Churches Together in England *

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Book SynopsisFresh insights into Paul's revolutionary message by one of the world's greatest living theologians.Trade Review"Forget the notion that Williams’ writing is dense. This is chatty and colloquial. It should help preachers to get Paul ‘right’ (perhaps supplemented by some of Tom Wright’s commentaries)." -- Derek Jay, The Reader, Summer 2016"It is quite extraordinary how much Rowan Williams manages to include in one chapter – all beautifully, briefly and clearly explained... It is difficult to imagine a better short introduction to St Paul than this." -- Neil Richardson, Methodist Recorder"Rowan William's patiently paced exercise represents, as a cover blurb puts it 'a lifetimes' learning and praying....distilled into profound simplicity." -- Markus Bockmuehl, The Times Literary Supplement"Is ideal not only for personal reading but for work in groups. Indeed, it includes questions at the end for discussion, as well as selected readings for use during Lent. This is a book which draws on all the best Pauline scholarship of recent years while showing also the author’s characteristic independence of mind and judgement. At the same time, it succeeds admirably in its aims of making that scholarship available in non-technical language." -- Richard Harries King’s College, Theology Journal Issue 119.4 * Theology Journal Issue 119.4 *"An asset to scholar and general reader alike." -- The Furrow"Vintage Williams - an antidote for anyone who has ever struggled with Paul himself or with large, complicated books about the apostle! Three beautifully written chapters explain clearly the social world of the man himself, his disturbing idea of the universal welcome in Christ, and his understanding of the new creation brought about through the death and resurrection of Jesus. This simple but profound introduction to Paul will be helpful at any time of year, but the final questions and Bible studies for reflection will greatly assist those wishing to read it during Lent." -- The Revd Canon Professor Richard A. Burridge Dean of King's College, London"There are two forms of simplicity. First, there is a certain naive "not knowing" that is yet to encounter the difficulty and challenge of a subject; and then there is another "deeply felt knowing" that sits on the other side of complexity and is only arrived at after much searching and reflection. Here, a subject is known so well that it has become part of the person who tells it. This deceptively simple little book is a wonderful example of this sort of knowing. Rowan Williams seems to have arrived at a point where a lifetime’s learning and praying is distilled into profound simplicity." -- The Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford"In Meeting God in Paul, Rowan Williams explains how Paul moved from being the leader of an anti-Christian terrorist squad to being all-consumed by his contemporary, Jesus, who becomes for Paul "the image of the invisible God". This is a most important and much needed book. It releases St Paul from the box of popular misconception and introduces us to Paul as a powerful evangelist who welcomes all who want to follow Christ, and wishes to bar none." -- David Suchet, actor and presenter of the BBC TV series In the Footsteps of St Paul"Many people find the complexity of Paul's character a barrier to understanding his writings. Here, Rowan Williams helps us to see that see that Paul's complexity is a gift; that his writings are deep and difficult because we are deep and difficult, and they touch us because they speak to our basic humanity." -- Angela Tilby, Diocesan Canon, Christ Church, Oxford and regular contributor to BBC Radio 4's 'Thought for the Day'

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Book SynopsisA fresh and original account of how the Gospels were written, given what we know of the compositional techniques of the time, and stressing the importance of memoryTrade Review...a meticulous and persuasive investigation of the role memory may have played in the shaping of the Gospels as we possess them, and a powerful argument for memory as a major category in scholarly work on the texts. Overall, the book is engaging, informative and handles swathes of complex theory with a light and deft touch -- Quiteirregular * www.quiteirregular.wordpress.com *Eve is probably right in arguing that the Gospels were written to form and confirm Christian identity. After all this is why we listen to them, read them and preach from them today. -- Rev Dr Neil Richardson, Former President of the Conference, * The Methodist Recorder *This book is a real gem, providing readers with a highly accessible, but thoroughly researched and deeply informed, treatment of the important topic of memory as a key factor in the process of Gospel writing by early Christians. It should be essential reading for students starting on Gospel studies, and will also be of value for all those interested in the nature of the Gospels, their sources, their aims and their authors. -- Christopher Tuckett, University of Oxford * Theology Journal Issue 119.4 *

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Book SynopsisBrings new light and life to our understanding of one of the most beloved and central images of the Christian faith.Trade Review· Ken Bailey is the consummate expert on the cultural context of first-century life . . . Always insightful, always fresh, consistently surprising, Bailey has produced yet another book that will get many of us rethinking beloved passages of Scripture in completely new ways. * Gary Burge, author and Professor of New Testament, Wheaton College, Illinois *Using the Good Shepherd image, this book takes us on a 1,000-year journey in the Middle East. The author understands the Middle East mentality, having lived and worked in the country for half a century. An ordained Presbyterian minister, he is currently Canon Theologian of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburg. His special lens is to take the nine major Good Shepherd passages and, through detailed consideration, tease out their ethical, artistic and theological insights. It is a bold but successful approach. From chapter to chapter, the question reoccurs: 'Why have I never seen that before?' It is a lifetimes's reflection using readable biblical scholarship, contemporary story telling and cultural exegesis. It also makes the corssover to a devotional commentary. There is a reference to 20 New Testament and four Old Testament biblical versions in Arabic, as well as five Middle Eastern writers who, in their youth, had sheep herding experience. The passages are in Bailey's order, each studied in the light of the one before. Each passage is tested against a ten-fold focus (see page 23 and 245). Within the passages, he calls the verses 'cameos'. They have three distinct sequences. Verse to verse in a straight line 1 2 3, 1 2 3 and ring composition 1 2 3 4 3 2 1. This seems technical, but it explains how to read the passage. It is how the Middle Eastern mind thinks. We would call it an artistic, poetic and rhetorical approach. Looking at the passages - Psalm 23, three different Prophets, four Evangelists and 1 Peter - is to understand the Good Shepherd image in its original intent and also how to apply its meaning to the Church and the world today. Each major passage, as a chapter, has an outline of introductory material, the rhetoric (how it is laid out), a detailed commentary and its theological elements. If the reader is open to rethinking beloved Shepherd passages in a new way, he/she will not be disappointed. Bailey clearly helps with a discernment of a Good Shepherd tradition. He achieves a christology of Jesus, sees salvation as the purpose, provides a vision of Christian leadership and offers us Jesus the theologian. This book helps both reader and preacher, in the words of Matthew, on a journey to follow more perfectly the one "to bring out his treasure what is new and what is old." -- Raymond Fox * Gazette View *In The Good Shepherd, Kenneth Bailey assembles a comprehensive awareness of Middle Eastern cultures and traditions, reflection on five monographs by Middle Easterners who personally herded sheep, ancient treasures of Arabic language commentaries and translations, and multiple personal interviews with students and shepherds who were experienced in the care of sheep. The result is a thoroughly engaging treatment of nine key good shepherd texts found in the Christian Scriptures. In the Introduction, Bailey sets forth his methodology, which involves examining a cluster of ten recurring theological clusters viewed through a literary approach to Psalm 23; Jeremiah 23; Ezekiel 34; Zechariah 10; Matthew 18; Mark 6; Luke 15; John 10; and 1 Peter 5. Each chapter presents one text, carefully examining each cameo (literary segments). Each chapter includes a section of commentary, numerous representations of the literary features of the text and the emerging themes, and concludes with an analysis of which of the ten key themes occur in that text. The first, and most lengthy chapter, covers Psalm 23. Bailey skilfully develops the key themes, providing exegetical insight from both the Hebrew text and subsequent Arabic translations and commentaries. Each ensuing chapter examines the next text (presented in canonical order) and evaluates how it develops the themes initiated in Psalm 23. Bailey convincingly reveals the movements within Israel’s thought process as the individualistic nature of Psalm 23 is transformed into a nationalistic (militaristic?) view in Zechariah. Bailey then unveils the development of the New Testament’s shift from God as shepherd to Jesus as shepherd. By the end of this encouraging and informative work, the reader realizes that ‘the promises of God to the flock of God in the Hebrew Bible are now promises that can be claimed by the new flock, the church’ (p. 263). A postscript consists of five reflections: ‘The good shepherd tradition’, ‘Christology from the mouth of Jesus’, ‘salvation’, ‘Christian leadership’ and ‘Jesus as theologian’. One of the strengths of Bailey’s presentation is also one of its only frustrations. Each chapter ends with a summary of the ten themes and while that is essential for seeing the similarities, diversities and development, it also feels a bit repetitive. But that is a minor distraction amid the pleasure of watching an artist sketch a powerful picture of our shepherd as he is revealed in Scripture. Any reader familiar with Kenneth Bailey already savours the flavours of the Middle East in his writings. There will be no disappointment in The Good Shepherd. Any reader looking for an example of utilizing literary structures will glean helpful insights from Bailey’s exegesis of nine disparate texts. All who enjoy seeing the relationship among themes as they unfold across the canon will be excited by the deft weaving of textual connections. Readers wishing to know how God and Jesus are portrayed as shepherd throughout Scripture will come away from The Good Shepherd with a full heart and mind prepared for further thought and devotion. -- Chuck Sackett * Theology journal *

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Book SynopsisA book for those who have a longing to track down the divine but may not know where to startTrade ReviewWhat do we do when, as John Pritchard puts it, the burning bush has gone out and nothing is left but wet ash? Well, for a start, something like this: speak to the everyday post-religious twenty-first century world in its own terms, with respect and without concealment, about the ways in which, in everybody’s experience, the damp ashes still gleam unpredictably with the promise of something more. -- Francis Spufford, author of UnapologeticIn John Pritchard we encounter a true genius in contemporary spiritual writing – one who is gifted in expressing the profound, yet with a light touch and an easy-going approach. We discover in Something More that to encounter God’s presence afresh, all we need bring is our humanity, humility and sense of wonder. -- The Very Revd Prof. Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, OxfordOnce we know how vast the universe is and how little we know of it, it’s hard to go on believing in God as a powerful parent figure. John Pritchard faces the challenge head on. He rethinks Christian spirituality in a way that opens horizons rather than closing them down. -- Linda Woodhead, Professor of Sociology of Religion, Lancaster UniversityLiving Faithfully (2013): This is a very good book by a very exceptional leader. John Pritchard puts himself into what he writes, and the result is accessible, encouraging and fun, with a steel core that not only makes one think but takes one back to the face of Christ and the realities of Christian discipleship. John is never cheaply comfortable but always reassuringly real. I am very glad to have read Living Faithfully. -- Justin Welby, Archbishop of CanterburyWise, honest and realistic, Living Faithfully joins the dots in a lively and compelling way between the core of Christian teaching and contemporary human experience. -- Christiana Rees, broadcaster and writerGod Lost and Found (2011): This is an unusually honest book. Its analysis is plain-spoken and compassionate, and what Bishop John has to say about finding ways to live constructively with times of emptiness is superbly well focused. You'll emerge from reading this with – probably – relief that a widespread set of challenges has been so sensitively identified and – certainly – with gratitude for sensible, durable advice on how to go on making friends with the mystery we can never digest or contain. -- Rowan Williams, Master of Magdalen College, CambridgeGod Lost and Found (2011): Amid church scandals, destructive natural disasters and terrorist atrocities committed in the name of religion, it is not surprising that many have stopped believing in God, lost their faith and go through the physical motions like church- going but with no belief. Pritchard's book is a useful, practical guide for those seeking reconnection with the spiritual aspects of their daily lives. * The Bookseller *God Lost and Found (2011): What a courageous book! . . . full of hope and full of God. -- Elaine Storkey

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Book SynopsisA special anniversary edition of the biography of the man who made the phenomenon of Taize possible.Trade Review· Charmingly well written in a gentle and generous spirit. * Archbishop Desmond Tutu *

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Book SynopsisAn A-Z of key concepts, thinkers and movements.Trade Review'This is a tour de force by one of Britain's leading theological scholars. It offers an authoritative guide to every part of theology and is accessibly written, with excellent suggestions for further reading. Invaluable.' John Barton, University of Oxford 'Anthony Thiselton's previous publications give sufficient proof of his prowess as a New Testament scholar, biblical commentator, and expert in philosophical hermeneutics. In an era of increasing specialization, few people are as qualified to speak authoritatively across the theological disciplines ... There are not many people whose opinion about every theological thing under the sun I would want to seek out; Anthony Thiselton is on that short list.' Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

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Book SynopsisComprehensive, up-to-date and student-friendly introduction to Romans: its structure, content, theological concerns, key interpretative debates and historical reception

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Book SynopsisTakes the fear out of Bible reading fear of the Bible itself, fear that reading the Bible needs severaluniversity degrees, fear that the Bible says things that no sensible person could accept.Trade ReviewWHEN the author of a book entitled How to Read the BIBLE (without switching off your BRAIN) (SPCK, £9.99) declares that his favourite biblical film blockbuster is "Life of Brian", it is likely that he may bring a fresh approach to a well-covered field of research. Simon Taylor, Canon Chancellor of Derby Cathedral and Continuing Ministerial Development officer for the Diocese of Derby, has certainly done that, as he gathers together talks delivered at St Mary Redcliffe Bristol, and Derby Cathedral into his 130-page manual. As well as recounting the history of the Bible’s compilation, he discusses the "difficult subjects" of money and sex (including the joy expressed in the Song of Songs and not shying away from the subordination of women as advocated in parts of the New Testament) and its use of marriage to mirror our relationship with God. Contemporary problems with the story of creation are tackled by means of "the value of ‘true’ " and Simon Taylor confesses that some examples of violence in the Bible present him with difficulty. He stresses the importance of honesty in "effective wrestling with the Bible" and this book contains all the tools for the job. -- Margaret Daniels * Methodist Recorder *Taylor gives the reader an excellent introduction to the Bible – what it is, how it came about and how to read it – all told in light and lucid prose ... A refreshing work, short and to the point. It is down to earth and practical, stripping away centuries of pious accretions. -- Timothy Kinahan * Church of Ireland Gazette *There are some real nuggets of wisdom in the book. This is a book for mature confirmands, for those who are discerning vocations, for befuddled students, or for anyone who wants to renew the adventure. -- The Revd Dr Matt Bullimore, Vicar of Royston, and Priest-in-Charge of Falkirk, in the diocese of Leeds * The Church Times *It ought to be in all church libraries and bookstalls. * Modern Believing, Vol. 58(1) *

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Book SynopsisEnables clergy who feel pressured to reclaim' a more prayerful life.Trade Review· Praise for Steel Angels (SPCK, 2014): An excellent contribution to the discernment canon . . . [Smith’s] beautifully written book offers many delights. Her capacity for taking the mundane and finding an illuminating illustration from scripture, literature, the visual arts of popular culture ensures that there is no dryness of approach. * Church Times *I warmly recommend this book for those who want to deepen their prayer life and think more widely about the call to be a "fragile mystic" given to all Christians. It would be helpful for preachers, individuals and facilitators of prayer and discussion groups. -- Judith Lampard * Methodist Recorder *As well as helping individual readers refresh their own prayer life, this book could be useful in ministry, especially for those engaged in spiritual direction, or leading home groups or prayer groups. There is much to discover and reflect on here that might offer new ideas and approaches for enriching your prayer ministry with others -- Sue Boorman * The Reader Autumn 2016 Vol. 116. No.1 *

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Book SynopsisStrategic and timely wake-up call for the Church.Trade ReviewInsightful and creative. * Church Times *

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Book SynopsisA tried and tested prayer book in an attractive new design.Trade ReviewThe easiest to use liturgy I have come across from the "Celtic Stable": just pick the book up, open it, and enter the rhythm of a life in which holiness is part of the stuff of everyday life. All becomes sacred. A valuable resource for services (including healing and funerals) and a good companion on journeys: it fits neatly into a jacket/coat pocket or even small handbag! * thegoodbookstall *A book that will aid many in seeking to deepen their devotional life. * Church of England Newspaper *Intended to help us dip our toes in the natural springs of Celtic spirituality and "pray the Celtic way" . . . well laid out and easy to dip into and carry around. * Church Times *A beautifully-written collection of alternative services and prayers for various occasions, all constructed in the style of the 'Celtic tradition'. -- Paul Beasley-Murray * Ministry Today *

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Book SynopsisHow can we work out what God wants us to do in response to the burning issues facing the world today? Tom Wright shows us how the Bible can point us in the right direction.Trade ReviewA convincing critique of the way political economy is currently ordered. * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisAn exciting new worship and storytelling resource for 0-6sTrade ReviewThis is a book for those who take children seriously. A wonderful, practical resource for those who want to nurture children to be disciples in their own right: to pray, to engage with Scripture, to contribute to worship, to play their part as children of God. A must-read for those who work and volunteer with very young children. -- The Most Revd Justin Welby, Archbishop of CanterburyDiddy Disciples is an invaluable blend of Sharon Moughtin-Mumby's reflective practice and contemporary thinking about childhood spirituality. The result is an exceptional and inspiring resource for churches working with the very youngest children. A powerful case for seeing why the very young deserve the very best, and this is a well-tested method for doing that. -- Dr Rebecca Nye, Godly Play expert; researcher and consultant in children's spiritualityDiddy Disciples is brilliant: a rich resource for leaders, simple and accessible for young children, inviting them into a lifelong journey of faith. Highly commended. -- The Rt Revd Steven Croft, Bishop of OxfordWe all think that biblical scholarship and Sunday School teaching belong in different worlds. Diddy Disciples shows that we are wrong. Sharon Moughtin-Mumby brings the wisdom of a professional biblical scholar to the task of communicating the essence of the Bible to very young children, unveiling the depths of biblical stories for young disciples. Very user-friendly material from which adults can learn too. -- The Revd John Barton, Emeritus Professor, Oxford UniversityI'm excited by Diddy Disciples! It's a celebration of Psalm 8.2 and all that babies and toddlers bring to worship. Movement, stories, actions and songs combine in carefully crafted sessions to draw groups into a new way of worshipping that will enrich everyone involved. I can't wait to start using it. -- The Revd Mary Hawes, National Children and Youth Adviser, The Church of EnglandDiddy Disciples is a first-rate programme of worship, prayer, and teaching materials designed particularly for babies, toddlers, and young children. -- Rona Orne * Church Times *This is the most comprehensive and creative resource that I have seen for this age-group. -- Rona Orne * Church Times *Sharon Moughtin-Mumby demonstrates clearly how we can share worship with babies and toddlers. She, her team, and all the children who have helped to develop Diddy Disciples deserve our gratitude. -- Rona Orne * Church Times *

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Book SynopsisLittle books of guidance let you grasp the essentials in less than an hour!Trade ReviewRowan Williams offers a typically intelligent, attractive, and beguiling picture of what it means to be a Christian ... As usual, when I read Williams I feel something coming to birth inside me, whispers from a shore I want to set out for. -- Mark Oakley * Church Times *Rowan Williams explains the basis for Christian belief, a task made highly complex because of all the differences and doctrinal nuances behind his careful explanations, his knowledge is so comprehensive,; and faith in Christ is thus wonderfully clarified. -- Peter Clough * The Reader *

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Book SynopsisThis book explores how Mindfulness practice can enable us to reflect on what it might mean to believe certain things, and to make the real changes which enable us to live the Christian life with greater integrity.Trade ReviewA fascinating and insightful examination of the links between the Christian contemplative tradition and the stress-reducing mindfulness programme developed by Professor Mark Williams and others. I learned so much from reading this book and strongly recommend it. -- Michael Mosley, award winning BBC author, science journalist and presenterReading Tim Stead’s new book Mindfulness and Christian Spirituality is a bit like listening to bird song before dawn. As you listen to the overall song different voices start to emerge and a sense of peace begins to alight on you . . . Some of [this writing] is among the best I have read anywhere. -- Shaun Lambert, author of A Book of Sparks – A Study in Christian MindFullness * Baptist Times *This is a stimulating book in its attempt to integrate mindfulness practice – which is originally derived from eastern, Buddhist spirituality – with our western, Christian heritage. Stead shows hour Christian thinking and spiritual practice can be enriched by mindful wisdom, leading to a deeper openness and fuller experience of God’s grace. This book is for people who like to think outside of the book and for those who are looking to enhance their spiritual practice. -- Birgit Ewald * Reform *Highly recommended. * Church of England Newspaper *The book on mindfulness that many of us have been waiting for! Tim Stead writes with disarming honesty for anyone seeking a fruitful and truthful way to live. -- John Pritchard, former Bishop of OxfordThe popularity of mindfulness in our time is a reminder that the ancient contemplative practices of attentiveness and stillness are needed more than ever. Tim Stead suggests that the practice of mindfulness brings gifts to Christian faith and living. It is more than just another therapy – it makes space for God. -- David Runcorn, author of Spirituality WorkbookThis book is measured and gracious in its argument. It leaves each one of us asking: How am I to find Godly peace in a climate of religious activism and be energised for and by both, if God is to be my Lord and my Friend and my Saviour. -- Michael Dublin and Glendalough * The Church of Ireland Gazette *

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Book SynopsisEquips readers to discover signs of God's in-breaking kingdom in everyday lifeTrade ReviewThis is a gem of a book. It offers something new and intriguing – a sharp, theologically astute reading of some icons of contemporary culture, showing that our culture is not half as secular as it thinks it is. -- Graham Tomlin, Bishop of Kensington[On A Mystical Theology, Bloomsbury, 2014] In this engaging study, Donna Lazenby indicates both the promise and the limits of post-Christian attempts to grasp the mystical . . . [Written] with elegance and originality. -- Catherine Pickstock, Professor of Metaphysics and Poetics, University of CambridgeThe book merits reading slowly… give yourself time to mull over what Lazenby is sharing and allow the poetry of her writing to soak into you It is as though Lazenby is inviting us to share in her most intimate reflections. It shows a brave and generous vulnerability- which makes many of the reflections deeply affecting… The book is prophetic… read this book, be inspired, and discover your inner prophet * The Church Times *

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Book SynopsisA handbook for those with cancer and those supporting them, reflecting on the spiritual and theological aspects of the journey through diagnosis and living with the disease.Trade ReviewIt is rare to find a book that is a true spiritual companion in the midst of illness and suffering. But Gillian Straine’s beautifully-observed book offers empathy, compassion and deep solace to those who are walking the lonely and dark path that cancer often brings. Few spiritual writers can turn their own experience of suffering and depletion into something wholesome and sustaining for others. This book not only manages that, but does so with realism, authenticity, wisdom, grace and hope. This is a profound and practical book that nourishes and nurtures – soul and body alike. Gillian Straine has given us a gem to treasure.’ -- The Very Revd Prof. Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, OxfordGillian Straine has produced a deeply personal and searingly honest theological reflection on her own experience of joining what she calls the ‘cancer community’. Tackling major themes such as ‘meaning’ and ‘vulnerability’, she explores the ‘gift of cancer’ – which is the way in which it exposes the myth that we are truly in control of our own lives. Her recurring emphasis on the importance of relationship and her use of pilgrimage as a metaphor for her own journey makes this a valuable and readable book of practical guidance and encouragement for fellow travellers. The message is clear and simple: God is with us, and there is hope. -- Rt Revd James Newcome, Bishop of Carlisle and Church of England’s lead bishop on healthA ‘searching, wise book’ that ‘gives valuable guidelines’. * Church Times *

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Book SynopsisA handbook for developing a healthy multicultural church communityTrade ReviewA timely contribution to understanding how a pluralistic society is impacting the church . . . an extremely valuable resource for any pastor. * The Journal of European Baptist Studies, Vol. 17(1) *A must have for all ministers in urban and multicultural Britain. It is also a book that every student of the ministry in our day and age must read at least once before they take their first pastorate. It is worth every recommendation it gets. * Anvil (33.1) *Not only [is it] an important tool in equipping leaders, but also a source of inspiration that will reinvigorate them with the wonder of this complex and yet exciting ministry. * Church Times *‘written with passion and a wealth of personal experience’. * Reform *

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Book SynopsisWould you Adam and Eve It? The Bible as the tabloids might have told it.

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Book SynopsisA practical and insightful introduction to apologetics which offers various approaches to discussing your faith with othersTrade ReviewThis is a fresh, clear, and practical introduction to apologetics from someone who doesn't just talk about the subject but actually does it brilliantly. * Os Guinness *Mere Apologetics helps readers work out their own way to effectively communicate and defend the gospel...A great read for both beginning and experienced apologists. * Jim Sire *This is an accessible book which is written in such a way that it is self-contained. Each chapter concludes with directions for further reading for those who wish to explore further. As we continue to wrestle with the call to talk of the things of God and to give account of our faith, this book can be a useful tool to enable conversation among ourselves in order that we can have those conversations outside the Church. -- Rev Dr Adrian Burdon * Methodist Recorder *[McGrath’s] new book exhibits all the hallmarks of his mature style. It is careful and methodical, demarking themes deliberately ... There is no doubt that the newcomer to the idea of apologetics will find a clear and concise introduction here. -- Canon Andrew Davison * Church Times *Anything written by Alistair McGrath … is always worth a look. This volume, essentially an introduction to the subject of apologetics, is no different. McGrath’s style is both warm and popular, making him an idea communicator of the sometimes complex area of Christian apologetics. -- Lynne McNeil * Life and Work *

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Book SynopsisBeautifully interprets – in word and image – the personalities of well-known and less familiar places of pilgrimage in BritainTrade ReviewPlaces of Pilgrimage is a captivating read and offers a fascinating and fresh way of seeing the country. * The Oxford Times *This lovely coffee-table style gift book provides a memoir of places of pilgrimage visited by the author together with short highlights about these places. The illustrations are beautiful watercolours that are highlighted by their simplicity of details and information encourages you to visit these places of pilgrimage. What is also quite nice is that these are not just the obvious Christian places of pilgrimage, but just places that may spark the heart. -- Melanie Carroll * Together Magazine *... a beautiful record of the author's tour of well-known and less familiar places of pilgrimage throughout the British Isles. -- Paul Beasley-Murray * Ministry Today *If ever there were an exhibition to inspire a road trip around Britain, this may well be it. * The Northern Echo *This attractive coffee table book should have a wide appeal, not only to Christians, but to others interested in the history, landscape and architecture of mainland Britain. -- Graham Hedges * Evangelical Alliance *A lovely coffe table style gift book... The illustrations are beautiful watercolours that are highlighted by their simplicity of details, being largely colour wash and block work and yet so deeply evocative for that. Here is a book that with its simplicity of detail and information encourages you to visit these places of pilgrimage. -- Melanie Carroll * The Good Bookstall *

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