Search results for ""darton,longman todd ltd""

A Christian barrister and moral crusader who viciously caned young men in his garden shed. An exclusive network of powerful men seeking control in the Church of England. A shared secret of abuse that casts a dark shadow over a whole generation of Christian leaders. This is the extraordinary true story of John Smyth QC, a high-flying barrister who used his role in the church to abuse more than a hundred men and boys in three countries. It tells how he was spirited out of the UK, and how he played the role of moral crusader to evade justice over four decades. It reveals how scores of respected church leaders turned a blind eye to his history of abuse. Journalist and broadcaster Andrew Graystone has pursued the truth about Smyth and those who enabled him to escape justice. He has heard the excruciating testimony of many of Smyth's victims, and has uncovered court and church documents, reports, letters and emails. He has investigated the network of exclusive 'Bash camps' through which Smyth groomed his victims. For the first time, he presents a comprehensive critique of the Iwerne project and the impact it has had on British society and the church.

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The Christian world is at a crossroads, writes Alan Ecclestone, ready to take the way of 'engagement with the Passion of Christ in the world today' or to pass into spiritual death. This classic book, winner of the Collins Religious Books Award, helps the reader find the answers within to face up to this supreme challenge.

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‘About the months leading up to Evie’s death, indeed, about the aftermath, I made a solemn vow to keep silent, and I like to think I take promises seriously. Despite what happened to Evie, I still think of those months I spent in the company of her and Richard, Ivo, Charlie and Piers as fondly as I remember anything. That we swore an oath to silence is not, necessarily, a sign of guilt. You should remember that we are the kind of people who take oaths seriously and we had more things binding us together than mere promises.’ ~ Littlemore College is in a picturesque village just outside Oxford. Its calm surroundings have seen generations of aspirant priests pray and train. As far as the outside world is concerned, human passions are restrained by devotion to a higher calling. But this is the 1990s and women are training for the priesthood for the very first time. Passions are running high and at Littlemore College’s enclosed and febrile heart, a small group of brilliant young ordinands, the favoured students of the charismatic and controversial Medievalist, Professor Albertus Loewe, are asking themselves some very dangerous questions. When Catherine Bolton arrives with her freshly-minted doctorate on Chaucer and the Church, Dr Loewe and his secretive group of students represent an irresistible challenge to her and her new friend Evie Kirkland. But just as Evie is not quite the friend she seems to be, so too the medieval passions of Dr Loewe’s group are more far reaching and intense than she could ever have imagined.

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Our home, our duties and routines, our relationships, and the way we use our time, are the monasteries of our lives. It is through these practices that we build our relationship with God, that we find opportunities for contemplation, and deserts for reflection. In this beautiful little book Ronald Rolheiser turns on its head the idea that religious life is the preserve of monks and nuns. Our cloisters are the walls of our home and our work, the streets we walk, and the people with whom we share our lives. The domestic is the monastic. Chapters include: Monasticism and Family Life; The Domestic Monastery; Real Friendship; Lessons from the Monastic Cell; Ritual for Sustaining Prayer; Tensions within Spirituality; A Spirituality of Parenting; Spirituality and the Seasons of Our Lives; The Sacredness of Time; Life's Key Question.

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We all want to be happy, although ‘happiness’ can mean very different things to different people. But what if I don't feel happy? Is my life less worthwhile? And is there such a thing as lasting happiness anyway? Western society places great emphasis on the pursuit of health, wealth and pleasure, with a general expectation that having these in abundance will lead directly to The Good Life. But anxiety, depression and loneliness are rife in our communities, and it is common for people to struggle with relationships, and to feel they have a low sense of meaning and lasting fulfilment. Is there a better way for us to try to live? Andrew Parnham believes that there is, but such a way may take us in unexpected directions. In Lasting Happiness he invites us to explore this path in his company, looking beyond our immediate perceptions to consider our universal longings, the extraordinary way in which our brains engage with the world and ourselves, how healthy relationships develop and can be restored, and how meaning and fulfilment may actually be attained.

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Narcissistic mother’s syndrome is a form of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) which is present in an estimated 0.6-1.0% of the population. The condition, and abusive impact it has on hundreds of thousands of daughters around the world, receives little public attention. Writer Danu Morrigan has helped thousands of women to find a path to freedom, through her support website daughtersofnarcissisticmothers.com and her bestselling book You’re Not Crazy – It’s Your Mother. Now, Dear Daughter of a Narcissistic Mother …, her much anticipated second book, presents 100 letters written by Danu to fellow victims, containing recognition, advice, techniques and encouragement to break free and remain free from the toxicity of a relationship with an NPD mother.

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A bestseller in its original Argentinian, Francis: Life and Revolution paints an intimate portrait of Jorge Bergoglio by Elisabetta Pique, a journalist who is also a close friend of the man who became the 266th and current Pope. The warm, personal narrative is rich in character and evocation of the subject and biographer's shared Argentinian heritage, making this unique among books about Bergoglio. Pique tells the story of his upbringing, and journey through priesthood to the Vatican, the Curia and ultimately to his election as Pope. Her text includes her phone conversations with Bergoglio in the days preceding the announcement, his fears and modest denials when she told him she believed it would be him, and a fascinating never-before-reported account of the deliberations of the Conclave that elected him. Before analysing the innovations and the polemic changes driven by the new Pope, the book tells of a good natured and kind man with a wonderful sense of humour married to strong convictions who risked his own life to help the victims of illegal repression in Argentina.

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What does it mean to be a healer in the modern world? In this hope-filled and profoundly simple book, Henri Nouwen offers a radically fresh interpretation of modern ministry. Here he inspires devoted men and women who want to be of service in their church or community, but have found the traditional ways of ministry alienating and ineffective. According to Nouwen, we are called to identify the suffering in our own hearts and make that recognition the starting point of our service. We must be willing to go beyond our professional, aloof roles of service and leave ourselves open as fellow human beings with the same wounds and suffering as those we serve. We heal from our wounds.

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In this classic treatise on Christian spirituality, Rowan Williams takes us with a new eye along a road marked out by Paul, John, Ignatius, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Athanasius, Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, Augustine, and finally to Luther and St. John of the Cross. The Wound of Knowledge is a penetrating psychological and intellectual analysis of Christian spirituality from one of the finest theological minds of our day.

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‘Following the mass conversions sweeping Britain after the publication of Lives of the Improbable Saints, Dr Harrison and I thought it wise and expedient to retell yet more stories of the great ‘cloud of witnesses’ preserved in Christian tradition these two thousand years.’ Richard Coles Martyrs and miracle-workers, monks, mystics and murderers; each of these legendary saints – respectfully introduced by Richard Coles and affectionately illustrated by Ted Harrison – can, however improbable, prompt us to reflect on faith and devotion today. From St Edith of Wilton, who beat up the Devil, to St Eutychius of Phrygia, who fell asleep and dropped from a window ledge while listening to a sermon of the Apostle Paul, only to be raised from the dead, here are 180 more astonishing stories of the saints of Christian legend.

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Ayrton Senna is arguably the most famous racing driver there has ever been. All over the world, he is revered as a saint and as the greatest driver the sport has ever seen. Indeed, the 2010 film of his life verged on the hagiographic, painting him as a beloved child of God put on Earth to fight injustice and help those less fortunate than him. But was his reputation disproportionately burnished because he died, aged only 34, in front of millions of TV viewers, thus sealing his reputation as the Messianic martyr of motor racing? This book takes a twofold look at both Ayrton da Silva, the softly-spoken and introspective man, and Senna the aggressive, ruthless and brilliant driver, distinct entities who often struggled to coexist peacefully together, and discusses why, of all the great drivers Formula One has nurtured, Senna attracts the most fervent following.

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'Morning glory, starlit sky, soaring music, scholar's truth, Flight of swallows, autumn leaves, memory's treasure, grace of youth. Open are the gifts of God, gifts of love to mind and sense; Hidden is love's agony, love's endeavour, love's expense.' These words conclude one of the most influential and best-loved spiritual books of the twentieth century. Nearly forty years after its first publication, Love's Endeavour, Love's Expense remains transforming and compelling. William H. Vanstone explores the nature and cost of authentic love, distinguishing it from destructive imitations, and he reflects on the precarious activity of God in creation, the 'sublime self-giving', which is the ground and source and origin of the universe' and which requires the Creator to wait upon the response to his creation. The late Canon W. H. Vanstone also wrote The Stature of Waiting and Fare Well in Christ.

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An instant classic of contemporary spirituality, bringing together an engaging introduction to the Christian contemplative tradition for people inside or on the margins of the churches who feel drawn to the world of silent prayer. Martin Laird shows how silence and meditation can offer a remedy to many contemporary dilemmas and emotional struggles. Writing with great clarity, depth and authority, Laird examines the meditative methods and traditions found within contemplative prayer. He also explores the role of breath and awareness in the spiritual life, which, while usually associated with Buddhism, is also an ancient concern of Christian thinkers. Into the Silent Land brings together scholarship, pastoral practice and the author’s own personal experience. It offers new insights for the student but is especially intended for the non-specialist reader who feels drawn to the world of silent prayer and is looking to the Christian contemplative tradition for inspiration and guidance.

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A new reflection from Jean Vanier on the Gospel of John, based on a series of talks originally written for television. Vanier moves through each passage, setting it in the context of the other gospels, and drawing out messages for our contemporary world.

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A comprehensive and lively introduction to the Old Testament, suitable for sixth-form, university and ministerial students, as well as the interested general reader. It provides a complete course covering history, archaeology, geography and textual interpretation. Its core is a set of chapters on central biblical themes including the nature of God, human suffering, ethics, the relation of God to Israel and the covenant. There are detailed chapters on aspects such as prophecy, worship, law, apocalyptic and wisdom literature and historiography. The book is extensively illustrated and easily navigable with icons, sidebars and boxes providing helpful information and questions for discussion.

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Do you sometimes feel as though you’re sleepwalking through life? That you’re stuck in a rut? Does each step forward seem to be accompanied by two steps back? Are you fed up with feeling this way, and wondering what you can do about it? Stop Existing, Start Living is designed to help you take control of and responsibility for your life, so that you can start living the life you choose to live. The majority of what we do is driven by our unconscious mind, and follows automatic patterns of response based on our past experiences. Without realising it, we can find ourselves robotically repeating behaviours that actually make our lives worse, leaving us feeling dissatisfied, uncomfortable and ineffective, but not understanding why. Through the relaxing and proven techniques of hypnotherapy, this book will lead you step-by-step through the process of recognising the ways in which your unconscious mind is generating your sense of discomfort and dissatisfaction. The development focus then moves to the goal of changing those old, ineffective responses, bringing to the fore thoughts, feelings and behaviours that will improve your life and your enjoyment of it. Stop Existing, Start Living guides you through a unique and gentle process of change using ten hypnosis audio recordings. These can be downloaded at www.helpyourselfhypnotherapy.com.

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The Dog Walker’s Guide to God contains 52 five-minute-reads to inspire dog walkers to ponder the mysteries of faith and the wonders of God. In each chapter, Henry Martin offers a simple reflection and an illustration to be read just before setting out and then chewed over while you and your dog walk together. He invites you to consider: the everyday (house-training, basic obedience, toys and instructions), the profound (crime, punishment, rejection, adoption, ageing, death and the afterlife), the theological (salvation, the Scriptures and prayer), the psychological (and physiological) differences between humans and dogs, the disgusting (including why your dog might scoot its rear across your new carpet!) and, underlying all of these, love (human, Divine and canine). These are universal themes, and the reflections are just as valuable as resources for anyone who is housebound, or those without a dog in their lives.

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LGBTQI people in the church have spent a long time being told what God expects of them and how they should behave. From prohibitions on who they might love or marry, to erasure and denial, the theological record is one in which LGBTQI people are far too often objectified and their lives seen as the property of others. In no other significant religious question are ‘theological’ arguments made that so clearly reject overwhelming scientific and experiential knowledge about the human person. This book seeks to find a better way to do theology – not about, but with and of LGBTQI people – taking insights from the sciences and personal narratives as it seeks to answer the question: ‘What does human flourishing look like?’

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Published in English for the first time, this is the full text of Che cosa è l’uomo?, the official 2019 statement of the Pontifical Biblical Commission on aspects of biblical anthropology. It focuses on four themes: human beings created by God; human beings in the garden; the human family; human beings in history.

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Ineffable Love asks what we can learn about life and some of the big questions of the Christian faith from the award-winning television adaptation of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens, starring Michael Sheen and David Tennant. ‘It’s really hard to avoid the fact that the fundamentals of Good Omens are incredibly Jesus-y,’ write authors Alex Booer and Emma Hinds. ‘The story is about the frustrations of longing for justice in an unjust world and what it means to be Good or Bad, Right or Wrong. Like much of Jesus’ teaching, it is subversive and challenging.’ And it’s all about love. Based on key video clips from the show, the book offers Bible verses, discussion prompts, prayers, poetry and creative reflections, to help you delve deeper into themes of: • Justice • Body and Matter • Power • Belief • Hope • Love and Renewal. Ineffable Love has been written for personal reading, but can easily be adapted into a six-session course for groups.

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Guided by Ignatian principles, this book looks at techniques for prayer, ways of focusing prayer, problems in prayer and ways of moving on.

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Christian Bobin is one of the most prolific and best-selling inspirational writers in France. His ‘lyric essays’, neither prose nor poetry, utilise a limited vocabulary manipulated with the precision of a watchmaker. Bobin often obtains his effects through startling juxtapositions of the ordinary, aimed straight at the heart and not without the intention of drawing blood. Prevalent themes in his work include the natural world, the perspectives of the very old and the very young, and the distilled wisdom of his contemplative Catholic faith. A lifelong sufferer from ‘persuasive melancholy’, Bobin mines the narrow seam of joy and wonder in the dank rock face of depression, and writing has been the tool he has employed to chip it out. The Eighth Day comprises – in an original English translation – a superb collection of Bobin’s writings from the last 30 years. A guaranteed best-selling author in France – his books can sell up to 200,000 copies per edition – he is an inspirational writer yet to be discovered in the English-speaking world. This anthology is designed to introduce him to a new readership, and includes fresh introductions to each chapter by translator and compiler Pauline Matarasso.

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From cathedral choirs, football chanting, and birdsong, to castrati, protest songs and artificial intelligence, On Voice explores the world of the voice that exists between the mouth and the ear. This is a book about the sound that journeys from the lips to the heart; how we speak it, how we hear it and how we embody it as people made in the image of the God whose voice created the heavens and the earth. Victoria Johnson, the new Dean of St John's College, Cambridge, was previously Precentor of York Minster, the first woman to inhabit that role in a history which reaches back over a thousand years. A Precentor is someone who orchestrates worship and sings first', hers is the voice which invokes God to open our lips, so that our mouth can show forth praise. When a new voice inhabits such an ancient role does anything change? Do the stones resound in a different way? This book aims to explore the sonics of voice - human and divine expressed through speech, song and silence. Through the

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A bestselling Catholic author pens this deeply personal introduction to the biblical theology and spirituality of Opus Dei, a highly secretive and powerful international organization. Hahn, a member of Opus Dei, describes the organization's founding, its mission, and its profound influence on his life.

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In this Church Times ''Top 100 Best Christian Book'', a chance encounter with a reproduction of Rembrandt's painting, The Return of the Prodigal Son, catapulted Henri Nouwen into a long spiritual adventure. He shares the deeply personal meditation that led him to discover the place within which God has chosen to dwell.In seizing the inspiraton that came to him through Rembrandt's depiction of the powerful Gospel story, Nouwen probes the several movements of the parable: the younger son's return, the father's resoration of sonship, the elder son's vengefulness, and the father's compassion. In his reflection on Rembrandt in light of his own life journey, the author evokes the powerful drama of the parable in a rich, captivating way.The themes of homecoming, affirmation, and reconciliation will be newly discovered by all who have known loneliness, dejection, jealousy, or anger. The challenge to love as the father and be loved as the son is represented with new freshness and vigour for our

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In Faiths Lost and Found ten people tell the story of their personal, often traumatic, experiences of apostasy. Each person left one iteration of Christianity, found themselves ostracised by the community they left, and found a new spiritual home. Editors Martyn Percy and Charles Foster introduce these stories and conclude with personal, theological and spiritual reflections. They examine the social, psychological and theological dynamics of apostasy. What makes someone renounce one faith tradition and embrace another? Why does the subsequent ostracism by the community they have left often seem so harsh? The book ends with suggested questions and other points for reflection in a Study Guide for groups or individuals.

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The Universe Provides collects stories of hope, miracles and uplifting personal encounters from Eddie Gilmore’s travels around a global community rediscovering itself following the isolations of the coronavirus pandemic. Following the course of a calendar year, gently guided by the waymarkers of the natural and liturgical seasons, Eddie records countless moments of friendship, kindness and connection, often accompanied by laughter, tears and music. Some of his encounters are planned, through his ministry as CEO for the Irish Chaplaincy, a charity which supports Irish people in Britain, including prisoners, Travellers and Seniors; other moments, perhaps the most fulfilling, arrive unexpectedly – gifts from the universe, which truly provides when we open our hearts.

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South African author, pastor and activist, Mpho Tuti van Furth argues that while we think of reparations in relation to the colonial powers and the colonised as both a remunerative act and a punitive one, reparations rightly engaged should be part of a spiritual process of forgiveness and reconciliation. Reparations would be an element in a process of atonement and restorative justice and that sees the need for acknowledgement of the damage done to the enslaved and colonised; healing and restoration of the lost humanity of the perpetrators; and repair of the violated relationships between the human and ecological victims and the human perpetrators.

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How does a scientist find God in the universe? My Theology: Finding God in the Universe is the personal reflection of a Jesuit brother and astronomer, the director of the Vatican Observatory. Br. Guy Consolmagno SJ insists that science is more than observing the universe; it’s learning how to pay attention, how to concentrate on one aspect while setting aside, at least momentarily, all the other interesting aspects that can distract us from a deeper knowledge of the universe…. or of God. In his telling, Joy is our compass, Truth is our goal; and Imagination weaves the story where we situate the joy that leads us to truth. Most importantly, both science and theology are done within a community of fellow seekers, where we share the stories that teach us how to explore, and with whom we can try to make sense of what we think we have found.

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Reflecting on the particular challenges facing a schoolgirl of the 1950s attracted to the possibility of going to university to read Theology, and her path to becoming the first woman to be given a personal Chair at the University of Durham, Professor Emerita of Divinity at the same, an Honorary Professor at the University of St Andrews, and a CBE for services to Theology, Ann Loades introduces some of the key tenets of her theological thinking, including: theodicy; women in theology; worship; engagement with actual living; biography and theology in various writers.

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The very first full-text Readers editions of the Revised New Jerusalem Bible (RNJB) - a Bible for study and proclamation. The text of the Revised New Jerusalem Bible and the accompanying footnotes have been granted the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, declaring that they are considered to be free from doctrinal or moral error. This exciting new text presents anew the scholarship, character and clarity of the 1966 Jerusalem Bible (the first modern English version) and the 1985 New Jerusalem Bible. The RNJB prioritises accuracy of translation and richness of tone, capturing the rigour and poetry of the original JB for new generations. This volume contains the entire biblical text with introductions by Revd Henry Wansbrough OSB to every book. Other features include - * A clear, easy-to-read typeface and original setting. * Prose-dominant books are set in two-column format; poetry dominant books are set in single format. * Formal equivalence. Accurate translation of the language, concepts and imagery of the original scriptures. * 'Clear read' style. Uses linguistic style and speech patterns best suited for being read out loud. * Gender inclusion. Remains faithful to the meaning of the original scriptures while avoiding traditional male bias of the English language.

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My Theology: The world’s leading Christian thinkers explain some of the principal tenets of their theological beliefs. ‘I never expected to be a Christian theologian, mainly because I never expected to be a Christian,’ writes Alister McGrath. ‘I assumed that scientific atheism would be my permanent intellectual homeland; in fact, it turned out to be a temporary place of exile, from which I would later return, wiser and somewhat chastened.’ In this fascinating book, McGrath describes his journey into faith and his vision of Christian theology, focussing on the distinct role of historical theology; the importance of engaging the relation of science and faith; the need for theologians to engage in major public debates; and the significance of theological education.

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A comprehensively revised and expanded new edition of Danu Morrigan’s #1 bestselling book, which has helped tens of thousands of daughters of narcissistic mothers around the world. Do you find yourself emotionally bruised, upset and confused after being in touch with your mother? Do you somehow feel like you’re not a real person in her company? If so, you are far from alone. Millions of daughters experience the same hall-of-mirrors dizziness. Many of them have come to the conclusion that their mother has Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and that explains all that they have suffered. This book explores this – maybe it will resonate for you the same way and make you feel understood and validated as never before. This new edition includes a wealth of new insight and understanding learned by Danu over the last ten years, including: Clarity about escaping the toxic dynamic, through The Four Steps to Freedom; managing our fear of regretting our decisions; how Stories steer us without us realising; the NM’s performative kindness and performative love; overcoming the trap of The Silent Treatment; distinguishing narcissistic ‘niceness’ from genuine decency; how to recognise, get, and contribute to healthy relationships.

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God is Green examines what the Bible has to say about humanity’s relationship with and responsibility for the environment, and how Church traditions over the centuries have interpreted this. Ian Bradley argues that Christianity at its essence is a ‘green faith’ which has been distorted over the years. First published in 1990, this new edition of the book is revised for the contemporary state of our climate, and includes a chapter-by-chapter study guide for individuals and small groups.

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Life is an intricate tapestry of stories. Stories help us better to understand the world around us, our relationships with other people, and even ourselves. We use them in our daily life and work; churches and other communities use them to build from within and to reach out to others; and stories enrich our knowledge of God and help us grow in faith. What can we learn from other people’s stories? How can we better express our own story, and hold it alongside the stories of God? How can a deep engagement with all these stories be helpful to our life and witness, and on what occasions can they be unhelpful? This inspiring new book explores these questions, and can be studied privately or in groups. Each chapter includes points for reflection, points for connection, and a suggested prayer.

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** As featured on BBC Radio 4 this Christmas, narrated by Alex Jennings ** Although we are all familiar with Joseph – from a legion of retellings of the Christmas story – he remains, for many, a shadowy figure about whom we know very little and who is rarely given much thought, if any. This beautiful meditative fable, imagined as it might be told by the archangel Gabriel, helps us to understand who Joseph was and how he might have felt about the part he was called to play in the Greatest Story Ever Told. Joseph and the Three Gifts follows Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem, in hiding in Egypt and a return to his carpentry in Nazareth as Jesus grows from boy to man to messiah. And it asks what Joseph might have done with the Magi’s gifts of frankincense, gold and myrrh. A wonderful story for all ages, perfect for Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. The cover and interior illustrations for Joseph and the Three Gifts are by Henry Martin, an artist, ordained Anglican minister and author of Eavesdropping.

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In Sharing the Darkness, Sheila Cassidy – a leading figure of the hospice movement, and survivor, as a young doctor, of torture for daring to give medical care to an opponent of the Pinochet regime in Chile – meditates on the mystery of our wounded humanity, trying to wrest meaning and a spirituality of caring out of the reality of suffering. The Pocket Library of Spiritual Wisdom comprises some of the very best Christian writing published by Darton, Longman and Todd since its foundation in 1959.

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Thérèse of Lisieux is among today’s most popular and best-loved saints. Yet she entered a Carmelite convent when she was just 15, and died from tuberculosis in 1897 when she was only 24. Her spiritual autobiography, The Story of a Soul, and other writings including letters and poetry, became widely read after Thérèse’s death. Throughout the Christian world, word spread of the ‘Little Way’ of love that she set out in her writing. In words simple yet profound, she taught ‘trust and absolute self-surrender’ to God, and showed how holiness lies within the reach of us all. By Love Alone offers short extracts from Thérèse’s writings, arranged for daily devotional reading. First published in 1986, this wonderful collection has brought comfort and spiritual guidance to tens of thousands of people around the world.This new edition curated by Fr Luke Penkett, archivist and librarian of the Julian Centre, presents her words anew for a modern generation. The original edition was edited by Fr Michael Hollings, a priest, writer and broadcaster.

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In her captivating, trademark weave of theology and memoir, Sarah Bessey tells us the story of the car crash that changed her body and how it ultimately changed her life. The road of healing led to Rome where she met the Pope (it’s complicated) and encountered the Holy Spirit in the last place she expected. Insightful, profound, and unexpected, Miracles and Other Reasonable Things is a wild, spirit-filled story of what it means to live with both grief and faith, suffering and joy, as we wrestle with God.

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Teresa of Ávila presents herself to us as a woman originally caught between her passion for the things of the world and an equal passion for God. Born to a marginalised family in sixteenth-century Spain, at the age of 20 she entered a Carmelite convent, surrendering totally to God and pursuing a life of contemplative prayer and intimate union with God. Teresa understood prayer as a living relationship with God, and wrote several books describing her discoveries and revelations about the Christ-centred life, including her Life and The Way of Perfection, from which the readings in this collection are drawn. She was canonized in 1622 and made a Doctor of the Church in 1970. Living Water offers short extracts from St Teresa’s writings, arranged for daily devotional reading. First published in 1985, this wonderful collection has brought comfort and spiritual direction to tens of thousands of people around the world. This new edition curated by Fr Luke Penkett, archivist and librarian of the Julian Centre, presents her words anew for a modern generation. The original edition was edited by Sister Mary of the Carmelite order.

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Millions of photos are taken every day across the world. Some are just snapshots. Others are more carefully crafted and have the capacity to deepen our vision and sharpen our sense of what life is truly about. Spirituality in Photography explores how photography can offer unique perspectives on the self, the world and what we live by. Readers are invited to take photos more slowly, reframe their gaze, allow themselves to be fully present, and let their photos tell a story - this includes a section on how photography can offer new perspectives on the Bible. The book also explores how photography can help readers meditate on mystery and tune into their own ‘rule of life’. Spirituality in Photography offers a range of ideas for readers to try out with their camera or camera phone and invites them on a journey of discovery, as they allow their photography and their spirituality to inspire each other.

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Sometimes, it can feel as though we are living in the worst of times – a world of chaos, uncertainty and breakdown. But could this also be the best of times – a crucible of change in which a wiser and more spiritually mature future is being forged? The stars are most clearly visible in the deepest darkness. The butterfly emerges out of the worst meltdown of the chrysalis. In Born to Fly, Margaret Silf helps us to explore what it would mean for each of us to be such an emerging butterfly – to be an agent of spiritual transformation in our own lives and in the world around us. What kind of future do we desire for ourselves, for those who follow after us, and for the whole of creation? And, if the choices we make today are shaping that future, how might we learn to make those choices more wisely? The second part of the book takes us on a gentle journey in five stages through the process of transformation mapped out for us by the caterpillar as it changes from a pesky garden grub, taking what it wants without regard for the rest of creation, to a butterfly, giving life wherever it lands. Born to Fly is designed to be read for personal reflection and inspiration, or alongside fellow readers, with suggestions for further discussion. It is a companion book to Margaret’s Hidden Wings.

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Through the teachings of Jesus, and Christian mystics such as St Augustine and Meister Eckhart, Stefan Gillow Reynolds demonstrates that the practice of Mindfulness leading to silent meditation, recommended by many therapists, is not a modern fad but has always had a place within contemplative Christianity.

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A collection of talks and sermons from Rowan Williams, one of the finest theological minds of our day, covering a range of issues from war, social justice and sexuality to prayer, spirituality and evangelism. Williams shows the connections between contemporary issues, biblical texts and the Christian tradition, each element drawing new and often surprising things out of the others, and challenges us to make our own connections between the gospel, contemporary problems and our personal struggles.

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Mental Health: The Inclusive Church Resource is written to help your own church to be equipped to welcome all people who live with mental health issues. It contains first-hand personal experiences of people who have felt excluded from churches because of their mental health, a Theology of Mental Health by Jean Vanier and John Swinton and a resource section containing addresses, websites and practical advice. Other books in the Inclusive Church Resource series include Disability and forthcoming titles on Poverty, Sexuality, Gender and Ethnicity.

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From St Fillan of Munster, patron saint of the mentally ill, who read by the light of his miraculously glowing arm, to Santa Lucia, who tore out her eyes to dismiss the lascivious attentions of her would-be husband, here are nearly two hundred classic stories of the saints of Christian legend. Richard Coles, former half of 80s pop duo The Communards, now a Church of England priest and presenter of Radio 4’s Saturday Live, has collected these wonderful tales from around the world. Despite their bizarre, colourful and sometimes grotesque stories, many of these saints are still celebrated and prayed to today. Every page illustrated by cartoonist Ted Harrison, giving the book a saintly Horrible Histories feel.

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