Book Reviews

Living Jesus
John Pritchard
Published by SPCK
ISBN 9780281060405

I rarely get excited about a book, but when I was asked to review a copy of John Pritchard’s Living Jesus I have to admit that I was more than delighted. As a Local Preacher I have been an enthusiastic user of his two Intercessions Handbooks for some time.

In Living Jesus John Pritchard, who is Bishop of Oxford has managed to do something which is quite difficult as a writer, and that is write an accessible account of how Jesus touches our lives and through our lives reaches out to others, which bubbles underneath with his own enthusiasm for the subject of the book. ‘I am passionate about Jesus Christ’ says Pritchard, and this is obvious within the pages of the book. It’s a journey of discovery, as the author shares the versions of Jesus that were offered to him over the years (I particularly liked the National Trust Jesus; ‘‘a delight to visit occasionally to remind oneself of one’s heritage and the virtues of the ‘old services’’)

With humour, relevance and a little controversy we follow John Pritchard’s journey through the Jesus that was offered to him, to the Jesus who found, challenges and excites him. This is in many ways a guide book for those who want to know more about the Jesus of the New Testament and how the knowledge of who Jesus is impacts on the way we look at the world and our fellow travellers; perhaps summed up in part by Paul’s words to the Colossians: ‘Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him’

Ending the book is a group study course which will enable users to dig a little deeper into the life and meanings of Jesus – making this an excellent choice for a book group.

Buy this book! You will be challenged, encouraged and uplifted by its message.

The Path of Light
Meditations on prayers from the Celtic tradition
David Adam
Published by SPCK
ISBN 978-0-281-060702

For those used to the collections of prayers written by David Adam, this is something a little different, but well worth investigating. The author has collected together 40 ancient prayers and used them as the starting point for meditations which offer both an insight into the life of the early Christians and also, I think provide a beautiful link between the past and the present as there is much in both the selected prayers and Adam's words that can engage the reader.

Themes include:
The God Who Is, The Trinity, I Arise Today, Working and Walking with the Creator, What Shall I Fear?, God to Surround Me, The Power of God, The Borderlands

This is about spending time with God, as indeed the early Christians did, from the moment they awoke until they closed their eyes in sleep. Many of the prayers are from a collection by Alexander Carmichael made around the turn of the 20th century from an ancient oral tradition in the Hebrides, called the Carmina Gadelica, and there are some wonderful prayers here which show the deep and personal faith of these remote people.

What does come through is Adam's deep regard and knowledge of the life of the early Christians in this land, and for those interested in Celtic spirituality he has produced a book that will be read more than once, as it is both a source of knowledge and also inspiration.

Reconstructing Early Christian Worship
Paul F. Bradshaw
Published by SPCK
ISBN 978-0-281-060948

This book is a second from Paul Bradshaw on the search for the origins of early Christian worship, and for those who have an interest in how familiar aspects of our worshipping life such as the Eucharist, Baptism and daily prayer have developed over the centuries this is a fascinating, and enlightening account.

Explaining his approach, the author states '..each of the chapters begins from the conventional depiction of its topic, and subjects the sources to an assessment from the perspective of the methodology set out in my earlier work, which then leads to new conclusions.'

If this sounds a little technical, then let me give you a fascinating example which shows what Paul Bradshaw's research has brought to light. Baptism is one of the core rites of the Christian church, be it adult or child baptism, and we are familiar with the idea that prior to the actual event there might be some preparation lessons, either for parents or adult. It was not always so! According to a 4th century pilgrim, during the Lenten season the bishop instructed those preparing for baptism for three hours each day, going through 'the whole Bible, beginning with Genesis'; then after five weeks he explains to them the meaning of the Creed, article by article.

That wasn't all, as the candidate's conduct was put under scrutiny. 'As they come in one by one, the bishop asks their neighbours questions about them: "Is this person leading a good life? Does he respect his parents? Is he a drunkard or a boaster?" He asks about all the serious human vices.'

I cannot imagine how this would go down if proposed in this day and age, but it is certainly interesting to see how our worship and also our approach to each of these subjects has evolved!

It is fascinating insights such as this which make this book so interesting.

Radiance of His Glory
Prayers for the Church: Years A, B & C
David Adam
Published by SPCK
ISBN 978-0-281-061969

This book brings together three of David Adam's previous titles (Clouds of Glory, Traces of Glory and Glimpses of Glory) into a single volume, both for those whose current copies are wearing a little thin through constant use, and just as importantly for a potential new readership of worship leaders and individuals with a love of liturgy and celtic spirituality. It can be used as part of daily prayer life, praying through the Scripture passages as contained within the Common Worship Liturgy, as well as included within the normal liturgy of church worship.

Radiance of His Glory is a collection of intercessions based upon the cycle of lectionary readings used in many denominations, and the format is a familiar one, following the order of prayer for church, the world, our homes and loved ones, the sick and needy, remembering the saints and the departed. The author adds a prayer to focus our thoughts and an offering of the peace and a blessing.

The strngths of these prayers is that they are grounded in the reality of everyday life. David Adam says 'Intercession us not positive thinking, it is facing real situations in the presence and power of God... not pleading with God but rather a uniting with him; it is not about manipulating the Almighty but rather co-operating with him.'

As with all such resources, David Adam offers a pattern to prayer which although contemporary in feel and language has its roots in a tradition stretching back many generations. It is also a pattern that can be used to encourage leaders of worship to develop their own style and language. Take these prayers and weave them into the very real concerns of the church and world through teh week that has been, and look forward, as the author does on a walk in the North Yorkshire Moors, to pass through the low cloud and out into the sunshine above!

Gazing on the Gospels
Meditations on the Lectionary Readings (Year C)
Judith Dimond
Published by SPCK
ISBN 978-0-281-061211

This is the second title in what will be a trilogy exploring the Lectionary Gospel Readings over the three year cycle. The reflections are based upon the pattern of Clare of Assisi to aid the reader or congregation connect with the passage being read. This pattern is:

Gaze on him
Consider him
Contemplate him
As you desire to imitate him

Year C finds us mainly in Luke's Gospel, and Judith Dimond's book serves more than just as a reflection upon a Bible passage. She challenges the reader to get beneath the surface of Luke's wonderful story and walk the streets of 1st century Palestine, picture the characters in our minds - their emotions, fears and joys - smell the air and feel the sea spray on our skin. She then puts the passage into its historical context and leads us to consider how this story challenges us today, before finishing with a prayer. The approach is fresh and inspiring, and one which I will certainly use within the context of a service.

Part of the joy of leading worship is to vary the menu now and again, lest the congregation get too used to one form of liturgy or plan. Judith Dimond has made a valuable contribution to the bookshelf of Ministers and Worship Leaders which will not be one that gathers dust!

The reflections themselves are not long (2 pages) but offer a leader of worship a novel way to encourage a congregation to connect with a Bible reading.

For an individual using this resource at home it is equally useful, bringing alive the Word of God as part of a regular Bible study.

Joyful Christianity
Finding Jesus in the World
Cally Hammond
Published by SPCK
ISBN 978-0-281-060870

Joyful Christianity is a thin volume (75 pages) but contains a wealth of knowledge and wisdom shared by the author Cally Hammond who is Dean of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. The aim is to deepen the faith of the reader, but there are challenges on the way as she leads us to examine the events before, during and after Jesus' birth and not be afraid to confront any problems that the familiar story poses theologically.

She begins the introduction to the book with a rather provocative question, 'Why do we believe in God' and a discussion about the nature of our Christian faith and the current challenges to the traditional beliefs of Christianity as made by the likes of Dan Brown and Richard Dawkins. This has led, she argues to a change in the debate which was once between faiths and denominations - to one between faith and atheism.

Faced with this challenge to Christian doctrine, Hammond leads the reader to begin to work out what kind of thing our Christian faith is, by making use of an ancient prayer called the 'joyful mysteries' to help us to see the hand of God at work in the everday moments of our lives.

The study centres on the story of the incarnation and, in the words of the author, 'is for those who want to understand what they believe, and are prepared to accept the limitations of human understanding.'

There are five in-depth studies, based upon:

The annunciation
The visitation
The nativity
The presentation in the temple
The finding in the temple

These are familiar stories and of course well loved ones but perhaps stories which we have never stopped to consider fully because of the pressure of the Christmas season, and it is good with all such familiar Bible stories to ocassionally take a step back and look at the context, examine the text and address any possible problems that they pose - that's how our faith matures.

At the end of each section there are some challenging questions which can form part of a group discussion or individual study. The studies can be used any time of the year but may be particularly helpful through the Advent season.

Justification
God's Plan and Paul's Vision
Tom Wright
Published by SPCK
ISBN 978-0-281-060900

There's no doubting the importance of Bishop Tom Wright's writings in our understanding of the Bible, and this volume on the theology of St Paul particularly as it relates to Justification is packed with enough meat and quotable quotes to keep many a preacher going for some time - this is the product of a lifetime of study!

Tom Wright argues that to understand 'justification' from Paul's point of view, it is necessary to see it in terms of four elements: the cosmic law court; the forward-moving purpose of God; the fact of God's achievement in Jesus Christ and our participation in him; and ultimately the single divine plan, through Israel, for the whole world.

The book divides neatly into two; an extended introduction to the overall theme, and an exegesis of Paul's writings as they relate to justification.

What is not apparent from first glance is that one of the reasons for writing this book is to clarify Tom Wright's position on Paul's writings after some criticism from theologians such as John Piper, and some time is spent in countering theological arguements raised particularly by Piper. Don't let this put you off, however! There is much to gain through the reading of this book, particularly in following Paul's thoughts through his letters, and the reader will be left with an increased understanding of God's wonderful plan for the world.

Helping Teenagers to Pray
Mark Yaconelli
Published by SPCK
ISBN: 978-0-281-06075-7

In his introduction to this book, the author says that it is 'a book about tending the life of prayer within young people. It is a response to the yearning for prayer that lives within adolescents, and all of us who seek to follow Jesus. The book divides into two primary sections. In the first, the author offers some reflections on the nature of prayer and adolescence (based upon many years working with young people) and in the second he describes a variety of praye methods, settings and strategies to help young people uncover the presence of God in their lives.

There is no doubt that modern youth culture moves at such a pace that it is difficult for kids to slow down and give space for what we (as an older generation) might consider to be an appropriate time and place where we can communicate with God.

This book offers help in two respects; it offers an understanding, based upon experience, of young people today, and offers ways to tap into their lifestyle and present prayer in a way that they can connect into, throug their joys and sorrows.

If you or your church are feeling a bit disconnected with the youth in your fellowship, then maybe this is a book that you ought to read - it might help you to help them!

Words for Silence
A Year of Contemplative Meditations
Fr Gregory Fruehwirth, OJN
Preface by Archbishop Tutu
Published by SPCK
ISBN: 978-0-281-06105-1

You have to respect anyone who can make the eating of a tuna casserole a spiritual experience, or as our PC or laptop brings us the 'blue screen of death' react by sitting quietly and saying to ourselves 'Breathing out, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile.'

I must confess that when I started reading this book I found it difficult to get into, until I realised that the problem was with me rather than the author. I'm so used to ready short and snappy meditations with a real punch, that when I was actually forced to slow down and think through some of the ideas that Fr Gregory puts across here in such a contemplative style that I realised that there's a real depth of spiritual understanding and insight in this book.

The author takes us through the liturgical year, and illustrates his meditations with illustrations taken from life within the community to which he belongs (the Order of Julian of Norwich) along with words of wisdom from a variety of 'spiritual mothers and fathers' who have influenced him.

If you are interested in exploring a more contemplative approach to your own spiritual life then this would be a good starting point. There is certainly much food for thought.

The Things He Carries
A Journey to the Cross:
Meditations for Lent and Holy Week
Stephen Cottrell
Published by SPCK
ISBN: 978-0-281-06080-1

What we have here are eight Lent studies with accompanying readings and thought provoking questions, but I think it should come with a health warning!

The author is Bishop of Reading and a key author of the Emmaus Series, and in these studies he takes no prisoners. I felt as if he he'd grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and made me follow Jesus every inch of the way as he's beaten, forced to carry that crossbeam, stumble, endure all manner of insult and indignity and finally be nailed to the cross and raised skyward.

This is an intense series of studies, beautifully written and would work just as well as a personal or group study. If you've been used to using a fairly bland and non-threatening Lent series, and then wondered why there wasn't much response from the group then I heartily recommend this book as an antidote!

The God who leads us on
Story Meditations on Salvation
Ronni Lamont
Published by SPCK
ISBN: 978-0-281-06076-4

As a preacher I am always enthusiastic to find a resource that offers a different way of looking at Bible stories, and this is one such book.

As a former teacher and minister, Ronni Lamont has a wealth of experience to call on, and this book is the result of her experiments in re-writing familiar Bible stories from a diffferent angle in order for congregations to more easily relate them to their own lives. As an example of the range on offer we have Joseph's story and tales from the stable to use at Christmas as an alternative to the usual selection.

There are 40 stories (of about 800 words each) and the themes range through the pages of the Bible - from Eve becoming a little bored with the perfect life in Eden and fancying forbidden fruit, through to the diary of a runaway slave called Onesimus.

As in all such collections, some stories work better than others, but overall the quality very good. I particularly liked the contemporary twist in the story of Herod's killing of the innocent children (but won't spoil it for you!)

There are ideas for reflections and a prayer following each item.

Desire, Love
and the Rule of St Benedict
by Andrew Clitherow
Published by SPCK
ISBN: 978-0-281-05998-0

Andrew Clitherow is Priest-in-Charge of St Cuthbert's and St John's, Lytham and also an Honorary Chaplain of Blackburns Cathedral and Chaplain to the Queen no less!

Why St Benedict? Well, there has been renewed interest over the past few years in this Rule - written for Benedictine monks in the first half of the sixth century - as a guide for those who live outside monasteries and seek guidance on how to put their faith into practice. The author explains that this Rule is short, simple and straightforward and although needs placing into a modern context (whipping children who fail to memorise a psalm is perhaps a little excessive these days!) contains a wealth of good advice on how we might live the Christian life.

Andrew Clitherow has a real desire to see the Church behaving less like a secular organisation and more like the radical lifestyle of the early believers based upon a sound and firm foundation.

In the book he explores our desires in relation to the sometimes unpredictable nature of love, and suggests ways in which we might come to terms with our humanity and divinity. He offers suggestions for practical exercises and prayers to help us reflect on the interplay between desire and love as the basis for a new way of life. Each chapter ends with a Bible passage and a prayer for reflection.

Anyone Can Pray
by Graeme Davidson,
P ublished by SPCK
ISBN: 9780281060313

New Zealander Graeme Davidson has written a very practical and down to earth resource for anyone desiring to begin or develop their Christian prayer life. He has aimed it at anyone from teenage upwards, so it’s maybe thinner than some on theology but full of practical ideas, some quite challenging and from a wide range of spiritual backgrounds.

‘Anyone can pray,’ says Davidson. ‘It’s as simple as getting in touch with your best friend!’

The book starts quite sensibly by asking (and answering) the question ‘Why pray?’ and then leads the reader through the process of praying – finding time, finding the best posture for prayer, making contact and what to say to God. The author discusses praying through the decisions of life, and asking for healing for which he offers a cautious approach ‘We can make our requests to him,’ says Davidson. ‘But God decides what he wants for us.’

There are useful sections on meditation and reflection, and the author offers examples from all shades of Christian experience (as well as a surprising section on Yoga and Zen meditation!) including the use of the Rosary, reflecting on nature and some spiritual exercises from the 16th century Inigo de Loyola.

An closing passage helpfully offers a word or two of comfort for those of us who struggle to maintain a regular prayer life. ‘Like any relationship there will be ups and downs, times when we wonder whether it’s worthwhile or whether God even bothers about us…many saints who specialised in prayer found that the more that they reached out to God, the more he became like an illusive shadow shrinking from sight.’

If that sounds like you, then Graeme Davidson has some suggestions, but you’ll have to read the book to find out what they are!

Fire of the North
The life of Cuthbert
by David Adam

Many of us might wish an epitaph such as this from the Venerable Bede, talking about Cuthbert: ‘Above all else, he was afire with heavenly love.’

Cuthbert, who for some years was both monk and bishop of Lindisfarne is obviously a great source of inspiration for writer David Adam, who himself was vicar of that same Holy Island for some 13 years.

Having researched his subject well, the author presents us with a fascinating and evocative story, which draws us into the life and times of this important Christian figure. Cuthbert's was a life of adventuring with God, where miracles and signs accompanied his journeying, and where obedience to God’s call enabled many others to be blessed.

Cuthbert was ‘The fire in the north’ and in his time at Lindisfarne attracted many to that wonderful place, led by tales of his wise council and of the healings which took place there.

He was known as an uplifter of the downcast, a comforter of the weary, a strengthener of the weak. He saw himself as a soldier of Christ. We see him as an example to follow.

First published in 1993, SPCK have wisely seen fit to re-issue this lovely little book, which will be an inspiration to many.

Franciscan Spirituality
Following St Francis Today
by Brother Ramon SSF

Brother Ramon notes in his introduction, ‘Franciscan spirituality is especially to our own day. Not only does it ground us in the biblical faith from which the Franciscan experience springs, but it roots us into the very stuff of creation, with its immediate awareness of earth, sea and sky.’

This is a book to inform and inspire any Christian looking for a way to live out the Gospel. Brother Ramon leads us through Francis’ life and times, which might surprise some have comfortable thoughts of the saint surrounded by woodland animals. Francis was a soldier at the age of twenty, taking part in a bloody battle on the Tiber. Then he had a startling vision of the crucifies Christ which was to lead to his separation from his family and the world for twenty years of service to God, establishing his Order of Poor Friars based upon the 3 vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

What is Franciscan spirituality? Brother Ramon tells us that is evangelical, rooted in the Gospels. It is a life of service to God and others, a community of love fired with a sense of mission.

Today many thousands throughout the world live as members of the Order of St Francis either within the Roman Catholic or Anglican communion.

The re-issue of this book will please many who are interested in exploring the possibilities within this modern world of following the way of this thirteenth century friar.