Religious instruction Books

Book SynopsisA brilliant introduction to prayer' Richard Rohr, Author of Everything BelongsOne of America's most beloved spiritual leaders and the New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and Jesus: A Pilgrimage teaches anyone to converse with God in this comprehensive guide to prayer.What do we need to learn? That prayer changes usand so changes the world we live in; that God is always there before us; that it''s God''s action that makes the difference. Practical, comprehensive, and above all God-centered, this book is a deeply valuable companion for growing in faith.' Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of CanterburyIn The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, Father James Martin included a chapter on communicating with God. Now, he expands those thoughts in this profound and practical handbook. Learning to Pray explains what prayer is, what to expect from praying, how to do it, and how it can transform us when we make it a regular practice in our lives.A trusted Trade Review‘Prayer, Martin says, is building a relationship with God in the way other relationships are built: through conversing, listening, and spending time with one another. . . . With Martin's guidance, interested readers may see prayer as both the most natural yet transcendent thing in the world.’ Booklist ‘Personal, insightful, honest, practical, expansive, enriching, freeing, hopeful—these words only begin to describe this excellent book about prayer. Learning to Pray deserves to be in the hands and heart of anyone intent on engaging with the unfolding path of prayer.’Joyce Rupp, author of Anchors for the Soul ‘The life of prayer is essential for the believer. And yet so many people feel frightened by prayer. Fear not! James Martin has written a brilliant introduction to prayer, which will help you encounter the Living God, who wants to encounter you! Richard Rohr, author of Everything Belongs

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Book Synopsis97.5% of people admit their relationships could be improved64% of people don t think they give enough time to their close friendships59% of single people often feel lonely80% of people don t respect their bossAre your friendships as strong as you''d like them to be? Are you struggling with a relationship at the moment? Have you ever wondered why some people make you react in a certain way? Perhaps you long for more time to spend with your loved ones, or for loved ones that you would want to spend more time with. Do you wish you didn''t lose your temper so much or that you could express your emotions more easily? Would you like to understand those around you better? If you want to have genuine, meaningful relationships with everyone in your life, INSIDE OUT is the book for you. Full of practical advice, it will show you how to invest in authentic relationships one of the most rewarding adventures we can ever undertake.Trade ReviewAll you need is love - and a bit of help from Sarah Abell! * Oliver James, Author of Affluenza *I simply can't imagine anybody not being helped by Sarah Abell's book. Its straightforward approach to relationships leads to the heart of respect, friendship and love. * Bel Mooney, agony aunt, The Daily Mail *A wonderfully practical and insightful book. * Woman's Own *Sarah Abell's passion to help people, young or older, single or married, to build lasting relationships shines through INSIDE OUT. Through revealing how she has learnt to make deep friendships in her own life, Sarah's honesty and practical advice will help many others to do the same. * Nicky and Sila Lee, authors of The Marriage Book *What really matters in life? Relationships, stupid! It is obvious but surprisingly we don't usually acknowledge it. With style, creativity and intelligence Sarah Abell gets us to think about how we can improve this most important part of our lives. Reading her book was challenging and inspiring. Must do better and she suggests how. * Kay Dunbar, Director, Way With Words festival *

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Book SynopsisThis book looks at the concept of tradition in the study of religion. It examines the history of the concept, uses in the discipline, theoretical perspectives (including Indigenous and post/decolonial studies, cognitive science and hermeneutics), and critical perspectives on key thinkers.

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Book SynopsisAlthough Religious Education (RE) is a legal requirement in UK schools, it is an oft-neglected and misunderstood subject. It is important to seriously re-think this key subject at this time of low religious literacy and rising extremism, to protect communities from the consequences of hatred and misunderstanding. This book promotes a public discussion of what exactly is needed from a new model of RE within our education system to benefit wider society.In this edited collection, the chapters are diverse and future-facing, informed by theory and practice and written by a variety of key leading practitioners and emerging national leaders in RE. It covers the most pressing and urgent issues for RE such as hate speech, educational reform, and the weakening of moderate religious institutions. Linking the chapters together with recurring themes and joining passages, the editors create a flowing and coherent discussion about the state of RE and offer choices and routes for readers to consider in terms of its future course.Trade ReviewThis diverse and accessible series of reflections provides an excellent route map navigating the complex terrain that is contemporary RE. It offers a range of radical solutions guaranteed to prompt debate about the future of the 'RE space' in a post-religious, post-secular contemporary world. -- Alan Brine, Former HMI and Ofsted National Adviser for Religious EducationThis book, in the words of two of its authors, does the same as effective RE in classrooms. It offers 'demanding material... a framework for talk, thought, misconceptions and deep engagement' and a discussion of 'unsafe topics'. It is timely and informed and everyone who cares about RE should read it. -- Dr Joyce Miller Associate Fellow, WRERUThis timely book assembles huge amounts of wisdom and experience. It is a valuable addition to a growing literature on the place of RE in our schools. I strongly endorse the message captured in the Postscript : be absolutely clear about the purpose of RE and teach it well. The rest will follow from this. -- Grace Davie, Professor emeritus, University of ExeterTeachers of RE - and, indeed, the general reader - will appreciate the honesty and clarity of We Need To Talk About Religious Education. There is a refreshing newness among the contributors to this important volume, most of whom either continue to teach RE, or have done so in the fairly recent past. -- Dennis Richards * Church Times *This wide-ranging and very readable set of contributions is highly recommended to all involved with or interested in the subject of religion education or religious education in schools, and its future. As well as making an excellent introduction to relevant issues for those preparing to teach religious education or to develop policy, it will be of interest to many working with issues of religious/religion education in a variety of national settings. -- Robert Jackson * American International Journal, Reliigon and Education *Table of ContentsContributor bios; Foreword - Linda Woodhead MBE, University of Lancaster; Introduction - Mike Castelli, Association of University Lecturers in RE and Mark Chater, Culham St Gabriel's Trust, Oxford; PART I. Context; 1. Time to Abandon RE: Ditching an Out-of-date Solution to an Out-of-date Problem - Clive Lawton, Former Chair of the Shap Working Party of World Religions in Education; 2. A European Perspective: How Educational Reforms Influence the Place and Image of RE - Peter Schreiner, Comenius-Institut, Germany; 3. Why We Need Legislative Change, and How We Can Get It - Mark Chater; 4. RE and the Knowledge Problem - Richard Kueh, Farmington Institute, Harris Manchester College, Oxford; 5. The Future of Catholic RE - Andrew Lewis, St Bonaventure's School, London; 6. RE-dressing the Balance - Gillian Georgiou, Diocesan Education Team, Lincoln and Kathryn Wright, Culham St Gabriel's, Oxford; 7. Towards a Core Integrity for RE - Sushma Sahajpal, Connectar Creative Education, Buckinghamshire; Part II. Futures; 8. Making the Case for More Demanding RE - Mary Myatt, education advisor, Wales; 9. Principles and Procedures for Classroom Dialogue - Mike Castelli; 10. Facing the Strange - Phil Champain, Three Faiths Forum, London; 11. RE as a Safe space for Discussing Unsafe Ideas - Neil McKain, Pipers Corner School, High Wycombe; 12. The Role of Religious Education in Addressing Extremism - Adam Whitlock, Ark Burlington Danes Academy, London; 13. Faith Communities as Stakeholders in RE: A Commitment to Generous Hospitality - Derek Holloway, The Church of England Education Office, London; 14. Does Research Matter in the Religious Education Classroom? - Dawn Cox, Manning Tree High School, Essex; 15. The 'Digital Turn': What does RE Teachers' Online Engagement Mean for RE CPD? - James Robson, Culham St Gabriel's Trust and Oxford University Department of Education; Index

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