Mission in the Gospels
R Geoffrey Harris
Epworth Press 2004; 290pp; £17.99p; ISBN 0 7162 0577 7
In recent years there have been a number of books which have examined the role of each gospel writer/compiler in ordering and organising their material for a particular audience and to highlight a particular theme. Geoffrey Harris has written a useful book on the different emphasis each gospel carries on the theme of mission.
Chapter 1 is a thought-provoking examination of the way in which Jesus' ministry and early Christian mission emerged from the focus of Judaism on Temple and synagogue. The following chapters take a gospel in turn. There are relatively few 'surprises' in the analysis. Matthew is about mission and making disciples, Mark about proclaiming the liberation of the kingdom and John finds mission expressed in the heart of the God who sent his Son who empowered his disciples in active love and service. The focus of Luke-Acts is in the inclusive mission of Jesus which is then entrusted to his followers. Readers will find of interest here the suggestion that Luke's gospel has a more Jewish origin and audience than is commonly argued.
Chapter 6, "The Life and Mission of the Early Church", brings together material from all four gospels around the theme of mission rooted in eucharist, baptism and worship of the risen Lord. Understanding from the New Testament text that mission is at the heart of the church is an important corrective to seeing it as extra events, programmes and courses which the church "puts on".
The final chapter, "The Gospels and Mission Today", works less well. It is important to draw out the implications for contemporary church life from each gospel, but these would have been better placed at the end of each main chapter. I would have liked some worked examples of this too - what would a local church look like if it took seriously the Marcan message of "liberation and inner freedom, acceptance and affirmation, healing and wholeness" (p. 241)?
Despite some reservations, the book is a valuable resource for those preaching and teaching from gospel passages about the mission of the church today.
Chris Skilton
In the End - the Beginning
Jurgen Moltmann (translated by Margaret Kohl)
SCM, London 2004; 180pp; £14.99; ISBN 0 334 02961 9
I found this book an easy, stimulating and heart-warming read. I learned things I did not know, for instance, Moltmann's personal testimony of how he came to faith, and I constantly found myself seeing connections between Bible, culture and theology that had not occurred to me before. The book developed from lectures in general studies courses at Tubingen, and papers delivered at secular conferences, so is virtually devoid of technical language and quotations, apart from hymns and poetry, and is intended for a wide readership. There are three sections. The first is about childhood and its meaning; the second about Christian hope as a positive force in life; the third about death, judgement, life after death and eternal life.
The two earlier sections were full of interesting insights, and I particularly valued his constructive criticism of the Reformation doctrine of justification by faith, which easily degenerates into sin being only my individual peccadilloes and salvation consisting only in forgiveness (largely the piety of "Mission Praise"!). Moltmann reminds us that sin has a social, structural content; that we are all victims of sin who need healing and liberation as well as forgiveness, all of which Jesus offers through his total identification with the victims on the cross, and resurrection life.
I found the author's section on life to come more difficult, though I appreciated his Christian take on the Last (or as he would have it, penultimate) judgement. I applaud his efforts, because we badly need some engaging and convincing way of talking about what follows death. I surely cannot be alone in finding an infinitely extended "songs of praise" ("When we've been there ten thousand years..." - sentiments very unfairly foisted on John Newton!) distinctly uninviting. Moltmann's suggestion of the totality of what I have been, duly healed and forgiven, continuing in responsive relationship with a God who is creating all things new is much more attractive. Highly recommended.
Michael Ball
Post-Christendom: Church and Mission in a Strange New World
Stuart Murray
Paternoster, Carlisle, 2004; 343pp; £9.99; ISBN 1 84227 261 6
Amid the plethora of recent books with titles including the word 'post-something', this one is exceptional and worth far more than its £9.99 price tag. Stuart Murray, with his customary forensic style, paints us a picture of a world quite different to anything experienced by British and European Christians since the 4th century, a world where Christendom is no longer the dominant religion or philosophy, where we as Christians have little 'control' (I place that word in inverted commas because Murray argues strongly that the Church never actually had the control over anything which Christendom apparently gave it!) over government, culture, education, war, spirituality, morality, communications or public theology. As such, he describes a potentially frightening world, and this could easily have been a depressing book to read, but that is far from the reality.
Stuart Murray is well qualified to produce such an analysis. His theological expertise is built on a foundation of legal studies and hands-on urban mission and church-planting. He is Chair of the UK Anabaptist Network, but 'belongs' to no particular denomination or theological 'camp' (in his critique of Christendom, it is not just the established or state churches which have some tough questions to answer!).
The book begins by affirming the fact, agreed by most astute commentators, that Christendom is dead. All we have left is the vestiges of the past - old habits of doing church which die hard (the sorts of thing Hedgehog regularly takes a shot at in his column - Ed!). He then goes on to state what post-Christendom is not: it is not co-terminus with pre-Christendom, postmodernity, post-Christian, secular, or universal. Having cleared the ground, he offers us his definition of post-Christendom: "... the culture which emerges as the Christian faith loses coherence within a society that has been definitely shaped by the Christian story and as the institutions that have been developed to express Christian convictions decline in influence." My initial reaction to this definition is that it does not actually tell us anything we do not already know. A moment's reflection brought me to the realisation that we do not yet know what that culture will be - we have never been here before!
How should we react to this new situation? In one trenchant paragraph, the author says: "Our response to the challenges (of post-Christendom) may be to burrow ostrich-like into the remaining sand of familiar church culture, scan the horizon for growing churches that claim we can continue doing what we have always done, or clutch desperately at promises of revival or programmes that promise to restore our fortunes". But Murray is coming from a different place. He encourages us to "celebrate the end of Christendom and the distorting influence of power, wealth and status". For him, this is a kairos moment, an opportunity to start again. Christendom is dead - long live Christianity!
He then goes on to chart the history of Christendom, arguing that it is impossible to properly understand what it is to live in post-Christendom unless we first understand Christendom. How can we know where we are if we don't know the route by which we got here?
When we get to chapter 7, Murray leaves his reader in no doubt whatsoever that, in his view, Christendom was a perversion of Christianity which, among other things, replaced a hermeneutic of justice with one of order, replaced mission with universal (and not always voluntary) baptism, established a hierarchy of leadership which has no New Testament foundation and replaced radical Christian discipleship with the maintenance of social order. In effect, the price paid in loss of distinctive, cutting-edge faith was not worth the small level of actual influence on the way the state was run.
One example given by the author is the co called 'Just War' theory, which set out six main criteria which had to be fulfilled for a war to be regarded as 'just' (i.e. supported by the Church). In practice, says Murray, few if any wars supported by the Church have fulfilled even the majority of these criteria. But even so, how can the followers of the one who told us to love our enemies, asks the author, give our support to a state policy of waging war on our enemies?
And lest those from various Free Church and non-aligned churches think they might read this book in the smug belief that it does not apply to them and that they are part of the answer rather than part of the problem, be warned! Murray is sharp in his criticism of those whose Christianity, while not officially part of the state structures, is nevertheless defined by Christendom. He warns that such groups may well find a severe identity crisis looming: if your theology was formed in a reaction against Christendom, how will you rethink that theology now there is no Christendom to react against? Good question!
So if Christendom is dead, what is going to replace it? Obviously, we do not and cannot know, but Murray offers several chapters of provocative and helpful suggestions about how we can become an effective Christian presence on the margins, even if we have now, to all intents and purposes, lost our influence at the centre. These include: rediscovering the subversive, anti-authority strand in the Bible; identifying new images for marginal church life, such as exile, sojourners, pilgrimage, church on the edge. And if those words sounds familiar, do not be fooled: Murray invests them with a depth and a breadth which left this reviewer feeling quite breathless at times.
All in all then, this is a fine start to what Paternoster intend to be a series of publications on the same theme. After reading it, I am left with so many questions about the way I and my congregations 'do church' that it will take me the rest of my life to work out the answers. But Murray has got me very excited about the adventure of the future. Who knows what the church will become in post-Christendom, but as long as we have books like this among our resources, we will at least be able to ensure that we ask the right questions as we travel a new highway.
I have only two quibbles. The first is that Murray has a slight tendency to portray his own Anabaptist tradition in an unnecessarily favourable light, and seems to take little account of the fact that it too is a reaction against Christendom, and will therefore have to be rethought along with all the other anti-Christendom Christian groups.
The second is that many of his suggestions for the future are presented as though no-one has thought of them before. His comments, for example, about the dominant strand of scriptural evidence that God tends to favour and work with the marginalized and the unexpected people is something I first heard from my Baptist minister father-in-law over 30 years ago. Such reflections on Scripture are entirely familiar to many of us who work within the dying Christendom structures.
But these are small niggles. I thoroughly recommend you buy this book, read it and reflect on it. You'll want to do the same for the next ten years in order to begin to unwrap some of the huge implications of what the author is describing - life, but not as we have known it for the last 1500 years.
Alun Brookfield
The Design Revolution - answering the toughest questions about intelligent design
William A Dembski
Inter-Varsity Press, Leicester, 2004; 334 pp; £12.99; ISBN 1 84474 014 5
Is the complexity of living things the product of random evolutionary processes, or does it point to a designer? This is the question that this book purports to answer. The argument for the existence of God from design goes back a long way (Psalm 8 hints at it), and was stated most forcefully by the 19th century theologian William Paley in his Natural Theology. In the opposite camp, authors like Richard Dawkins in The Blind Watchmaker have argued that Darwinian evolution by chance mutation and natural selection provides a sufficient explanation of life's complexity, leaving no place for God.
Dembski is a leading proponent of the theory of intelligent design. This theory is not creationism, nor a complete rebuttal of Darwinism, but maintains that some aspects of living things are so perfectly adapted to their function, so complex and so specific, that Darwinism alone cannot account for them, and an intelligent designer must be invoked.
Regardless of ones own predisposition on this matter, this book is a disappointment. The author cites but one example from biology, the bacterial flagellum, and scarcely mentions the amazing complexity with which DNA codes for the structure of living cells, a wonder unknown to both Paley and Darwin. Dembski's academic qualifications are in mathematics and philosophy, not biology, and for the most part the book is an argument in mathematical and philosophical terms explaining why Darwinists are wrong and he is right. He is also very repetitious, and little is gained beyond the ten page preface.
Natural theology has moved on from biology in recent decades to cosmological arguments about the nature of the universe itself and its physical laws. These are exciting new areas in the science/religion interface, and may have something to say about an intelligent designer, but they are not to be found in this book.
Michael Wood
The Search For Forgiveness: Pardon and Punishment in Islam and Christianity
Chawkat Moucarry
Inter Varsity Press, 2004; 224pp; £12.99; ISBN 1 84474 018 8
As if the cover, title and thickness were not unprepossessing enough in themselves, discovering that this was a re-worked doctoral thesis would have been sufficient to put me off. Not the sort of book I would generally pick from the shelf for relaxation. Yet what a find it proved!
Here is a serious work that is both highly readable and theologically intelligible. The structure is clearly laid out from the start, the chapters are of a manageable length for intellectual digestion, and the tables really do clarify the text.
Dr Moucarry originates from Syria, and currently lectures in Islamic Studies at All Nations Christian College. His credentials to produce such a work thus appear well established, and the whole tone of the book indicates someone well versed in the Koran and a wide range of Islamic literature.
In a direct manner the book examines Islamic thinking and theology on God's mercy and forgiveness. There are four parts looking in turn at forgiveness in God's attributes, in theology, in mysticism, and in ethics
Within each part the theme is developed chapter by chapter, providing insights into the differing schools of thought from the Sunni, Shii, and Khariji communities. Each section concludes with a brief presentation of the Christian view of the topic.
It is here that I would want to be critical. Having shown the diversity of Islamic opinion, Dr Moucarry then presents a single Christian approach - a clearly evangelical one. But is Christian theology actually so agreed on what is meant by the sovereignty of God, faith or conversion?
As the book is explicitly intended to contribute to Christian-Muslim dialogue, it seems unfortunate that this imbalance has crept in. I suspect the Christian reader gains more from it than the serious Islamic student.
But undoubtedly for Christians it provides a fascinating insight into Islamic thinking that not only informs the theologically curious but also indirectly casts light on the current world situation. Time and again my thoughts moved from the written page to media stories from the Middle East, finding a deeper understanding of the attitudes and reactions portrayed.
The part on Sufi Islam was for me the most fascinating with many of its approaches bearing a significant resemblance to evangelical Christianity, particularly the stories of conversion through encounter with God. Equally helpful here was Dr Moucarry's Christian critique, which drew fine but clear distinctions in the theological thinking.
The outcome in my case was a greater understanding of the breadth of Islamic thinking and some key differences between our two faiths - for instance that Islam sees humankind as essentially good but prone to commit sin and therefore in need of God's forgiveness, whereas Christianity believes in the inherent sinfulness of humanity and thus the need for God's redemption. It drew me into wanting to know more about Islam, and an awareness of the need for such understanding, thus fulfilling the book's objectives.
Which all goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover.
David Chawner
The Parish - People, Place and Ministry: a Theological and Practical Exploration
Malcolm Torry (ed)
Canterbury, 2004; 215pp; £14.99; ISBN 1 85311 586 X
This book is the distillation of five years' theological reflection by a group of parish priests in the Woolwich area of the Southwark Diocese. They are passionate and discerning about the job they do. They believe that "the Anglican parish is an important response to secularisation and a significant gift which Anglicanism has to offer to ecumenism and to interfaith dialogue" (p201). As a parish priest working at the other end of the same diocese, I was challenged by what they had to share.
There are sixteen chapters, including one by Colin Buchanan, the area bishop, reflecting on his role, and each writer tackles a different area of parish life: liturgy; pastoral care; connections with the work place; art and sacred space; evangelism; the multicultural dimension; youth; regeneration; mission; local history; ecumenism; listening to the community; the role of the parish priest; and one chapter that might describe the whole book - "Discovering God's Spirit at Work in the Parish". At the end of each chapter there are suggestions for further reading, and there is a thirteen page glossary at the end, a 'jargon buster', but no index.
Rowan Williams, in his foreword, emphasizes that the parish system provides a model of the Church's life and role as essentially hospitable. But that is not the impression the Church of England has given in many of its recent discussions. It seems to be wary of people who do not fit into particular boxes. Here are parishes and clergy, many in urban priority areas, who challenge this narrowness. I was particularly interested in how the parishes are responding to the growth of Greenwich as part of the Thames Gateway project.
Inevitably this book has an Anglican and urban focus. Writing about parish ministry in the suburbs and particularly in the countryside would have a very different emphasis. However, any minister working in an urban-influenced setting would find much that is informative and challenging. Churches do need to "move from being churches of place to churches of flow, where the people are moving to in their health clubs and shopping malls and themed city centres" (p.81), and they need to equip Christians at work. But they also need to be welcoming communities in some of the toughest areas in our country, and this book is earthed in that experience.
Julian Reindorp
Evangelical Anglicans in a Revolutionary Age: 1789-1901
Nigel Scotland
Paternoster Press, Carlisle, 2004; 457pp; price unknown; ISBN 1 84227 231 4
This book is an excellent read and I trust will find its way into the hands of more than just Anglicans or evangelicals. The author follows a thematic rather than chronological approach to a century in which evangelical Anglicans often played a very significant role in church and national life and in influencing contemporary society. This approach does mean that the reader will need a basic working knowledge of British nineteenth century history in general and Anglican church history in particular.
The first chapter sets the scene for what follows, and the section "Distinctive Features of Nineteenth Century Evangelical Anglicans" provides key insights into the nature of the movement as well as a fascinating resource for comparing and contrasting with today. The themes covered include politics, social action, the Bible and theology, overseas mission, spirituality, parish life, culture and leisure and Sabbath observance. Each is given full and varied treatment. Good use is made of the writings, letters and speeches of some familiar and unfamiliar protagonists of the day to illustrate the argument.
Scotland not only describes the achievements of evangelicals in each of these areas, but does not hide the way in which the movement could be difficult to live with in its controversies with other wings of the church and quaint in its attitudes to culture and Sunday observance. The final chapter evaluating the century could have been developed in more detail and readers will have to draw out for themselves the lessons for today's church.
There are very full subject and name indexes. The equally full bibliography is listed alphabetically and in a future edition could be better arranged by topic to encourage further reading on particular areas of interest.
This book is thoroughly recommended.
Chris Skilton
Parochial Vision: the future of the English Parish
Nick Spencer
Paternoster Press, Carlisle 2004; 171pp; price unknown: ISBN 1 84227 238 1
Nick Spencer's aim in this book is to show that the current parochial system of the Church of England is an outmoded model for worship and mission today. He traces its formation during the Middle Ages and its downfall with the advent of industrialisation and globalisation. It is no secret that the parish system is creaking, not just because of lack of financial resources and a reducing number of stipendiary clergy, but more significantly because of the greatly diminished significance of the local geographical area as a focus for anything from education to shopping, let alone worship.
The book argues for a return to the 'minster' church model of Anglo-Saxon England in which one, larger, stronger church in an area served as a focus for worship, mission and pastoral activity and to which a number of smaller churches in a given area looked for leadership and resources. Collaborative working in this manner is not far off what was advocated (and subsequently forgotten about) in the 1983 Tiller report.
I have some reservations about his conclusions. Spencer makes no apology for dealing only with the Anglican church. His principles could be applied to other denominations (the Methodist circuit for instance) and ignores what could be a very significant ecumenical dimension to his minster model. There are a number of churches, many of them evangelical, which work by design or default to this sort of pattern already and some specific examples would have helped. The analysis makes no mention of the Anglican Deanery as a unit for mission, which could fruitfully be explored.
His model is powerfully and carefully argued for and might be a valuable tool in some places. However, I suspect that in future we will have to explore a variety of ways of being church and won't be able to simply replace one model with another. It is probably only Anglicans who will read this book and they will need to do so alongside their study of the recently published Mission Shaped Church (Church House Publishing, 2004).
Chris Skilton
Discerning the Spirits - a guide to thinking about worship today
Cornelius Plantinga Jr and Sue A Rozeboom
Eerdmans, Grand Rapids and Cambridge, 2003; xv+170; price unknown;
ISBN 0 8028 3999 1
This book is a write up of the work of a collaborative research team sponsored by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship at Calvin College, Grand Rapids. It is an excellent and balanced account of the cultural, theological and ecclesiological issues bearing on Christian worship today and, with one or two qualifications (see below), I recommend it to readers of Ministry Today.
The art of worship, it seems to me, lies in striking the right balance between cultural relevance and liturgical principle. Often the argument is couched in terms of traditional hymns versus contemporary worship songs, but that is not all that is at stake. This book will help its readers make their way through the minefield.
I do have one or two minor niggles about the content and production of the book. It is written entirely from a North American context and the case studies provided come from that perspective. It is not difficult for British readers to think of parallel examples from their own situation, but nevertheless an international perspective in the book might make marketing it on this side of the pond a little easier.
The other niggle is the way extended extracts from other sources are scattered throughout the book. These are in a different, bolder typeface and are placed in a separate box at the top of the page. These quotations often extend over several pages, with the main text squeezed in below. This I found very distracting. To read the quotations one has to leave the main text and then come back to it, finding in some cases that one has lost the thread of the argument. In the end I gave up reading the quotations and kept to the main text. I don't know if the authors and publishers thought that this was a trendy way of presenting their material, but I do wish that they had found another way of doing it. There are also other, shorter quotations inset from the margins of the page. This is not nearly so distracting, but is it really necessary? Why not incorporate these quotations into the main text or in traditional footnotes?
However, don't let such comments put readers off what is a worthwhile read.
Philip Clements-Jewery
Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Moral Courage - Motives and Designs for Ministry in a Troubled World
Robert L Browning and Roy A Reed
Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Michigan 2004; 259pp; £17.99 ISBN 0 8028 2774 8
The title of this book leaves no room for doubt as to its content. The heart of the authors' concern is that "only a serious commitment to the Christian ideas of forgiveness and reconciliation can meet the needs of today's troubled world - and the church must take the lead in this process." Browning and Reed set out "to bring alive biblical teachings concerning the power of forgiveness and the ministries of reconciliation and righteousness - both personal and social - in our contemporary life." The book is partly a survey of existing attitudes and partly a 'how-to' manual for developing what is called an active public church.
They do this by beginning with a number of stories about the power of forgiveness and reconciliation and the need for moral and spiritual strength as seen in the multimedia of our day. These are in a number of different levels: the personal/interpersonal, social/political, religious/interreligious, and research/study. Many of these stories are profound and moving and include accounts from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa.
Importantly the book contains an outline of the result of the authors' own research and reflection, including an effort to listen to the way members of the faith communities in four representative denominations in the States (Roman Catholic, United Methodist, Southern Baptist, Pentecostal) see the issues of forgiveness and reconciliation and the church's role in strengthening moral fibre of society. The findings, while interesting, reflect a different culture. The survey used appears in an appendix.
The authors set out to address big issues for both church and society. They ask: are forgiveness, reconciliation, and moral courage really possible, human nature being what it is? They explore the scope of forgiveness and reconciliation in the Bible and the relation of justice and mercy. And they include a brief history of transgression and reconciliation among Christians; and forgiveness and reconciliation through moral development in families, churches, schools and communities.
I appreciated their use of the research of Everett Worthington, which speaks of four planks that make up the bridge to reconciliation. We decide whether, how, and when to reconcile. We discuss past and present transgressions with a "soft attitude." We detoxify our poisonous past relationship. We devote ourselves to building up a relationship of mutual valuing. These four planks sound deceptively simple, but they involve many steps.
This is an in-depth study, looking at a vital issue from a Christian perspective, and providing a Christian response, but importantly, one which can be worked out and encouraged in the wider community. If you are wanting to do some thinking around this issue, or more likely you find yourself in a situation where you are constrained to think about it, then this is a worthwhile book.
Geoff Colmer
Who Can Be Saved? Reassessing Salvation in Christ and World Religions
Terence L Tiessen
Inter Varsity Press, 2004; 497pp; £16.99; ISBN 1 84474 031 5
This book is written in the context of the tragedy of 9/11 and the resultant tensions between what is perceived as the 'Christian West' and the Muslim world. This is what makes it relevant for anyone grappling with the place of non-Christian religions in the saving economy of God.
The reader will need to get to grips with perhaps unfamiliar terms, such as Amyraldianism, accessibilism and counterfactuals, and may require reference to the glossary before beginning to read the book.
The author, who is Professor of Theology and Ethics at Providence Theological Seminary, Manitoba, Canada, presents and deals with thirty theses, one or more in each chapter. This helpfully lets the reader know where the argument is heading. At the end of each chapter a summary of the argument is also provided. There are two main sections in the book, the first dealing with humanity's universal need for salvation and the second exploring how and to whom God has made that salvation accessible.
Tiessen writes from a very conservative evangelical, if not fundamentalist, perspective. He holds to a theology of a limited atonement and the salvation of the elect only by grace through faith in Christ's atoning work. This makes his overall openness to the activity of God in the lives of people of other faiths all the more surprising. Some may feel that his insistence on the salvation of the elect only sits unconvincingly with his openness to the possible salvation of some who have never heard the Gospel of Christ and some who have been adherents of other religions.
Today's minister of the Gospel must grapple with the questions raised by this book, and the author requires the reader to apply her/his mind to difficult questions. Tiessen encourages dialogue, and in some cases cooperation, with people of other religions, though he rules out joint worship.
This is not a light or easy read, but its content will widen the reader's horizons and enable a better understanding of the issues of a very contemporary debate.
David W Doonan
Guilt - helping God's people find healing and forgiveness
Leroy T Howe
Abingdon Press, Nashville 2003; 160pp; £unknown; ISBN 0 6877 02594 X
The strength of this book is that it is clear and sensitive with pastoral and sometimes verbatim illustrations and summaries. It is scriptural without being prescriptive. The central theme is that guilt, although long ignored, is a God given gift ("the capacity for guilt is written into our genetic code" p12), which, properly understood and acted upon, can propel people into a deeper, more mature relationship with each other and with God. The final chapter begins to tackle the whole issue of areas of life in which the Church has abused people.
The author clearly wants this book to be widely used by pastoral and lay counsellors, and it would provide a useful discussion starter between colleagues and within groups. The headings and style make it very accessible.
My frustration is that on occasions the author does not go deep enough. People who have faced long abuse from family members find the whole issue of forgiveness painfully difficult. As the police chief said about his police officer son's murderer, 'I pray to forgive'. This is a useful rather than a profound book, but it provides a clear structure for anyone thinking about this central issue.
Julian Reindorp
Cinema and Sentiment - Film's Challenge to Theology
Clive Marsh
Paternoster, Milton Keynes 2004; 162pp; £unknown; ISBN 1 84227 274 8
Clive Marsh is Secretary of the Faith and Order Committee of the Methodist Church, and has written extensively on Christian perspectives on film. I felt his expertise as something of a problem, particularly in chapter 6 where he considers his theological methodology. It read like a contribution to an on-going academic discussion to which I had not been a party, so I did not find it easy to grasp. By contrast, some of his earlier chapters and substantial treatments of particular films, notably "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Titanic" were illuminating and easy to read.
While film is undoubtedly influential in modern culture - I read a few months back that "Bend it like Beckham", the British film about a British Asian girl in a football team, was instrumental in influencing girls in India to form soccer teams - I wonder what proportion of people are regular film-goers and how they break down in age, sex, social class etc.? I am certainly not persuaded by the author that cinema-going is a religious practice, even though there are external parallels between cinema attendance and church-going, and even though some films offer potent opportunity to think about life, the way it is lived and its meaning, or in other words, to engage one's spirituality. Perhaps more far-reaching, in terms of numbers involved, commitment and time spent, is sport, frequently watched socially on a large screen in the pub and a major topic of reading in the tabloids and of conversation in the tea break, spilling over into an intense interest in every detail of the public and private lives of stars like Beckham and managers like Erikson. Or perhaps even more significantly, the soap operas and short term 'reality' soap operas like "Big Brother", in which the viewers corporately are minor players by voting participants out, and electing in successive years a gay man and a transsexual as over-all winners.
For people particularly interested in film, this is a valuable book and a good read. For others, it assumes too much familiarity with film studies in places, but has lots of interesting ideas, not only on film, but on worship and entertainment, worship and emotion, and the place of sentiment and emotion in Christian theology, as examples.
Michael Ball
The Spirit at Work Phenomenon
Sue Howard and David Welbourn
Azure, London 2004; 247pp; £14.99; ISBN 1 902694 29 5
This is not only an excellent introduction, but also the most comprehensive overview of this movement to date. Aimed at all those who wish to explore the relationship between the spiritual aspects of work and the experience of work, in the words of one reviewer, this book is like a 'smorgasboard banquet'.
This movement is barely ten years old and the substantial bibliography reflects this. Sue Howard, with a business background, has been teaching at the Cranfield School of Management, and David Welbourn, an industrial chaplain for more than thirty years, is now chaplain at the UK government's research laboratory. Both have travelled widely, particularly in the USA.
There are four sections to this clearly written book: Why Spirit at Work Now?; Mapping the Terrain: the Personal Journey; Mapping the Terrain: the Corporate Journey; and Companions along the Way, concluding with thirty pages itemising resources, and organizations involved in this emerging phenomenon including biblical and theological summaries. My only frustration is the lack of an index.
The chapter on 'What is spirituality?' is fascinating and the authors conclude with four areas for exploration: connection with self, with others, with nature and with God. With the widespread emphasis on spirituality rather than religion, they quote British theologian Nicola Slee: "The spiritual can be distinguished from the religious and understood as something wider than religiosity; on the other hand, it can be understood as the deepest and most central element of religion" (p100).
They chart the paradigm shifts, the emergence of new science and the cultural implications of post-modernism which have given new importance to spirituality. This movement is concerned not just with organisational development, but with organisational transformation (see the chapter on 'Spirit-led Companies').
The book is packed with stimulating excerpts, but they are clear that engaging the spiritual dimension in the world of work is not only valuable, but also necessary for human and organisational well-being. It is this conviction that is now spreading in the developed world.
This is a book to read, reflect on and return to. As the former chairman of Lloyd's Register of Shipping concludes, "I strongly recommend this book to all senior directors and managers who are concerned for the spiritual health of their organization - it clearly demonstrates the link between spiritual and economic health".
Julian Reindorp
The Erotic Word: Sexuality, Spirituality and the Bible
David M Carr
Oxford, 2003; 212pp; £17.99; ISBN 0 19 515652 8
This is a fascinating and provocative book from the professor of Old Testament at Union Theological Seminary, New York. Historically, the Bible has been used to drive a wedge between the spirit and the body. Carr argues for the opposite view that sexuality and spirituality are intricately interwoven. The journey toward God and the lifelong engagement with our own sexual embodiment are inseparable. The Bible tells us that humans were created in the image of a passionate God. The Hebrew Bible particularly affirms erotic passion, both between humans and between God and humans.
Drawing on a wide range of material, Carr's book is organized around three 'garden texts': the Garden of Eden, Isaiah's vineyard garden and the lovers' garden of the Song of Songs. Gardens symbolized not only male and female sexuality, but the place where lovers met. He goes on to suggest that biblical 'family values' are a long way from anything promoted today. Rather than setting out a clear model the sexual morality of the Bible mirrors the sorts of problems and ambiguities depicted in the Garden of Eden.
The most controversial part of this book comes in the epilogue. Carr points out that the Hebrew Bible's picture of God in love with an entire people is unique among world religions. But what about the rest of us outside this monogamous relationship? He suggests we take the biblical idea of humanity made in God's image and see the mix of human sexualities as testifying to God's pluriform eros. Human love may be limited, but God is capable of passionate love for the many, to encompass humanity as a whole. This insight could help us to move beyond present religious exclusivism.
The Church has not only found the whole area of sexuality and spirituality a difficult one, but people see the Church as frightened of, rather than affirming, our God-given sexuality. This book emphasizes both the richness as well as the ambiguity of the biblical material and challenges us to look again at that passionate love reflecting our creator that can flavour the whole of life.
Julian Reindorp
Ministry Among Students
Simon Robinson
Canterbury Press Norwich 2004; 228pp; £14.99; ISBN 1 85311 582 7
How I wish this book had been around eight years ago when I became Chaplain of Anglia Polytechnic University (Chelmsford Campus)! In a recent article in Ministry Today (issue 29, October 2003), I referred to the difficulties of having to re-focus on a ministry in a secular institution after fourteen years in parochial ministry. As Robinson points out, the assumption that 'The key qualities and skills of the ordained clergy can be transferred easily to Chaplaincy....is now being seriously questioned' (page 201).
The book is interesting and well written, full of useful, practical advice, insights and suggestions for Chaplaincy to work effectively in Higher Education (HE). In part one (and in the Appendix) the reader is given a comprehensive overview of the complex culture which gives rise to the multifarious demands made on University Chaplaincy, and then explores Chaplaincy work under three headings: Priestly; Pastoral; and Prophetic. I felt there was a nice balance between 'traditional' pastoral care, liturgy and worship, and a 'holistic' approach requiring Chaplaincy to have a dialogic, empathetic relationship with the institutional structures and the multicultural lifestyles of those within it.
While the work provides excellent resource material for Chaplains in HE, there is much here to commend it both to other Chaplaincies and to parochial clergy. Robinson stresses throughout the need for collaborative working between the Chaplaincy and the surrounding churches. He thinks that one can feed and learn from the other and so the ministries of both may be enriched. He states correctly that 'The Church has not fully begun to comprehend how work with students fits in with the rest of the ministry and mission' (page 200). He also argues that the University campus is a microcosm of the terrain of the real world. Some of the analysis he gives of the problems faced by a University Chaplain, especially his assessment of some of the causes and effects governing human behaviour as a result of the many transitions faced in life, contains much wisdom for any minister charged with loving and supporting those committed to their care.
The book had more than its fair share of grammatical errors and omissions, and I should have liked a biographical line or two about the author on the back cover. It was not immediately obvious who the author was and what his qualifications were for writing such a book - important if one is browsing and looking for useful material on this subject. None of this, though, detracts from the book's quality, and the fact that it will be a standard text on HE Chaplaincy for years to come.
Ivor Moody
Short Notes - Paul Beasley-Murray and Alun Brookfield
Did you know that Elvis was a seventh century Welsh bishop? Have you ever wondered who are the patron saints of serial killers and lost causes? How to summarize the Bible in fifty words? How to tell the story of the Prodigal Son in the key of F? These, and hundreds of other fascinating facts are contained in Summon's Christian Miscellany (Lion, Oxford 2004; 126pp; £8.99; ISBN 0 7459 5174 0) by Parminder Summon. This slim volume is packed with information, lists, and illustrative material for sermons and talks. Worth every penny of its price tag, only spoiled by the compiler allowing his evangelical slip to show occasionally!
Not Less Than Everything (Monarch, 2004; 350pp; £8.99; ISBN 1 85424 613 5) by Valerie Griffiths, a former missionary with Overseas Missionary Fellowship, is the story of "The courageous women who carried the Christian gospel to China", and an inspiring read it is too. These were women who managed to go "where no man had gone before". An excellent evening's reading.
The first 13 pages of Creative Church Leadership (Canterbury Press, Norwich 2004; 278pp; £14.99; ISBN 1 85311 502 9) edited by John Adair and John Nelson should be compulsory reading for all ministers, for these 13 pages contain a most stimulating introductory essay by John Adair on leadership. Quotable quotes abound: "Change throws up the need for leaders and leaders bring about change"; "Vision without task is a dream... just as task without vision is merely a form of drudgery". The remaining 15 essays, however, failed to set me alight, mainly because for the most part they failed to have the needs of the local church in mind. The final section helpfully lists various leadership resources. In summary, while no doubt this book is a 'must' for those preparing courses on leadership, for actual church leaders this is more a book to borrow, rather than to buy.
Treasure in Clay Jars: Patterns in Missional Faithfulness (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 2004; 172pp; £12.99; ISBN 0 8028 2692 X), edited by Lois Y Barrett and others, centres on nine different churches, of varying size, churchmanship and socio-economic background, with eight 'patterns' of missional faithfulness. The authors define a missional congregation as a church which "lets God's mission permeate everything that the congregation does - from worship to witness to training members for discipleship. It bridges the gap between outreach and congregational life, since, in its life together, the church is to embody God's mission". It is a strange book, in that it is not written by a group of pastors reflecting on their churches, but by a group of mission-specialists who are seeking to give practical support to a theoretical approach to the mission of the church developed in an earlier book, Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America (Eerdmans 1998), edited by Darrell Guder and others. Perhaps because all the examples are under-standably rooted in the North American scene, I found the book lacking in inspiration. What would be more helpful here in the UK would be for a group of British pastors to reflect on patterns of missional faithfulness and give some British examples.
Two very different introductions to the Old Testament have come on the market: The Old Testament Story: An Introduction (SCM Press, London. 470pp; £30; ISBN 0 334 02964 3) by Don C Benjamin, who teaches biblical stuidies and religion at Arizona State University, comes with a fully searchable CD-Rom with all kinds of extra material, and is very much a user-friendly introduction for perhaps the first-year student and/or the inquisitive lay-person, and would be a helpful resource for any minister wishing to give an overview of the Old Testament to their congregation. By contrast An Introduction To the Old Testament: the Canon and Christian Imagination by Walter Brueggemann is much more technical and hard-going, and yet is a more helpful resource for the Christian preacher.
David Burt, a former member of the Riding Lights theatre company, has published 50 Dramatic Monologues (Kingsway, Eastbourne, 2004; 252pp; £8.99; ISBN 1 84291 170 8). It is a useful resource book, with material for Christmas and Easter, and sections on the 'seven stages of man', Bible characters, etc.
The first draft of Good News To the Poor: Sharing The Gospel through Social Involvement (IVP, Leicester 2004; 195pp; £9.99; ISBN 1 84474 019 6) by Tim Chester first saw the light of day at the Spring Harvest Word Alive 2002. It is a passionate plea to evangelicals in particular to see that evangelism and social action are the twin arms of the church's mission. Every minister should read this book before preparing to preach yet again at harvest!
In his book The Apocalpytic Literature (Abingdon, Nashville 2003; 233pp; £13.99; ISBN 0 687 05196 7 - available in the UK from Alban Books of Edinburgh EH4 3BL), American Old Testament professor Stephen L Cook provides an overview and introduction to the somewhat strange world of apocalyptic literature of both the Old and New Testaments. Part 1 (chapters 1-4) introduces 'issues in apocalypticism' and helps correct a widespread misconception that apocalypticism is a coping mechanism for dealing with persecutions or deprivations, while Part II (chapters 5-9) looks at 'reading the apocalyptic texts of the Bible'. It is a good non-technical introduction to the subject.
Although Lutheran pastor Frank G Honeycutt's Preaching for Adult Conversion and Commitment: Invitation To A Life Transformed (Abingdon Press, Nashville 2003; 180pp; £10.99; ISBN 0 687 02314 9 - available in the UK from Alban Books, Edinburgh EH4 3BL) is naturally very much geared to the American scene, I was particularly challenged by the introductory chapter. Conversion here is seen as on ongoing process, and not just a one-off decision for Christ. Christian spiritual formation, in the words of Sally Brown, "is actually a process of counterformation". The book is laced with a number of sermons Honeycutt has preached. A book perhaps to borrow, rather than to buy.
Brueggemann fans will be delighted with Inscribing the Test: Sermons and Prayers of Walter Brueggemann (Fortress Press, Minneapolis 2004; 222pp; £14.95 hardback; ISBN 0 8806 3646 5 - available in the UK from Alban Books of Edinburgh) edited by Anna Carter Florence. It is a veritable gold-mine for preachers seeking to expound the Old Testament.
A warm welcome to The New Interpreter's Study Bible (Abingdon, Nashville 2003; 298pp+maps; £29.95 hardback; ISBN 0 687 27832 5 - available in the UK from Alban Books, Edinburgh EH4 3BL) edited by Walter J Harrelson, which uses the text of the NRSV and includes the Apocrypha. The notes are considerable and tend to occupy the bottom third of the page. Designed for the use of "clergy and teachers in congregations, college and seminary classrooms, and other students and readers of Scripture", this study Bible sets out to "make biblical and theological scholarship readily available for those engaged in preaching and teaching". Therefore, although for instance there is nothing revolutionary about its exposition of the documentary hypothesis in relationship to the Pentateuch, its general approach means that this study Bible is probably not suitable for a new Christian. It is, however, not unduly technical. Many a thoughtful lay-person would benefit from using it. As far as ministers are concerned, it is a useful tool for one's daily devotions. However, the inevitably limited nature of its notes means that this study Bible, although helpfully informative, needs to be supplemented with further reading before any sermon is written.
The Glory of the Atonement: Biblical, Historical and Practical Perspectives (IVP, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2004; 495pp; £19.99; ISBN 1 84474 024 2) edited by Charles E Hill and Frank A James is a North American 'Festschrift' in honour of James Nicole, who for over 40 years taught at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts. Divided into three parts, Part I consists of a series of ten essays on 'Atonement in the Old and New Testaments'; Part II consists of eight essays on 'The Atonement in Church History'; and Part III consists just of two essays on 'The Atonement in the Life of the Christian and the Church'. Pastors interested in knowing how to relate the Christian doctrine of the atonement to contemporary society will be disappointed by this collection of essays from the Reformed wing of evangelicalism. The final two essays, for instance, by Jim Packer and Sinclair B Ferguson could have been written 50 years ago. This is not good enough. Academic theology, however 'sound', which does not relate to the world in which we live, is of no use.
The New Zealander Alan Jamieson, a sociologist turned Baptist minister, has followed up his insightful A Churchless Faith with this second book, Journeying in Faith: In and Beyond The Tough Places (SPCK, London 2004; 166pp; ISBN 0 281 05589) in which through a series of case studies he explores the faith wanderings of those who have turned their backs upon the institution of the Christian church. Jamieson's research, for instance, reveals the surprising fact that 65% of church leavers have formed or found post-church groups in which they could belong and share their faith. One of the underlying challenges of the book is for churches to find ways of supporting, encouraging and developing the many people who are tempted to give up on institutional religion. Jamieson himself dreams of creating 'waystations', where "all are welcomed equally to join conversations about truth and God, where spiritual desire is encouraged while spiritual depth is modelled, and engagement with the needs and care of people is happening". A stimulating read!
For anybody wanting to explore the rise and development of Pentecostalism, Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies: A Reader (SCM, London 2004; 332pp; £25; ISBN 0 334 02940 6), edited by William K Kay and Anne E Dyer is a great introduction. The book contains a wide range of extracts, ranging from a description of Azusa Street to Toronto. This is a fascinating book to dip into.
How do we care for young followers of Jesus? Leading a Child to Christ (Kingsway, Eastbourne 2004; 95pp; £4.99; ISBN 1 84291 195 3) by Cathy Kyte seeks to answer that question. Full of practical wisdom, it lacks any theological depth - nothing, for instance, is said about baptism and the church.
In the Footsteps of St Paul (Hodder and Stoughton, London 2004; 248pp; £16.99; ISBN 0 340 86186 X) by Radio 4 presenter Edward Stourton is a lively and fascinating 'romp' through the Acts and the Epistles. The author brings to life the places Paul visited. Furthermore, he has also done a good deal of background reading. Alas, from my perspective, the great drawback of this eminently readable book is the author's scepticism with regard to his historical sources, and particularly with regard to the Acts.
Greed (OUP, 2004; 97pp; £9.99 hardback; ISBN 0 19 515660 9) by Phyllis A Tickle is a further contribution to a series on the Seven Deadly Sins published jointly by OUP and the New York Public Library. The author of this particular volume is somewhat verbose and takes quite some time before addressing the issue in hand. It's a book to take away on holiday to read rather than to study.
An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity (CUP, Cambridge 2004; 302pp; £15.99; ISBN 0 521 53280 9) by Allan Anderson, a former Pentecostal minister and currently Reader in Pentecostal Studies at the University of Birmingham, is a first-rate account not simply of the historical development of Pentecostal distinctives, but also of Pentecostal and charismatic theology. In this latter respect, the second part of the book is of great interest with chapters on 'A theology of the Spirit'; 'Mission, evangelism and eschatology'; 'The Bible and the "full gospel"'; 'Pentecostal education and ecumenism'; 'Pentecostals and Charismatics in society'; and 'globalization and the future of Pentecostalism'. Pentecostals as well as non-Pentecostals will be very grateful for this insightful guide.
The Temple and the Church's Mission: A biblical theology of the dwelling place of God (New Studies in Biblical Theology, Apollos, Leicester 2004; 458pp; £14.99; ISBN 1 84474 022 6) by G K Beale traces the themes of the tabernacle and temple throughout the Bible. Apart from a concluding chapter on "practical reflections for the 21st century", this book unfortunately seems to have very little relevance to pastoral ministry today.
In Making Sense of the New Testament: Three Crucial Questions (IVP, Leicester 2004; 189pp; £8.99; ISBN 1 84474 034 X) New Testament professor Craig L Blomberg gives a considered evangelical response to the following: Is the New Testament historically reliable? Was Paul, rather than Jesus, the true founder of Christianity? How should Christians apply the New Testament to life today, in cultures far removed in space and time from the first-century Mediterranean world? This is a good book for would-be ministerial students beginning their theological studies.
Busy worship leaders and anyone looking for new ways to celebrate old festivals will warmly welcome Crafts for Creative Worship: A Resource Book for Parishes (Canterbury Press, Norwich 2004; 260pp; £16.99; ISBN 1 85311 585 1) by Jan Brind and Tessa Wilkinson. This is a veritable gold-mine of imaginative resources. I shall make sure those responsible for family services in my church get a copy!
Every Christian leader needs to read Evangelism - which way now? An evaluation of Alpha, Emmaus, Cell church and other contemporary strategies for evangelism (Church House Publishing, London 2003; 207pp; £10.95; ISBN 0 7151 4008 6) by Mike Booker and Mark Ireland. There is so much of interest in this fair-minded and helpful book. As the authors rightly state in the preface, when it comes to how to do evangelism, "there is no single answer - and none of the answers are easy ones"; furthermore, "small successes are worth celebrating. Dramatic testimonies are inspiring to listen to but are... rare. More often the journey to faith is untidy, comprising a number of smaller and larger steps, backwards as well as forwards". As a working pastor, I found this book a great encouragement, as well as a challenge.
Mike Booker and Mark Ireland several times comment that "churches who wish to use Alpha as it stands may find it helpful to follow Alpha with the short Emmaus 'Growth' courses". There are in fact four such growth courses - Knowing God, Growing as A Christian, Christian Lifestyle, and Your Kingdom Come, all of which are in the process of revision. For example, Emmaus: The Way of Faith. Stage 3: Growth - Christian Lifestyle (Church House Publishing, London 2nd edition 2003; 131pp; £22.50; ISBN 0 7151 4006 X) by Stephen Cottrell, Steven Croft, John Finney and Robert Warren. This course book has leaders' notes and members' handouts and includes a CD-Rom which, among other things, contains a PowerPoint presentation and handouts. The Christian Lifestyle 'Growth' book contains four courses: 1. Living images: How can we be fully human? (4 sessions); 2. Overcoming evil: Does sin matter and how can it be overcome? (5 sessions); Personal identity: Understanding ourselves and loving others (5 sessions); and 4. Called into life: Living our whole lives for God (5 sessions).
Mary, Mother of God (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2004; 123pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 8028 2266 5 - available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) edited by Carl E Braaten and Robert W Jenson, consists of seven essays by Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant scholars on Mary which were first given in the form of addresses at a conference in June 2002 sponsored by the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology at St Olaf College, Minnesota. Personally I found the essay, 'The Blessed Virgin in Evangelical Perspective' by Timothy George of most interest.
For those looking for a heavy-weight theological commentary on Matthew, written from an 'open evangelical perspective', then the revised and expanded two-volume work by Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 2004 - available in the UK from Alban Books of Edinburgh), might well be the answer. There are two volumes. Volume 1, covering Matthew 1-12 (652pp; £34.95 hardback; ISBN 0 8028 118 3) is subtitled The Christbook; and Volume 2, covering the rest of the Gospel, is subtitled The Churchbook (886pp; £34.95 hardback; ISBN 0 8028 2670 9). Although great names praise the theological wrestling with the text, from the admittedly narrow perspective of New Testament scholarship it is distinctly quirky. My own preference for a heavy-weight academic commentary on Matthew would be the three-volume ICC work by W D Davies and Dale C Allison.
Life In Our Hands: A Christian perspective on genetics and cloning (IVP, Leicester 2004; 191pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 85111 795 3) by biological scientist John Bryant and doctor/pastor John Searle is essentially an expansion of the 2002 'London Lectures in Contemporary Christianity' given by John Bryant under the title Moving Genes - Evolving Promise or Un-Natural Selection. This is a very readable exposition of a difficult subject and should be of interest to scientists and non-scientists alike.
Christian Attitudes to Marriage: From Ancient Times to the Third Millennium (SCM, London, 2004; 269pp; £18.99; ISBN 0 334 02956 2) is billed as authored by Peter Coleman, but in fact the manuscript was incomplete at the time of his death and has been completed by his friend Michael Langford. This substantial and wide-ranging work covers not simply the Old Testament and New Testament, but also the attitudes in the Near East, and in Judaism between the Testaments, before looking at the way in which marriage developed in the early church, in the medieval church, and in the Reformation, before in its final chapter looking at the period 'from Elizabeth I to Elizabeth II'. The book finishes with a brief note hand-written by Peter Coleman: "This long history has shown that men and women have had and still have this capacity to love each other, to share a common life and to provide for the next generation, though the actual patterns of doing this have varied considerably. There is no particular evidence to suggest that the institution will not exist into the fourth millennium. But it is going through a mutation".
In addition to the dictionary itself, A Basic Bible Dictionary (Canterbury Press, Norwich 2004; 191pp; £9.99; ISBN 1 85311 475 8) compiled by Michael Counsell, includes such features as a Bible time line, an introduction to each of the biblical books, together with maps and charts. The entries are at times uneven. For example, Amphipolis receives more attention than Philippi. Occasionally they are also tendentious. For instance, under 'baptism', a list of possible references to infant baptism are given. Other information (e.g. the early history of the English Bible) is somewhat obscure. Nonetheless, for a new Christian this may prove a handy reference book
A warm welcome to David A de Silva's An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods and Ministry Formation (IVP, Leicester 2004; 975pp; £24.99 hardback; ISBN 1 84474 023 4), for this is no ordinary technical New Testament introduction. Rather it is an unusual combination of non-technical New Testament scholarship with concerns for ministry today. So, for instance, the chapter on Romans includes reflections on such issues as the contemporary relevance of Paul's teaching on homosexuality, evangelizing Jews, the state, and religious legalism. Although no doubt designed for the undergraduate market, every pastor could benefit from this volume. As is often the case, IVP's low prices are amazing.
Over-busy ministers desperate for a Sunday sermon on a Saturday night will no doubt be grateful for Lectionary Reflections: Year A (SPCK, London 2004; 131pp; £7.99; ISBN 0 281 05527 0) by Jane Williams, which brings together a series of weekly pieces which the author wrote for the Church Times. Alternatively they might consult The Church Pulpit Year Book 2005: Sermons for Sundays, Holy Days, Festivals and Special Occasions - Year A (Canterbury Press, Norwich 2004; 340pp; £15.99; ISBN 1 85311 583 5) by J Critchlow. Or yet again they might buy The Abingdon Preaching Annual 2005 (Abingdon, Nashville 2004; 440pp; £15.99; ISBN 0 687 00171 4 - available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) edited by David N Mosser, which also employs the New Common Revised Lectionary. Clearly there is a real demand for such helps. However, if such helps replace, as distinct from supplement, the preacher's own study and commentary work, that is surely something to be regretted.
Harvest for the World: A worship anthology on sharing in the work of creation (Canterbury Press, Norwich, 2nd edition 2004; 317pp; £12.99; ISBN 1 85311 574 6) has been compiled by Geoffrey Duncan for Christian Aid and CAFOD. This 2nd edition of a welcome resource first published in 2002 has been expanded by just under 30 pages of new material, much of it largely from a Catholic tradition. Every minister should have a copy!
Kids@essence (CPAS/Kingsway 2004; 96pp - including free CD; £20; ISBN 1 84291 193 7) edited by Rob Frost is a children's companion volume to the adult Essence course. A six-week activity-based course, it encourages children to reflect on the following questions: 'Who am I? (God knows me)'; 'Where do I live? (God the Creator)'; 'Who is my hero? (Jesus is amazing)'; 'Is anyone listening? (Prayer works)'; 'Whom do I trust? (We can trust God)'; and 'What can I be? (Walking with Jesus)'. This is pre-evangelism with a difference. Although at first sight somewhat expensive, it lends itself to being photocopied (the book is spiral-bound) and is in fact good value for money. I have immediately handed on this creative material to my children's ministry team leader!
Celebrating the Christian Year: Prayers and Resources for Sundays, Holy Days and Festivals - Years A, B, C. Volume I: Ordinary Time (Canterbury Press, Norwich 2004; 297pp; £20 hardback; ISBN 1 85311 568 1) has been compiled by the Roman Catholic liturgist Alan Griffiths with the needs of Anglicans using the Common Worship Lectionary as also for Roman Catholics following the Revised Common Lectionary. The commendable aim of the compiler is to allow the scriptures spoken at worship to influence the prayers. A useful resource.
Those engaged in the ministry of healing will greatly welcome Healed, Restored, Forgiven: Liturgies, Prayers and Readings for the Ministry of Healing (Canterbury Press, Norwich 2004; 117pp; £12.99; ISBN 1 85311 587 8) written and compiled by John Gunstone. The author has a very real gift for language, with the result that his prayers in particular will be much appreciated.
Too many ministers are obese and unfit! The Right Road: Life Choices for Clergy (Fortress Press, Minneapolis, 2004; 115pp; £11.99; ISBN 0 8006 3657 0 - distributed in the UK by Alban Books of Edinburgh EH4 3BL) by Gwen Wagstrom Halaas, a GP who also serves as Director of Ministerial Health and Wellness for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America seeks to address this problem. The book contains a lot of common sense, and yet at times I wonder how realistic she is. For example, her suggestions for healthy pastors include "prepare your sermons while walking or riding a stationary bicycle"; "consider taking small group meetings on a walk" "have health and wellness breaks during meetings: e.g. take a stretch break, do relaxation exercise, sing a rousing hymn".
The Blackwell Companion to Christian Ethics (Blackwell, Oxford 2004; 310pp; £85 hardback; ISBN 0 631 23506 X) edited by Stanley Hauerwas and Samuel Wells is a remarkable introduction to Christian ethics and in a class of its own. For the 36 highly innovative essays which make up this volume expound the full gamut of Christian ethics seen through the lens of Christian worship: for example, 'Eating Together: Friendship and Homosexuality'; 'Being Thankful: Parenting the Mentally Disabled'; 'Washing Feet: Preparation for Service'. Although the Blackwell Companions are produced with under-graduates in mind, this particular volume would be of benefit to ministers in general. None could fail to be stimulated, and at times provoked, by this fresh approach to Christian ethics. Sadly this book is out of the price range of most ministers. However, a copy can always be ordered for the local library!
At last, a most welcome pastoral resource for older people. The Lord is My Shepherd: Psalms To Accompany Us On Our Journey Through Ageing (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2004; 174pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 8028 4982 2 - available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh EH4 3BL) by Micah Lewis, a Jewish rabbi who is a professor of psychology and gerontology, contains a series of a sensitive reflections on Psalms 23, 98 and 121. Time and again I was struck by the imaginative way in which the author applies these psalms to the experience of older people. For example, commenting on Psalm 121.1 (I lift my eyes unto the mountains, asking where will my help come from) Lewis writes: "In our own lives, we might ask, do the walls of our homes and rooms protect us, like the mountains, from lurking dangers and uncertainties? Or do they inspire fear and isolate us from the warmth and security of the life we used to know and love?". Each chapter ends with a series of questions. This is a great resource tool for anybody working with older people. It is also a book to recommend and/or lend to older members of our congregations. Would that there was more material of this kind available.
The Blackwell Guide to the Philosophy of Religion (Blackwell, Oxford 2004; 335pp; £18.99; ISBN 0 6312 2129 8) edited by William Mann, consists of a series of 14 essays grouped under four headings: 'The concept of God'; 'The existence of God'; 'Religious belief'; and 'Religion and life'. The authors are to be congratulated on making scholarship accessible to the non-technical reader. This is a useful guide to the contemporary state of philosophy of religion today.
Ministers thinking of preaching a series of sermons on the Apostles' Creed would be well advised to buy Theology: The Basics (Blackwell, Oxford 2004; 162pp; £12.99; ISBN 1 4051 1425 8) by the evangelical Oxford theologian Alister McGrath, who in eight chapters deals with Faith, God, Creation, Jesus, Salvation, Trinity, Church and Heaven. Designed for a student audience, each chapter is followed by three questions for reflection.
The Face of New Testament Studies: A Survey of Recent Research (Apollos, Leicester 2004; 544pp; £19.99; ISBN 1 84474 039 0) edited by Scot McKnight and Grant R Osborne, consists of twenty-two essays in which leading evangelical scholars survey the current scene with a view to providing students and scholars alike with a handbook of what is going on in the world of New Testament studies. Sadly, if the truth be told, this excellent introduction will be beyond the reach of most pastors.
Ageing, Death, and the Quest for Immortality (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2004; 198pp; £14.99; ISBN 0 8028 2784 5 - available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) edited by G Ben Mitchell, Robert D Orr and Susan A Salladay, consists of a series of mostly helpful essays divided into four sections: the experience of ageing; ethical issues in ageing; caring for the ageing; and the quest for immortality. Unfortunately what from a pastoral perspective should be the key essay (local church ministry to and through older adults), is in fact a disappointment, for the simple reason that it is written by a college president rather than by a local church pastor. True, the author has been a pastor, but it is clear that he is no longer engaging with the practical realities of ministry. This is a serious failure.
Holiness and Sexuality: Homosexuality in a Biblical Context - Papers from the Seventh Oak Hill College Annual School of Theology (Paternoster, Milton Keynes 2004; 212pp; ISBN 1 84227 269 1) edited by David Peterson, is a counter-blast from the evangelical wing to what they perceive as too much liberal thinking in today's Anglican Church. David Peterson himself, the Principal of Oak Hill, contributes the first three chapters: Holiness and God's creation purpose; Holiness and Sexuality in the Pauline writings; and Same-Sex unions and Romans 1. Over two chapters David Field, who has taught Ethics for many years at Oak Hill, covers the issue of fallen sexuality and the Christian doctrine of sin. Under the heading of 'homosexuality: gift and handicap', Martin Hallett, a celibate homosexual, shares his own experience. The final chapter by Peter Saunders, a GP, addresses 'nature or nurture: the causes of homosexuality'. Undoubtedly controversial, this is an important book and needs to be carefully read even by those who will take issue with its findings.
The IVP Dictionary of the New Testament (IVP, Leicester, 2004; 1174pp; £32.99 hardback; ISBN 1 84474 028 5), edited by Daniel G Reid, is a one-volume compilation of articles found in a series of magisterial dictionaries published by IVP, namely Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Dictionary of Paul and his Letters, Dictionary of the Later New Testament and its Developments, and Dictionary of New Testament Background. It needs to be emphasised that this volume is not a condensation of some of the articles, but a selection. My one reservation is that ideally every minister should buy all four of the previous volumes. But if on a desert island one's choice is limited to one book, then this is a great buy!
Two welcome reprints are the New Bible Dictionary (IVP, Leicester, 3rd edition 1996, reprinted 2004; 1298pp hardback; £34.99; ISBN 0 851110 659 5) edited by Marshall, Millard, Packer and Wiseman; and the New Bible Commentary (IVP, Leicester 4th edition 1994, reprinted 2004; 1455pp hardback; £34.99; ISBN 0 85110 648 X) edited by Carson, France, Motyer and Wenham. House group leaders should be encouraged to have these two books on their shelves.
War and Peace in World Religions: The Gerald Weisfeld Lectures 2003 (SCM, London 2004; 237pp; £18.99; ISBN 0 334 02938 4), edited by Perry Schmidt-Leukel, consists of an introductory essay followed by essays grouped around three themes: war and peace in the eastern religions; war and peace in the Abrahamic religions; and inter-religious foundations for peace. An informative volume, the price sadly means that it will probably only be bought by libraries and peace activists.
The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin (CUP, Cambridge, 2004; 352pp; £17.99; ISBN 0 521 01672 X) edited by Donald K Mckim, consists of a series of 18 essays grouped under four headings: Calvin's life and context; Calvin's work; After Calvin; and Calvin today. A commendable example of accessible scholarship, this companion will appeal not only to church history students, but also to members of the Reformed churches which stand in a Calvinist tradition.
With over 250,000 copies in print The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalogue (IVP, Leicester 2004, 4th ed; 259pp; £9.99; ISBN 1 084474 040 4) by James W Sire can be said to be the premier popular evangelical textbook on worldviews. Apart from the first chapter which deals with the concept of 'worldview' itself, this edition is essentially the same as the last edition. In simple language it expounds movements such as Christian theism, deism, naturalism, nihilism, existentialism, Eastern pantheistic monism, the new age and post-modernism. A 'must' for all those engaged in Christian apologetics.
Till The Heart Sings: A Biblical Theology of Manhood and Womanhood (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 2004; 274pp; £16.99; ISBN 0 8028 2237 1 - available in the UK from Albans Books of Edinburgh) by Samuel Terrien, a former Hebrew professor at Union Theological Seminary, New York, was first published by Fortress Press in 1985. This second edition differs only in that it includes a 12-page foreword by Phyllis Trible. In this scholarly but accessible analysis of Scripture, Terrien explores matters related to marriage, homosexuality, and male and female priesthood. Terrien's winsome style combined with fascinating insights makes this a good and informative read.
The fact that the British edition of I Married You (IVP, Leicester 1972: 2004 reprint; 160pp; £5.99; ISBN 1 84474 000 5) by Walter Trobisch, has now been reprinted 21 times is an indication of its value. The secret of this Christian guide to sex and marriage probably lies in its simplicity.
The Blackwell Reader in Pastoral and Practical Theology (Blackwell, Oxford 2000; 338pp; £17.99; ISBN 0 631 20745 7) edited by James Woodward and Stephen Pattison, forms a useful introduction to this burgeoning subject. It consists of twenty-one essays by distinguished pastoral theologians on a wide of subjects. Readers of Ministry Today will probably be most interested in the more practical essays on such issues as. 'How sexuality and relationships have revolutionized pastoral theology'; 'The relationship between pastoral counselling and pastoral theology'; and 'Towards dialogue: an exploration of the relations between psychiatry and religion in contemporary mental health'. An interesting volume, even though its sights are really on the 'academy' than on the local church. Indeed, it is significant that not one of the contributors works in a parish setting.
The New Testament Story (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 2004; 283pp; £12.99; ISBN 0 8028 2765 9 - available in the UK from Alban Books of Edinburgh EH4 3BL) by New Testament scholar Ben Witherington III is a lively introduction to the New Testament intended for use by ordinary readers and church groups. Every chapter therefore ends with exercises and questions for study and reflection. In the light of the almost total ignorance of most church members with regard to the New Testament and its formation, this book deserves to be widely used and read.
Old Testament Ethics for the People of God (IVP, Leicester 2004; 520pp; £19.99 hardback; ISBN 0 85111 784 8) by Christopher J H Wright, is a revised, updated and integrated edition of two earlier books: Living as the People of God (IVP, 1983) and Walking in the Way of the Lord (Apollos, 1995). As befits a study of Old Testament ethics, the primary emphasis is on social ethics, although one chapter is devoted to personal or individual ethics. The author is to be congratulated for the way in which he does not restrict himself to the world of the Old Testament, but rather points out ways in which the ethical concerns of the Old Testament relate to our very different world. This is a good book for preachers to buy.
An indispensable tool for any minister taking a service at a crematorium is the latest edition of Funeral Services of the Christian Churches in England (Canterbury Press, Norwich, 2001 2nd new edition; fourth impression 2002; 129pp; £9.25; ISBN 1 85311 399 9). This latest edition has been necessitated by the Church of England's adoption of Common Worship. Four extra hymns are added (including Blake's dubious words, 'And did those feet in ancient times'), but sadly the one hymn omitted is 'The old rugged cross'.
Pastoral resources available from Kingsway include two American authored 'Life journey' books. The first, A Reason For Hope: Gaining Strength for your Fight against Cancer (Eastbourne, 2004; 126pp; £8.99 hardback; ISBN 1 562 92214 9) by Michael S Barry is written to enable cancer sufferers to face up to the reality of their illness. Part of the reality is that 63% of all people with cancer successfully get over the disease. The second, One Good Year of Marriage (Eastbourne, 2004. 214pp; £7.99) by David and Janet Congo is a tool for marriage enrichment. Each chapter contains a month-long exploration that should lead to one good year of marriage!
Designed for Anglican clergy, the A5 size Church Book and Desk Diary 2005 (Canterbury Press, Norwich 2004; 512pp; £12.34 hardback; ISBN 1 85311 575 4) includes references to the calendar, lectionary and collects for year A. It fulfils its purpose well!
The 10th anniversary edition of the St Gargoyles Holy Orders Calendar for 2005 (Canterbury Press, Norwich; £4.25; ISBN 1 85311 547 9) with cartoons drawn by parish priest 'Ron' will cause many a wry smile!
Two well-written and most helpful books have been published by Church House Publishing for those working with children. The first is Not Just Sunday: Setting up and Running Midweek Clubs for Children (London, 2002; 32pp; £3.95; ISBN 0 7151 4982 2) by Margaret Withers, the Archbishops' Officer for Evangelism Among Children. At a time when increasingly on Sunday mornings children have sport to play or a parent to meet, there is much to be said for churches re-thinking and indeed expanding their work amongst children. The second is Children and Bereavement (London, 2nd edition 2003; 74pp; £6.95; ISBN 0 7151 4998 9) by Wendy Duffy, a hospice bereavement counsellor. This 2nd edition includes new sections on dealing with tragic events such as September 11 and Soham. Both books are commended for their detailed lists of further resources.
The Pastor's Bible Study, Volume I: A New Interpreter's Bible Study (Abingdon, Nashville, 2004; 272pp; £24.99; ISBN 0 687 04364 6 - available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) edited by David Albert Farmer, is intended for the North American market where pastors often have to teach courses within the context of All Age Sunday School. It also comes with a CD Rom which includes not only the full text, but also PowerPoint slides and material for handouts. This particular volume has course material on The Gospel of Matthew (15 sessions), The Book of Isaiah (10 sessions), Healing in Grief ( 10 sessions), Unselfish Prayer (5 sessions), Christian Faith and Power (5 sessions) and Liberating Discipleship (5 sessions). In a British context where home groups predominate I wonder how useful this material, good though it is, might be.
Recent booklets from Grove of Cambridge (all at £2.75 unless otherwise stated) include: Andrew Atherstone's Confessing Our Sins (Worship Series 179, 2004; 28pp; ISBN 1 85174 559 9) in which he creatively explores a variety of approaches to public confession, recognising that it is with secret individual confession that the emphasis should lie; Welcoming Asylum Seekers: Struggles and Joys in the Local Church (Ethics 133, 2004; 28pp; ISBN 1 85174 560 2) in which Stephen Burns, now a theological tutor, reflects on his ministry to asylum seekers in a Gateshead parish; Refreshing Bible Study (Biblical Series 31, 2004; 28pp; ISBN 1 85174 557 2) in which Ian Paul, the managing director of Grove Books, brings together a number of theological lecturers with ideas for enabling Bible Study to be a more "engaging, fascinating and life-changing experience"; Sue Rose's Emotional Healing (Renewal Series 16, 2004; 24pp; ISBN 1 85174 561 0) who makes the interesting statement that emotional healing is for "anyone who wants to grow in depth and maturity with an added understanding of others, as well as themselves"; Personality and the Practice of Ministry (Pastoral Series 97, 2004; 28pp; ISBN 1 85174 558 0) which analyses in greater depth some of the findings of the survey for CWR/EA published in Pastoral Care Today (2000) in the light of Eysenk's three-dimensional model of personality: e.g. Pentecostal and New Church leaders tend to be more extraverted than Baptists and Anglicans; larger churches tend to be in the care of stable extraverted pastors, while smaller churches are within the hands of neurotic introverted people!
You are reading Book Reviews by Ministry Today Reviewers, part of Issue 32 of Ministry Today, published in October 2004.
Ministry Today aims to provide a supportive resource for all in Christian leadership so that they may survive, grow, develop and become more effective in the ministry to which Christ has called them.
© Ministry Today 2024