Search results for ""SPCK Publishing""

A powerful call to step into your full potential that biblically affirms the need for women to rise up and work together to make a better world. "Jo is one of my most trusted voices in Christian leadership… She leads auditoriums full of people, and she leads me one-on-one." –Jen Hatmaker In this particular cultural moment, where the momentum of #MeToo meets raised voices over injustice in wage equality and minority representation, popular speaker and podcaster Jo Saxton wants to move women beyond disempowerment. Instead, she draws women together to grow their grit and to establish new partnerships that will have a powerful chain effect. Ready to Rise tackles the real-life issues women face–workplace harassment, sexism, low self-esteem, financial woes, power battles, and old wounds–while providing meaningful wisdom from Jo’s own journey to leadership. Added to this personal reflection are stories of empowered women from the Bible. Jo then calls on readers to invest in the next generation of women and build new communities where diverse female leadership can flourish. Ready to Rise pulls together Jo's best practices in both listening to the hearts of women and empowering them to change the landscape.

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Who’s that blaring out music night and day? It’s Sisera’s Boisterous Boyz! But the locals aren’t happy about all the noise, so Judge Deb and her singing superstar Barak come up with the perfect plan: a battle of the bands! With fabulous illustrations throughout, be charmed by this modern-day retelling of the story of Deborah, the only female judge in the Bible.

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This luminous book on texts Jesus knew and quoted is the fruit of the author's lifelong engagement with the Psalms. As a broadcaster and writer, John is loved for being entirely genuine and, in the words of Archbishop Justin Welby, ‘his cogent and penetrating contributions reach an audience well beyond the churches’. Here John explores the Psalms as they relate to daily life, drawing on stories and personal testimonies to help us to rejoice, grieve or draw encouragement from this most extraordinary and fascinating collection of sacred poems and songs.

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The SPCK Lectionary provides a clearly laid-out presentation of the Common Worship calendar and lectionary, with BCP readings on the same page. Sundays and major festivals are covered, as well as weekday services. An essential purchase for any church using the Common Worship or Book of Common Prayer services.

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A fifteenth-century roof boss in Norwich Cathedral depicts a woman holding open the door to a small room, as Julian of Norwich invites us into her cell to share her Revelations of Divine Love. Sheila Upjohn shows us how to accept that invitation in this Lenten guide, as she explores Julian’s book alongside passages from Scripture. She reveals how Julian’s fresh perspectives on sin and judgement, anger and forgiveness, the Incarnation and the crucifixion – once thought so controversial that her book was kept hidden for centuries – can challenge and enlighten us, six hundred years later, in a world so badly in need of the assurance of God’s unconditional love.

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‘I am passionate about my country and angry at the mendacity that has led to the appalling situation in which the UK and our people are heading for relative poverty and insignificance while our politics is offering bitter, unpalatable extremes. There has to be something better. In the absence of something better, we will have to build it.’ Tim Farron Writing with warmth, humour and compelling honesty, Tim Farron charts his rise to the leadership of the Liberal Democrats – from his childhood in Preston to his central role during the Conservative–Lib Dem coalition of 2010–15. Farron speaks openly about his role as Party President and the intense experience of leading his party through the 2016 EU referendum and the snap general election of 2017. He also reflects on the scrutiny he received because of his religious beliefs. So, having reached the top of his career, what made him voluntarily relinquish that honour? What does Tim Farron’s experience mean for those who hold to a liberal vision? Are there lessons to be learned about the role of religion in public life? And what are the prospects for true liberalism in the UK today?

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Looking for a special card to give to your loved ones this Christmas? These cards are crafted with you in mind. Simple, special, personal and plainspoken – with their beautiful designs, these cards do all the talking. In packs of 10, sustainably sourced. Comes in 2 typographic designs, one featuring the word ‘Joy’ in large, red text with the other containing ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’ over a black background.

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Whereas some religious traditions within Christianity offer a singular approach or spiritual focus, the Franciscan tradition is wonderfully diverse and manifold. The Way of the Franciscans is a lovely Lent book for 2022 that offers a practical introduction to Franciscan spirituality, and the many distinctive and dynamic approaches to prayer, contemplation and action found within it. Split into six chapters, with each focusing on a key Franciscan spiritual master and their way of prayer, The Way of the Franciscans is the perfect guide to help you prepare for Easter and deepen your spirituality throughout Lent. As well as exploring the history of the different Franciscan spiritual traditions and how they are united in their focus on living according to the Gospels, it offers practical, applicable guidance for making Franciscan spirituality part of your everyday prayer life. The Way of the Franciscans is an ideal Lent devotional for 2022 for anyone wanting to increase their understanding of Franciscan spirituality, or for anyone looking for new ways to revitalise their prayer life during Lent. Suitable for reading individually or using as a small group, this is a Lent book that will leave you with a new appreciation of the relevance of the Franciscan spiritual tradition and forms of prayer for Christians today, and equip you with practices for becoming part of this ever-growing tradition.

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A delightful retelling of the story of Joseph, especially for under 5s. It features full-colour photographic spreads of the characters from the award-winning Big Bible Storybook. This board book is perfectly sized for small hands, with short text for a parent or carer to read to the child.

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Interpreting Jesus brings together N. T. Wright’s most important articles on Jesus and the Gospels over almost four decades. Here is a rich feast for all serious students of the Bible. Each essay will amply reward those looking for detailed, incisive and exquisitely nuanced exegesis, resulting in a clearer, deeper and more informed appreciation of the recent advances in Jesus studies, and their significance for theology today.

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People leaving prison; refugees; victims of abuse and prostitution. All struggle to find a home, to build relationships, to get back on their feet. The root cause of homelessness is relational: the homeless suffer not just the lack of a roof, but a lack of love. But what if someone could provide not only a home, but also a network? Real people, who knew what they were doing, and who cared? In 2007 Ed Walker published with Monarch Books a book called Reflections from the Scorched Earth. It described his nine years of living and working in six distinct war zones - notably in Darfur - as a Christian humanitarian aid worker with Tearfund. Returning to the UK, Ed worked for the YMCA for three years. But before long Ed and Rachel felt the call to start a genuinely Christian charity working with ex-offenders and the homeless. The private rental sector was out of reach for many, and government provision was horribly inadequate. Both problems have grown massively in the subsequent years. Scraping together every penny they could find, in 2010 the young couple set up a charity, Hope into Action, invested GBP30,000 in a house and bought the first home for the homeless in partnership with their church. This charity has now grown to 51 homes across fifteen towns and cities. Hope into Action have won numerous awards both secular and Christian (they won the Guardian's Public Service Award in 2017, and an award from the Centre for Social Justice). The vision is simple, but devastatingly effective. It provides a vehicle for Christians with money to invest in housing stock, with a modest but guaranteed return. Once funds in a locality are available, and in partnership with a local church, HiA will select a suitable house, which is refurbished as necessary. Together with the local church, the members of which will receive training from HiA in befriending and providing guidance, HiA will select suitable tenants. HiA provide case workers to monitor, smooth understanding, provide support and impose discipline. The churches offer friendship and local contacts. The underlying vision is not simply to help the marginalised, but to enable churches. Tenants come from a variety of backgrounds. Some are men coming out of prison and stuck in hostels. Some are recommended by social services, others by refugee agencies. In the last year HiA have provided homes for refugees fleeing from Sudan and Darfur, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Syria, and Iran. The results to date have been impressive, bearing in mind that many of those helped have multiple personal challenges. In the annual statement for 2017 Hope into Action report that 87% of tenants succeeded in maintaining their tenancies; 89% of those who had been in custody refrained from crime; 81% of those with addictions reduced or ceased their drug use; 82% reported improved relations with their families; 47% were involved in volunteering, education or training; and 23% had found a job. There is no requirement upon tenants to have any kind of faith (and many clients are Muslim refugees) but many do become believers. There have been endless teething problems. Relationships have broken down. Tenants who seemed well on the way to recovery and stability have gone completely off the rails. Money has been tight. Most notably however, Ed and his small team have seen God move and provide in amazing, multiple ways. "We have seen miracles, healings, conversions, churches transformed," Ed comments. "I have also gone through some major heart-breaks and dangerous situations, but through it all God has been faithful." Hope into Action tells Ed's story of faith and struggle as he and his wife saw the need, felt the call and stepped out in faith, developed a new theology of sharing and saw both tragic and wonderful results. It explains how we meet and grow in Christ as we interact with those in the shadows and those hidden in darkness.

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When Josephine Butler died in 1906, she was declared by Millicent Fawcett to have been ‘the most distinguished Englishwoman of the nineteenth century’. With impassioned speeches and fiery writing, Butler’s campaigns for women’s rights shook Victorian society to its core and became a force for change that has shaped modern Britain. As well as campaigning for women’s suffrage and for married women’s property rights she was a tireless advocate of women’s access to higher education and of equality in the workplace. Her greatest achievement was to change social attitudes to women and children forced into prostitution, and to expose the sex-trafficking business – both of which resulted in new, more humane legislation. But how did the physically frail wife of a schoolmaster become a leading social reformer? In this brief introduction Jane Robinson explores Butler’s fascinating life and describes how her progressive politics, her anger at injustice and her passionate Christianity combined to create a vibrant legacy that lasts to this day.

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The Bible tells us that Jesus is for every tribe, language, people and nation - so why are all the saints in our stained-glass windows white? In Every Tribe, editor Sharon Prentis and a diverse team of contributors present a powerful challenge to the bias that taken hold of storytelling in the Church. They tell the true, and in some casing surprising, stories of the lives of twelve Christian saints, including St Augustine, who came from present day Algeria, and St George, an immigrant with a Turkish father and a Palestinian mother. This is a book of saints for anyone wishing to deepen their understanding of how church history has been white-washed throughout the centuries, and how that has impacted the way we think about race and diversity within the church today. A celebration of the true diversity of Christian saints, it will inspire the church to become what it is meant to be: the rainbow people of God serving the diverse needs of a diverse world.

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An elegant treatise on how [the church] could lighten up its image.' The Times ‘Having worked for many years at the coalface of comedy, sorting the dross from the combustible, James Cary is uniquely qualified to write this book.’ Milton Jones, comedian and panellist on BBC2’s Mock the Week Every few weeks a politician, pundit or soap star causes a media storm by making a gaffe or tweeting a joke that some people do not find funny. Comedy is very hard to get right and yet we think it’s important to have a sense of humour and not take yourself too seriously. On the other hand, a sense of humour failure can lead to losing your friends, your twitter account, your job, your career and, in some cases, your life. James Cary knows about this. He is a sitcom writer who’s written jokes about bomb disposal in Afghanistan (Bluestone 42), defended comments about Islam by Ben Elton on Newsnight, been on a panel with radical Muslim cleric Anjem Choudary, sits on the General Synod of the Church of England and somehow managed to co-write episodes of Miranda. An odd mix, but one that makes him very readable. This entertaining, breezy book, explains how comedy works (with jokes and quotes) and gives much-needed insights into the controversy surrounding humour.

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'Many assume that living with dementia is one long term steady decline. Jennifer's insightful book debunks that myth.' - Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive, Alzheimer's Society Jennifer Bute was a highly qualified senior doctor in a large clinical practice, whose patients included those with dementia. Then she began to notice symptoms in herself. She was finally given a diagnosis of Young Onset Dementia in 2009. After resigning as a GP, she resolved to explore what could be done to slow the progress of dementia. The aim of this practical book is to help people who are living with dementia and to give hope to those who are with them on the dementia journey. Jennifer believes that her dementia is an opportunity as well as a challenge. Her important insights are that the person 'inside' remains and can be reached, even when masked by the condition, and that spirituality rises as cognition becomes limited. 'The observant physician shines through in Dr Bute's book, while her practical advice reveals the resourcefulness of an inventor. Alzheimer's disease has surely met one of its toughest ever adversaries!' - Peter Garrard, Professor of Neurology, University of London

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With soft-touch covers, gold foil, rounded corners and ribbon marker, these hardback notebooks are ready to be filled with your creative ideas. Further features include: Graduated colour cover 90 gsm white paper Open-flat binding Lined pages Coloured endpapers Sustainably sourced

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The New Living Translation is an authoritative version of scripture, rendered faithfully into today’s English by an international team of over 90 leading biblical scholars. British Book Design and Production Awards: Shortlisted for the Best Cover Design 2019 The translation conveys the message of the original texts in clear, contemporary language. Its guiding principle is to render words and phrases as simply and literally as possible when that approach yields an accurate, consistent and natural English text, thus preserving literary devices, metaphors and word choices that give structure and provide meaningful connections between different passages. Features: - 8.15 point More Pro font - Two-column layout - Flexibound, gold-foil embossed cover - Lay-flat binding - 12mm margins - White pages

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Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit, Jacob and the stairway to heaven, Joseph and his brothers, Samson and Delilah, David and Goliath, Jonah and the whale, the miracles and teachings of Jesus, St Paul's vision on the road to Damascus, St John's vision of the new Jerusalem: the Bible is full of dramatic stories that have made it the world's bestselling book, and yet few people ever get around to reading it from cover to cover. Now, with The One Hour Bible, readers of all ages can discover its riches and gain a birds-eye view of the entire sweep of the Bible's epic story - in just sixty minutes.

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‘An irresistible biography of one of Oxford’s most colourful characters.’ John Hedley Brooke In 1824, William Buckland stood in front of the Royal Geological Society and told them about the bones he had been studying – the bones of an enormous, lizard-like creature, that he called Megalosaurus. This was the first full account of a dinosaur. During his life, Buckland would also demonstrate changes in the earth’s climate, champion health reform, wage war on slum landlords, and become infamous for eating everything he could, even a mummified human heart. Yet his name has been largely, and unjustly, forgotten. In this brilliantly entertaining, colourful biography – the first to be written for over a century – Allan Chapman brings William Buckland back into the light and explores his fascinating life in full. From his pioneering of geology and agricultural science to becoming Dean of Westminster, Caves, Coprolites and Catastrophes reveals a giant of intellect whose achievements helped revolutionise the British scientific community. Carefully balancing Buckland’s more eccentric escapades with his scientific prowess and the clash between science and religion in the 19th Century, Caves, Coprolites and Catastrophes is vivid, informative and thoroughly compelling. A captivating story packed full of compelling insights into the world of Victorian science and its relationship with the Christian faith, Caves, Coprolites and Catastrophes is an unmissable biography of an exceptional scientist whose legacy extends down to this day.

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The New Living Translation is an authoritative version of scripture, rendered faithfully into today’s English by an international team of over 90 leading biblical scholars. The translation conveys the message of the original texts in clear, contemporary language. Its guiding principle is to render words and phrases as simply and literally as possible when that approach yields an accurate, consistent and natural English text, thus preserving literary devices, metaphors and word choices that give structure and provide meaningful connections between different passages. At the same time, the translation adopts a more dynamic approach when the literal English equivalent would be too obscure or archaic for readers to fully understand. The result is a translation that is both exegetically accurate and idiomatically powerful, making it eminently suitable for both private and public use.

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Liz Hoare's list of twelve great spiritual writers includes famous and lesser known women whose writings have touched her heart, illuminated her mind, and sharpened her spiritual vision. Liz believes they can do the same for you – which is why she has written this book. Each of these great writers – novelists, poets, preachers, philosophers and theologians – contributes something special to our understanding of the spiritual life today. With key extracts from each writer's best-loved books, and with suggestions for personal reflection or group discussion, here is an exceptionally rich resource that you will want to return to time and time again, wherever you may be on your journey.

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‘After many years as a hands-on Christian minister, Alan Bartlett writes of what he knows well and loves wisely.’ PROFESSOR WALTER MOBERLY 'Magisterial' CHURCH TIMES The Church has long been talking about the oncoming challenges of providing ordained ministers to lead and enable local churches. Now structural change is really happening: but those at the sharp end - 'vicars' - are often bewildered and demoralized. This book celebrates the tradition of English Anglican ordained pastoral ministry; it also affirms the value of vicars’ ministry and way of life, and the great gift they have for relating to our communities and churches. The ‘vicar’ (parish priest, pastor, minister) still leads people – those who ‘come to church’ and those who don’t – in prayer and praise, cares for them in their sufferings and rejoices with them in their joys. This deep wisdom has sustained the Church for centuries. Yet, the question must be asked: how can we be better equipped to make prudent decisions about the way church ministry has to evolve now?

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Spend a month in the company of St Francis, with sixty-two reflections to enrich your mornings and evenings. ‘[Francis received] the unhealed everlasting wounds that heal the world.’ - G. K. Chesterton, St. Francis of Assisi Praise for the A Month with series: ‘This series helps us to be properly nurtured by the living, radical Christian tradition of faith.’ - Mark Oakley, author and Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral, London St Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan Order, lived in early thirteenth-century Italy and is known as the patron saint of animals.

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April Holden was told Africa would lead to her death. She went anyway. Despite chronic health problems, she was accepted by a mission, which sent her initially to Egypt. Then she seized the chance to move to one of the toughest, most war-torn countries in North Africa, pioneering homes for street boys traumatized by war or fleeing abuse. In these loving homes, the youngsters could recover and, repeatedly, she saw miracles of provision and protection. April returned to Britain in 2013, utterly exhausted, but was soon back in action with a new mission, working with Operation Mobilisation from a base in Zambia to train workers helping homeless children. April Holden has discovered a strength beyond her own. ‘A remarkable testimony to what God can do when you follow him wholeheartedly.’ - Andy Butcher, author of Street Children

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'Compelling reading' - Alison Weir 'A fresh and admirably unsentimental account' - Peter Marshall The voyage of the Mayflower in 1620 has come to typify those qualities that many believe represent the best of America and the values it holds up to the rest of the world. And yet, if they lived today, the courageous men, women and children who made that journey would not recognize themselves in the romantic retelling of their story in popular books and movies of the last century or so. So what were the motivating forces behind this momentous voyage? Derek Wilson strips away the over-painting from the icon to discover the complex range of religious, political and commercial concerns that led this group of hopeful but fallible human beings to seek a new life on the other side of the world.

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Some people long to find it, others long to escape it. But, whether we welcome or dread it, solitude is something we all experience in different forms at different points in our lives After enduring nearly five years of solitary confinement, in cruel and terrifying conditions, Terry Waite discovered that he was drawn to find out more about the power of solitude in the lives of other people. The result is this haunting book, in which he recalls his encounters with people who have experienced some very different ways of being solitary: among them the peaceful solitude of remote and beautiful places; the unsought and often unnoticed solitude of lonely people living in the midst of busy cities; the deceptive solitude of those living in the twilight world of espionage; the enforced solitude of the convict and the prisoner of war; and, finally, the inescapable solitude of those who are drawing near to death. Through all these encounters, and through the memories and reflections they trigger in the author's mind, we see how solitude shapes the human soul - and how it can be a force for good in our own lives, if we can only learn to use it well.

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Are the world’s major spiritual traditions sources of greater discord than harmony? Or are conflicts widely blamed on faith differences fundamentally social and political? In this succinct but richly reflective book, Rupert Shortt offers even-handed guidance on one of the most disputed questions of our time. Among much else he sheds light on the contrast between good and bad religion, and on why the distinction is of urgent relevance in an era increasingly described as post-secular.

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"A biography of St Paul by his greatest living interpreter: it is a dream come true." Tom Holland This compelling reconstruction of the life and thought of St Paul paints a vivid picture of the Roman world in which he preached his revolutionary message. It explains the significance of Paul's lasting impact on both the Church and the world. Elegantly written by arguably the most influential Pauline scholar in the world today - Paul a Biography is Tom Wright at his very best. This gripping historical life story will appeal to both believers and historians, painting a picture that provides insight and new understanding of both the man Paul and the world in which he lived.

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Join Sister Wendy on a journey through Lent, and discover the timeless wisdom to be found in some of the world's greatest paintings. Illustrated in full colour with over forty famous and lesser-known masterpieces of Western art, this beautiful book will lead you into a deeply prayerful response to all that these paintings convey to the discerning eye. From the Hokusai's Great Wave to Rembrandt's The Return of the Prodigal Son, these reflections draw from the emotions and spiritual truths behind the painting to give you lessons that will stay with you a lifetime. Each of the days is based around a different theme. From joy to tranquility to courage to sacrifice - the messages from The Art of Lent are short meditations that are designed to leave you with questions of your own to think about, rather than a compendium of conceptions to espouse in certain occasions. 'For those who want to appreciate the spirituality behind some of the world’s greatest works of art, this book will be hugely inspiring - not only during Lent but at any time of the year.' Dr Janina Ramirez, art historian and broadcaster

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How do you help an 8-12-year-old to get to grips with prayer for themselves? Welcome to the Prayer Experiment Notebook. The book includes 14 interactive 'prayer experiments' for children to try out, including: - Lego Bible modelling - Minecraft church - Bubble wrap worry prayers - Play dough prayers - Rough times sandpaper prayers - Prayer types chatterboxes - Bedhead prayer posters - Prayer Den - God is great collage - Thank you jar - Prayer Tree - Praying with your body - Contemplation bottles There is also a 'bonus' section of prayer games and activities to play with a friend, at home or in a church group, plus comments from other 'prayer experimenters' and space to write your own reflections.

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‘Hope is not the product of opinion or argument . . . There has to be something else – an impetus to act, a vision, something that fires our imagination.’ At a time when many feel defeated by the world’s problems, Vincent Nichols reminds us why we need to hold on to hope – and how we can offer genuine hope to those who need it most. With questions for reflection at the end of each chapter, this stirring book will encourage people of all faith backgrounds to come together and work towards a better future for all.

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The Bible holds huge religious, historical and cultural weight, but it can be daunting to approach it with no idea of where to begin, or how to read it. Here enters The Bare Bible, the perfect introductory guide to the Bible. Written with humour and a friendly, accessible tone, author Peter Graystone assumes no prior knowledge from his readers and cheerily sets out on a lively discussion of all the Bible is and isn't: the various genres found within its pages, the history of how these various books came to be known as the Bible and - most importantly - why, even after all these years, its words are still relevant to us today.

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In this motivational and highly practical book, Timothy Keller shows how caring for those in need is the duty of every believer – as fundamental to Christian living as evangelism, discipleship and worship. But he doesn’t stop there. He sets out an array of tried-and-tested measures that will encourage and equip Christians of all persuasions to become more committed and more effective in carrying out this vital ministry. As well as a new foreword by John Sentamu, each chapter of the book ends with group discussion questions to help Churches and groups better realise their calling, and work through what to do about it. Ministries of Mercy will equip you to meet the needs of others, to live and love by example, and be inspire others to do the same. It's a resource for reaching out, and a calling card for caring

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How would you run the Church? Many of us can point to things that we would like to change to make the Church more effective in its mission. But we are probably not used to making real-life decisions about how to improve large organizations. Here, Peter Kerridge of Premier Christian Communications Ltd asks eight highly successful entrepreneurs from different Christian traditions how they would set about running the Church. They include the founder of Mumsnet, Carrie Longton, and the billionaire founder of Christian Vision, Lord Bob Edmiston. These dynamic interviews draw out a fascinating range of ideas with the potential to change our churches for ever. ‘A fund of wisdom to learn from and enjoy.’ The Revd Dr Lord Leslie Griffiths

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This beautifully written book aims to increase our love for the world through reflecting on what we have discovered about it, and using this as a basis for further meditation and spiritual enrichment. It opens by looking at the beginning of the universe and the mystery of being, then moves on to our world, its atmosphere, the miracle of water and things we often take for granted but are essential to our health and happiness. Finally, it focuses on our relationship to the earth. Each section offers a short introduction, based on scientific discovery, a meditation, and an exercise in awareness and sensitivity.

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Bursting with life and colour, this story follows two adorable little angels who discover the big story of Easter in an amazing way. 'Have you heard . . .?' 'Did you know . . .?' 'Could it be true . . .?' 'Surely, no!' Something was happening in heaven. Alfie and Alia, two of the smallest angels, listened carefully. What were the big angels whispering about? Alia made a plan. 'Let's fly down to Earth and find out!' Join Alfie and Alia as they discover the Easter story, and meet many furry friends along the way!

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Just out of university, Charles Guilhamon and his friend Gabriel de Lépinau decide to take a year out to tour the world by bike. With a budget of a few euros a day, their travels bring them out of their comfort zone and into contact with people living in isolated or persecuted Christian communities in Syria, Iraq, India, China (Tibet), Thailand, the Amazon (Brazil), Senegal and Algeria. With a delightfully ironic sense of humour, Guilhamon’s vivid storytelling, intelligent analysis and authentic testimonies make for a hugely enjoyable read. In the best tradition of the travelogue, this is a true story well told. Cycling Out of the Comfort Zone concludes with an Afterword on recent developments in Syria and Iraq.

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Part One: The History (What do we know?) This brief historical introduction to William Tyndale explores the social, political and religious factors that formed the original context of his life and writings, and considers how those factors affected the way he was initially received. What was his impact on the world at the time and what were the key ideas and values connected with him? Part Two: The Legacy (Why does it matter?) This second part explores the intellectual and cultural `afterlife' of William Tyndale, and considers the ways in which his impact has lasted and been developed in different contexts by later generations. Why is he still considered important today? In what ways is his legacy contested or resisted? And what aspects of his legacy are likely to continue to influence the world in the future? The book has a brief chronology at the front plus a glossary of key terms and a list of further reading at the back.

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Julian of Norwich, the famous fourteenth-century anchoress, was seriously ill and preparing for death when she received a series of 16 visions of the passion of Christ. As a result of these visions, she dedicated the rest of her life to solitary prayer, and wrote down the content of the visions, which became the first book in English known to have been written by a woman. The first vision includes her famous meditation on the hazelnut, which for her becomes an image of God’s love because God made it, loves it and keeps it. ‘The most original and revolutionary reading of Christ’s gospel since that of St Paul.’ (A. N. Wilson, from the Introduction)

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‘The Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and the love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.’ The Book of Common Prayer, with local variations, is still used in churches inside and outside the Anglican Communion in over 50 countries and in over 150 languages. The Rise and Fall of the Incomparable Liturgy is the first study to trace the evolution and reception of the BCP, from the Elizabethan settlement of 1559 to the Royal Commission report of 1906, when work on a new prayer book was begun. Written by a world authority, here is an illuminating and highly readable account of the ascent and decline of a world classic, which still informs our common language as well as much of the great literature of the past four centuries. It will appeal not only to students of liturgy but also to general readers interested in history, literature, theology and cultural studies.

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The Rule of St Benedict, written for monks in the sixth century, continues to hold an extraordinary appeal to people in our day. It offers a balanced approach to seeking God and integrating prayer, work and relationships in a way that is more essential than ever in our stress-riven society. For St Benedict, the whole of life has a Lenten character, that is, it should be driven by the power of Easter which permeates every aspect of the day with the transforming power of Christ's resurrection. The book aims to help readers engage directly with The Rule of St Benedict. The essential argument is that the Rule offers a way of accessing the transforming power of grace by following the Gospel in everyday life, and so is potentially a blessing for every Christian. While the centrality of Easter in the Rule makes the book ideal as a Lent book, it also means that The Way of Benedict can serve as a guide to the wisdom of the Rule throughout the year. While not a commentary on the Rule, the book follows the shape of the Rule in the belief that this is integral to St Benedict's vision of holistic living.

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A gem of a book.' Graham Tomlin, Bishop of Kensington Many of our everyday encounters in the world are touched by the divine, if we were only aware of it. We may find it impossible to miss God in the great interruptions of human existence, but God often finds a humbler dwelling-place . . . Donna Lazenby was in a packed underground carriage when it was taken siege by a group of musicians ripe to start a ceilidh. The eruption into dull passivity of joy seemed a herald of the Kingdom of God. And so she began to write a series of reflections, some prosaic, others more poetic in tone, that open up ways of seeing light in darkness; love in places of desolation; in-breaking life when all seems tired and old. But the coming of this Kingdom is also revealed in protest, in the world’s cry against a pervasive sense of alienation, while an allegedly ‘secular’ culture steals and presents the claims of the Gospel as its own. And so, Divine Sparks calls us to be prophets: visionaries able to discern and proclaim God’s incoming Kingdom, as it arrives by day – and night. Praise for the author’s A Mystical Theology (Bloomsbury, 2014): ‘[Written] with elegance and originality’ Catherine Pickstock, Professor of Metaphysics and Poetics, University of Cambridge

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In the second book in the Young Joseph series, Joseph's brothers grow more and more jealous of their favoured brother. They come up with a cunning plan to take Joseph down a peg or two by throwing him in a well to give him a fright. Eventually they sell him to passing slave traders but that's not the end of his story!

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'Bring us, Lord our God, at our last awakening, into the house and gate of heaven...' John Donne's prayer speaks of the hope and promise of a life with God that embraces us beyond death as well as during our time on earth. However, people of faith are not exempt from fears, fantasies and speculation, nor from the normal sequence of grief reactions that afflict bereaved human beings. Poetry, whether or not it is consciously religious, can help. In this selection of poems and thoughtful commentaries, Janet Morley offers an enriching approach to a subject we might prefer to avoid contemplating - our ordinary mortality. Here you will find the work of Dylan Thomas, Gillian Clarke, Philip Larkin, U. A. Fanthorpe, Seamus Heaney, Ann Griffiths, Jane Kenyon, Anne Stevenson, A. K. Ramanujan, Richard Baxter, George Herbert, Roger McGough and many more. Ranging in tone from joyful and ecstatic to gentle, ironic, despairing and even hilarious, these writers help us to look at death, accompany the dying, celebrate those who have died, and articulate our hope about what lies beyond. As a result, we have an opportunity to experience the whole range of human emotions about what it means to live, to love and to be loved.

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The complete and unedited edition of Thomas Merton's famous autobiography, one of the greatest works of spiritual pilgrimage ever written. Travelling in his early years with his artist father in the United States, France and England, Thomas Merton prided himself on his worldly accomplishments. His year at Clare College, Cambridge, was indulgent, and although Columbia University to which he went next suited his temperament better, it did nothing to assuage his restlessness. Gradually Merton recognized his need for faith and became a Catholic. With his baptism he began entertaining thoughts of monasticism but his desire to enter the priesthood in a Franciscan monastery came to nothing, and he remained a lay teaching member of the order for some time. However, when he was twenty-seven he made a retreat to a Trappist monastery in Kentucky. This momentous experience convinced him that the silence of the Cistercian Order was what he craved. The Seven Storey Mountain tells the story of Merton's search for faith and peace in a world which first fascinated and then appalled him. It is written with the profound insight of a man who has seen himself clearly. ‘The Seven Storey Mountain is a book one reads with a pencil so as to make it one’s own.’ Graham Greene ‘A remarkable book, a classic of its kind, written in a vivid, rich and alert style which ranges from crisp vernacular to passionate eloquence, full of picturesque incident and passing at times into religious ecstasy.’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘A book which may well prove to be of permanent interest in the history of religious experience.’ Evelyn Waugh

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This introduction to the interpretation of the Psalms encourages in-depth study of the text and genuine grappling with the historical, literary and theological questions that it poses. It draws on a range of methodological approaches as complementary rather than mutually exclusive ways of understanding the text. It also reflects the growing scholarly attention to the reception history of the Psalms, increasingly viewed as a vital aspect of interpretation rather than an optional extra. ‘This introduction to the Psalms, by a scholar who has been studying them and praying them for decades, amply demonstrates their potential to feed our worship and revolutionize the way we pray.’ John Goldingay, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Fuller Theological Seminar, California ‘The best introduction to the Psalms that I have ever seen.’ J. Clinton McCann Jr., Evangelical Professor of Biblical Interpretation, Eden Theological Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri ‘A valuable resource for ministry students and any Christian who wants to go deeper with the Psalms.’ Jenni Williams, Vicar of St Matthew with St Luke, and former Tutor in Old Testament at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford ‘An eminently readable introduction.’ Sue Gillingham, Professor of the Hebrew Bible, University of Oxford

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A 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.

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Stress is now a huge factor in modern living, with one-third of British workers likely to suffer from it some stage in their careers. Christians are not immune. Indeed it is arguable that they are even more vulnerable to overstress or burnout than secular people because of behavioural expectations relating to God, Church, society, work and the prevailing culture. In order to address these particularities, each short chapter in this engaging book responds to a commonly asked question or typical statement, such as ‘How can I tell if I’m overstressed?’; ‘I’m so disillusioned and swamped at work. I don’t know how long I can carry on.’; ‘I’m not managing time for God as I used to.’ etc. The authors then offer basic information, followed by material for meditation or reflection; encouragement of some sort, and finally something for the reader to work on.

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