« Back to Issue 37

Short Notes

By Paul Beasley-Murray and Alun Brookfield.

The Prayer God Longs For (IVP. Leicester 2005; 124pp; £6.99; ISBN 1 84474 091 9) by James Emery White, is a short book of eight short chapters, giving us a delightful set of reflections on the Lord’s Prayer. It is full of thoughtful comment, good stories and appropriate quotations. It would be ideal material as part of a week’s retreat, or as introductory reading to daily prayer for a week. Not sure about the American bald eagle on the cover though…

Helen Jaeger is well known as a writer on spirituality. In Paths Through Grief (Lion, Oxford 2006; 112pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 7459 5209 7), she reflects on the ways in which God comes to us in our most painful moments of emotional suffering. As with most Lion publications, it is beautifully produced in full colour and addresses issues of vulnerability, silence, mercy, anger, weakness, tears, surrender, time and letting go. Each ‘path’ consists of short reflections, meditations, prayers, poems and quotations from other writers. Very thought-provoking for someone trying to keep hold of God in the midst of sorrow or suffering.

One of the things which Lion do par excellence is to produce high quality ‘coffee table’ books with a spiritual purpose to them. How Christianity Came to Britain and Ireland (Lion, Oxford 2006; 208pp; £16.99 hardback; ISBN 0 7459 5153 8) is no exception. In a beautiful glossy hardback, full of colour photos and diagrams, this book does what it says in the title. Two grumbles: less than six pages are grudgingly devoted to the saints of Wales; and there is a small, but significant, error of geography in that section, so there may be others lurking in sections of the book with whose geography I am less well acquainted. Nevertheless, this book will join a few others on my coffee table when appropriate guests come calling.

The Bible in Pastoral Practice: Readings in the Place and Function of Scripture in the Church (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2005;  316pp; £17.95; ISBN 0232 52611 7) edited by Paul Ballard and Stephen Holmes, contains 21 wide-ranging essays by various people engaged in theological education,   e.g. ‘The gifts and challenges of historical and literary criticism’ (John Rogerson); ‘The Scriptures in preaching’ (Michael Quicke); ‘The Bible in evangelical spirituality’; ‘The Bible and pastoral care’ (Herbert Anderson).  Although the stated aim is for practitioners as well as scholars, it is more of interest to the latter. If the former were really in mind, then it would have been wise to have had some of the essays written by practitioners!   

First published in 1997, Theology of the Old Testament: Testimony, Dispute, Advocacy (Fortress Press, Minneapolis 2005; 777pp; £18.99; ISBN 0 8006 3745 8. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Walter Brueggemann  has been re-issued in paperback accompanied with a CDrom (includes web-links, chapter summaries, as well as the searchable text) at what is a bargain price. Students will welcome this new edition of a magisterial introduction to Old Testament theology.

The Iona community are exceedingly prolific in producing materials for worship. Three of their recent books are by one of their members, Ruth Burgess, are Candles and Conifers: Resources for All Saints’ and Advent (Wild Goose Publications, Glasgow 2005; 263pp; £14.99; ISBN 1 901557 96 0); Hay and Stardust: Resources for Christmas to Candlemas (Wild Goose Publications, Glasgow 2005; 270pp; £14.99; ISBN 1 905010 00 1); and Hear My Cry: A daily prayer book for Advent (Wildgoose Publications, Glasgow 2005; 101pp; £7.99; ISBN 1 901557 95 2). The first two are treasure troves of seasonal resources, and are worth investing in; the latter takes more the shape of a prayer journal, and necessitates the reader making time for reflection. Another aid to private devotions is The Jesse Tree: Daily Readings for Advent (Wildgoose Publications, Glasgow 2005; 85pp; £7.99; ISBN 1 905010 06 0) by Thom Shuman, which explores some of the lessons the ancestors (genetic and/or ‘spiritual) of Jesus have to offer.  

The material in 50 Sketches About Jesus (Kingsway, Eastbourne 2005;  284pp; £8.99; ISBN 0 85476 814 9) by David Burt, is grouped into four main sections:  ‘Meet Jesus’, ‘Walk the Talk’, ‘Reaching Out’, and ‘Christmas’. A useful resource.

Free church ministers in particular will welcome Where Cross The Crowded Ways: Prayers of a City Pastor (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids revised edition 2005; 105pp; £5.99; ISBN 0 8028 2981 3. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Ernest T Campbell, the former pastor of The Riverside Church, New York, who has written a wide range of thoughtful and beautifully-crafted prayers for all kinds of occasions. The only change from the first edition is that the Elizabethan English has now been dropped.

In Alzheimer: A Journey Together (Jessica Kingsley, London 2005; 112pp:; £8.99; ISBN 1 84310 408 3) Frederica Caracciolo tells of her experience of caring for her husband during his seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s. This moving first-hand account tells not simply of the pain, but also of the strategies for coping which the author developed. This is a useful book to recommend to people facing a similar journey. A less personalised albeit highly informative guide is The Challenge of Dementia (4M Publications, Edinburgh EH3 6SA, 2004; 239pp; £14.95; ISBN 0 9530494 6 9) by Malcolm Goldsmith, who deals not just with dementia itself, but has a lengthy section on how the local church might respond to caring for sufferers from dementia. The final section of the book is devoted to theological reflection on dementia. For the author the person with dementia remains a person up to the point of death. That person is ‘sanctified ground’, however lost the former self seems to be. With one person in twenty over the age of 65 and about one in five over the age of 80 having dementia, this book should be on the shelf of every pastor.   

Deportation is Freedom! The Orwellian World of Immigration Controls (Jessica Kingsley, London 2005; 224pp; £12.99; ISBN 1 84310 294 3) by former barrister Steve Cohen, is a hard-hitting and thought-provoking attack on Britain’s immigration systems, which he believes to be inherently racist and irrational. This is a book of particular interest to all those seeking to help asylum seekers.

The psychiatrist Jack Dominian has written widely on sex, marriage and relationships. This particular book, A Guide to Loving (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2005; 106pp; £7.95; ISBN 0 232 52609 5) is intended for ‘everyone’, and is therefore pretty basic stuff.

Do Christians Know How To Be Spiritual? The rise of new spirituality and the mission of the church (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2005; 186pp; £12.95; ISBN 0 232 52632 X) by John Drane, who taught practical theology in the universities of Aberdeen and Stirling, and is currently an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, California, is an expansion of the 2004 London Lectures in Contemporary Christianity. The book begins with an exploration of the relationship between ‘religion’ and ‘spirituality, and ends with a chapter on ‘creating churches for spiritual searchers’. I found this a disappointing read, in the sense that it contains nothing new, nor does it actually provide practical models for how churches can rise to the challenge of spiritual searchers.   Of much more help and interest would have been stories from the grassroots; a book like this needs to be written by a practitioner as well as a theologian!

The Parables [The Great Texts:  A Preaching Commentary] (Abingdon, Nashville 2005; 127pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 687 09049 0. Available from Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Baptist pastor Paul Simpson Duke is a collection of lively expositions of eight familiar parables. A good resource for preachers!

CS Lewis fans and indeed others will be delighted with The CS Lewis Chronicles: The Indispensable Biography of the Creator of Narnia, Full of Little-Known Facts, Events and Miscellany (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2005; 306pp; £9.95; ISBN 0 232 52646 X) by Colin Duriez.    This is a book to dip in, savour, and enjoy!

Living in Praise:  Worshipping and Knowing God (Darton, Longman and Todd, London revised 2005; 214pp; £14.95; ISBN 0 232 52625 7) by David F Ford and Daniel W Hardy, was first published in 1984 under the title of Jubilate: Theology in Praise. The main change to the earlier edition is that a ten-page Epilogue has now taken the place of the previous two appendices, which seeks to address the question of why praise is so important. I found this to be a thoughtful but difficult-to-read exploration of the nature of praise.  

For leaders of family services and possibly speakers at youth services, Sermon Seeds: 40 creative sermon starters (Abingdon, Nashville 2005; 160pp; £11.99; ISBN 0 687 33171 4. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Dottie Escobedo-Frank, may be a useful resource, but not for preachers wishing to expound the Scriptures in a meaningful manner.

The magisterial Dictionary of Pastoral Care and Counselling (Abingdon, Louisville, 2nd edition 2005; 1452pp; £44.99 hardback; ISBN 0 687 49751 5. Available in the UK from Alban Books of Edinburgh), edited by Rodney Hunter together with others, was first published in 1995, and now, under the editorship of Nancy Ramsay, has been expanded by the addition of seven new essays, reflecting on developments in this growing field. It also includes now a CDrom with the full text and hyper-linked cross-references. A mine of information for pastors, and a delight to dip into. Bearing in mind its size, the price is not exorbitant.

In Death and the Rest of our Life (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2005; 96pp; £5.99; ISBN 0 8028 2918 X. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), American Orthodox priest John Garvey reflects on the death of his father and muses more generally on the meaning of death and its aftermath. A book to lend to the bereaved.

A Touching Place: the Ministry of Healing in the Local Church. A Practical Handbook (Canterbury Press, Norwich 2005; 88pp; £7.99; ISBN 1 85311 631 9) by John Gunstone, a canon-emeritus of Manchester Cathedral, with much experience of the Christian ministry of healing, is a helpfully ‘sane’ guide to all those who would reach out with the touch of Jesus.

Preachers looking for a fresh way in to the Passion of Jesus would be helped by Celebrating Holy Week in a Post-Holocaust World (Westminster John Knox, Louisville 2005; 172pp; £11.99; ISBN 0 664 22902 6. Available in the UK through SPCK) in which Henry F Knight explores the crucifixion of Jesus in relation to Jews, Judaism and the events of the Holocaust. This is very much a book for pastors - each chapter, for instance, ends with prayers and other liturgical material.

The Church Treasurer’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Companion and Guide (Canterbury Press, Norwich 2005; 280pp; £14.99; ISBN 1 85311 646 7) by Robert Leach, an accountant and member of the Church of England’s General Synod, offers clear and simply-written advice to all those called to look after money in the church. It is written in such a way that non-~Anglican church treasurers can benefit from it. 

How to read Genesis (Paternoster, Milton Kenyes 2005; 192pp; ISBN 1 84227 385 X) by Tremper Longman III is a conservative, albeit thoughtful guide to some of the more difficult issues presented by the Book of Genesis. A useful read for any minister considering preaching a sermon series on this key Old Testament book.

 

Studies in Matthew (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2005; 397pp; £18.99; ISBN 0 8028 3964 9. Available in the UK from Alban Books of Edinburgh) by retired New Testament professor, Ulrich Luz, is a collection of 18 scholarly essays dating from 1971-2003. This fine book is essentially for the academy, and not for the pastor’s study!

For sufferers and counsellors alike, Transforming Trauma: A Path toward Wholeness (Orbis, Maryknoll, New York, 2005; 159pp; £8.99; ISBN 1 57075 615 5. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Teresa Rhodes McGee, is a helpful guide to understand the nature of trauma, whether it be caused by abuse, violence, illness or loss, and in turn to experience the peace of God in the midst of pain.

Lit by the Light of God: Prayers and Meditations through the Year (SPCK, London 2005; 126pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 281 05642 0) by Melvyn Matthews, Chancellor of Wells Cathedral, is an unusual book, in that it consists of thoughtful reflections on a diverse collection of prayers for the Christian year. This is a book for pondering.

Grieving: a beginner’s guide (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 1005; 136pp; £10.95; ISBN 0 232 52629 X) by Jerusha Hull McCormack, an academic who specialises in American, English and Anglo-Irish literature, is written out of personal experience of the pain of loss. Honest and down-to-earth, ministers would do well to heed the final chapter in which the author gives ‘guidelines for spirit guardians’, a practical compendium of what, and what not, to do when seeking to help the bereaved.

Home group leaders will welcome Creative Praying in Groups (SPCK, London 2005; 163pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 281 05733 8), by Julia McGuiness which provides over 80 creative ideas for developing the prayer life of the group. 

Those interested in some of the books which never made it into the New Testament will welcome The Secret Gospels of Jesus: The Definitive Collection of Gnostic Gospels and Mystical Books About Jesus of Nazareth (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2005; 338pp; £12.95; ISBN 0 232 52618 4) edited by Marvin Meyer who prefaces each ‘book’ with a helpful introduction.

Faith in Europe? The Cardinal’s Lectures (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2005; 94pp; £9.95; ISBN 0 232 52630 3) consists of six lectures given at Westminster Cathedral by Cormac Muphy-O’Connor, Bob Geldof, Mary McAleese, Chris Patten, Timothy Radcliffe and Jean Vanier. The theme which binds the lectures together is that although church-going may be on the decline, a longing for faith still underpins the European ideal.

The Mystical Language of Icons (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2005; 112pp; £18.95; ISBN 0 8028 2916 3. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by art historian Solrunn Ness, is a beautifully illustrated guide to the iconography of the Orthodox Church.

John Polkinghorne, Canon theologian of Liverpool, who before ordination worked for 25 years as a theoretical physicist, has written widely on the relationship between science and religion. A new edition of Quarks, Chaos and Christianity: Questions to Science and Religion (SPCK, London 2005; 100pp; £7.99; ISBN 0 281 05766 4) has been produced, fully revised in the light of recent developments in scientific research. In his most recent book, Exploring Reality: The Intertwining of Science and Religion (SPCK, London 2005; 181pp; £13.99; ISBN 0 281 05723 0), he tackles issues such as human nature, the historical Jesus, the Trinity, and evil. John Polkinghorne has the gift of writing simply about complex issues. Not only Christians, but also seekers, would benefit from reading both these books.

Living Easter through the Year: Making the most of the resurrection (SPCK, London 2005; 148pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 281 05709 5) by John Pritchard, Bishop of Jarrow, is a great resource and encourages pastors and preachers to make the most of the Easter season. As well as sermon ideas, there is also material for small groups. This is a book to buy!

Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words based on the Hebrew and Greek texts (Hendrikson, Peabody Massachusetts, 2005; 1171pp; £17.99; ISBN 1 56563 938 3. Available in the UK through Alban of Edinburgh) by Australian Stephen D Renn, is a strange book. On the one hand, the use of Greek and Hebrew gives it a scholarly feel, and yet it is not a work for scholars. I am not sure who will find this useful. It comes with a free CD.

Powerful persuasion: multimedia witness in Christian Worship (Abingdon, Nashville 2005; 209pp; £12.99; ISBN 0 687 339014. Available in the UK through Alban of Edinburgh) by Tex Sample is an unusual theological critique of the use of modern media (sound, light, beat, dance, drama) in contemporary worship. Full of practical examples, sadly, this book will not appeal to most British churches, for the simple reason that most are not capable of staging the kind of worship seen in some of the larger North American churches.  

Daily Readings With Margaret Silf (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2005; 397pp; £9.95; ISBN 0 232 52361 1) has been selected from her earlier book Daysprings (published by DLT in 2001) and is essentially ‘a little book of reflections’. Every day there is a short passage of Scripture (normally just one or two verses) followed by a pithy sentence or two from the author. For example, the text for 24 July is 2 Corinthians 4.7, with the comment: “..and even when we are shattered, the worst that can happen is that God’s love and grace and power spi9ll over into the waiting world”.    A book to accompany grace at the beginning of a meal?

Primarily geared to the American scene, Answers to Pastors’ FAQs (NexGen, Kingsway, reprinted 2005; 190pp; £7.99; ISBN 0 7814 4156 0) by Warren Wiersbe and Howard F Sugden, was first published in 1973. In spite of its subsequent revision in 1993, this book is extraordinarily dated - a totally new book needs to be written with a view to answering the questions raised!

One of the latest of the many books written by William Willimon, Professor of Christian Ministry and Dean of Duke University Chapel, is Proclamation and Theology (Abingdon, Nashville 2005; 106pp; £5.99; ISBN 0 687 49343 9. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh). For Willimon, preaching is not just a form of human communication - rather it is about God and by God. A tonic for every preacher. Another recent book by William Willimon has the provocative title, Sinning like a Christian: A new look at the seven deadly sins (Abingdon, Nashville 2005; 159pp; £6.99; ISBN 0 687 49280 7. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) - a great resource for any minister wanting to preach a sermon series of the sins of pride, envy, anger, sloth, greed, gluttony and lust.

A Primer in Pastoral Care (Fortress Press, Minneapolis 2005; 96pp; £8.99; ISBN 0 8006 3760 7. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner is a simple introduction for beginners in ‘care-giving’. It is expensive for what it is.

Balance (Church House Publishing, London 2005; 69pp; £3.99; ISBN 0 7151 4079 5) by Robert Warren and Sue Mayfield, is a five session course on rest, work and play for Lent groups. Imaginative and highly practical, this is a superb exploration of the Sabbath.

The Pastoral Circle Revisited: A Critical Quest for Truth and Transformation (Orbis, Maryknoll, New York 2005; 241pp; £13.99; ISBN 1 57075 620 1. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), edited by Frans Wijsen, Peter Henrior and Rodrigo Mejia, is a collection of essays by scholars from all over the world, who explore the use of the so-called ‘pastoral circle’ in church and educational life. The ‘pastoral circle’ is essentially a tool of social analysis with a view to helping people discover and implement ‘pastoral action’ on behalf of social justice. In the UK it will be more of interest to missiolologists than to local pastors.

Collections of sermons sometimes, but not always, prove to be a useful resource for pastors as they seek fresh ways into the Biblical text. Bible reflections round the Christian year (SPCK, London 2005; 144pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 281 05763 X) by the well-known Methodist preacher and broadcaster, Colin Morris, is particularly stimulating. A little less so is Glory in our Midst (SPCK, London 2005; 114pp; £8.99; ISBN 0 281 05582 3) by Michael Perham, Bishop of Gloucester, which focuses on Advent, Christmas, Epiphany and Candlemas;  and - to my mind at least - much less so is Seeing in the Dark: University Sermons (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2005; 163pp; £12.95; ISBN 0 232 52619 2) by Nicholas Lash, the Norris-Hulse Professor Emeritus of Divinity at the University of Cambridge.

 

The Drama of Scripture: finding our place in the Biblical story (SPCK, London 2006; 171pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 281 05740 0) by Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen is an revised and considerably shorter version of  the first more scholarly edition published in 2004 by Baker Academic. With questions inserted at the end of each chapter, the aim of this book is to enable lay people, who all too often read just short extracts of the Bible, to see the wider picture. Alas, good as it is, for most churches this introduction to the Bible is too demanding to be used by small groups.

Shattered Lives: children who live with courage and dignity (Jessica Kingsley, London 2006; 176pp; £13.99 hardback; ISBN 1 84310 434 2) by Camila Batmanghelidjh is a passionate and disturbing account of vulnerable inner-city children who have become victims of abuse and neglect. The final three sentences of the introduction give the flavour of this ‘tract for the times’: “We are hurting our children by not offering them loving care. We are lying about our failure to protect them. The murder of childhood is killing us all”. This is a book for social workers, but also for pastors.

God’s new community: New Testament patterns for today’s church (IVP, Leicester, 2005; 139pp; £6.99; ISBN 1 84474 078 1) by Graham Beynon, Associate Pastor at Knighton Evangelical Free Church, Leicester, first saw life as a series of sermons on the church. Preachers might find it helpful for preaching a similar series. Alternatively it can be used in home groups, or perhaps be given to new members of a Free Church.

Contagious holiness: Jesus’ meals with sinners (New Studies in Biblical theology, Apollos, Leicester 2005; 216pp; £12.99; ISBN 1 84474 083 8) by Craig Blomberg is a scholarly book with a welcome difference, for after a careful study, first of meals in the Old Testament and in the inter-testamental period, and then of material in the Gospels relating to Jesus eating with sinners, the final 14 pages are devoted to suggesting ways in which Christians today might show table-hospitality to non-believers. This is a book from which pastors and preachers would benefit greatly.

The second edition of An Introduction to the New Testament (Apollos, Leicester 2005; 781pp; £24.99 hardback; ISBN 1 84474 089 1) by D A Carson and Douglas J Moo is a ‘must’ for every theological student. It is a substantial revision of the first edition, published in 1992, and then edited by Leon Morris as well as by the previous editors. All the chapters have been revised and updated. There is a new preliminary chapter on ‘Thinking about the study of the New Testament’; a brief analysis of the ‘new perspective’ on Paul; a significant expansion on ‘pseudonymity’; and a more substantial summary of the biblical books along with interaction with some of the more recent literary and social-science approaches to New Testament interpretation. This is evangelical scholarship at its best.

Tales of two cities: Christianity and politics (IVP, Leicester 2005; 294pp; £14.99; ISBN 1 84474 096 X) edited by Stephen Clark is a collection of seven essentially theological papers originally given at a theological study conference organized by ‘Affinity’, a network of evangelical churches concerned for theological truth. Contributors include Gordon Wenham (‘Biblical ethics in a multicultural society’), David Field (‘Put not your trust in princes: Samuel Rutherford, the four causes and the limitation of civil government’), and Paul Helm (‘Christianity and politics in a pluralist society: an Augustinian approach’). This is a book more for theorists rather than activists.   

Preaching the Gospel without easy answers (Abingdon, Nashville 2006; 168pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 687 33176 5. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Robert Cummings Neville, a Boston professor of philosophy, religion and theology, is a collection of wide-ranging university sermons.

The Bible in Western Culture: the student’s guide (Routledge, London 2005; 260pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 413 32618 4) by Dee Dyas and Esther Hughes, is a fascinating volume in that it seeks to offer a framework of understanding the Bible for those exploring literature, art, music and history. Although intended for people unfamiliar with the Bible, it will also be of interest to Bible-lovers who may not always be aware of the Bible’s influence on Western culture.

Pride (Oxford University Press, 2006; 142pp; hardback £10.99; ISBN 0 19 516092 4), by black Baptist minister Michael Eric Dyson is the final volume in this American series on the ‘seven deadly sins’. Dyson’s thoughtful work on Pride differs from others in that he takes a hard look at the development of pride in the African-American community.

The Complete Ministry Audit (Abingdon Press, Nashville, 2nd edition 2006; 176pp; £13.99, including a CD rom; ISBN 0 687 49750 7. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by distinguished church consultant Bill Easum, offers a series of diagnostic tools designed to gauge the health and potential for growth of American congregations. Although written for the American scene, some of Easum’s comments are of interest for British pastors. For example:  “Put visitors on the mailing list the first time they register. Send them a letter from the pastor, the newsletter, and a gift, and invite them to a small group. The invitation should be extended by the small-group leader or by a friend within the small group. Studies show that friendly, brief visits to first-time visitors within 36 hours after they attend will cause 85% of them to return the following week. If this home visit is made3 within 72 hours, 60% of them return. If it is made more than 7 days later, 15% will return. If the pastor makes this call, each result is cut in half. A phone call by a layperson or the pastor instead of a person visit cuts results by 80%”

It was with a sense of great anticipation that I began to read Leadership Next: changing leaders in a changing culture (IVP, Leicester 2005; 218pp; £8.99; ISBN 1 84474 092 7) by Eddie Gibbs, Fuller Seminary’s professor in church growth. Alas, anticipation turned to disappointment and then to down-right annoyance, for Gibbs appears to be writing primary of the North American scene. Certainly his constant comparison between older and younger leaders is way off mark as far as Britain is concerned, for much of which he advocates was taken on board by ministers here 20 or more years ago.  

Reading Local Ministry: story, process and meaning (SPCK, London 2006; 150pp; £11.99; ISBN 0 281 05713 3), edited by Robin Greenwood and Caroline Pascoe, is, for me as a Baptist, like a Westerner visiting North Korea - it is akin to entering an alien country, out of touch with rest of the world. The authors seem to be unaware that Anglicans could benefit from the experience of local Baptist and Congregationalist churches who have been doing local ministry for centuries. However, for those who wish to see what Anglicans have been doing in terms of local ministry, then this is no doubt an informative read.

Christian Beliefs: 20 basics every Christian should know (IVP, Leicester 2005; 157pp; £6.99; ISBN 1 84474 088 9) by Wayne Grudem, edited by Elliot Grudem, is a condensed version of Grudem’s Bible Doctrine (528pp) which in itself is a condensed version of his Systematic Theology (1290pp). A useful introduction for the young Christian.

The first four chapters of How on earth did Jesus become God?  Historical questions about earliest devotion to Jesus (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2005; 246pp; £11.99; ISBN 0 8028 2861 2. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by New Testament scholar Larry W Hurtado, first saw light as a series of lectures given in Israel to a group of non-theologians and are a fairly straight-forward orthodox account of the way in which Christology developed. By contrast, the subsequent four chapters first saw light in various journals and are essentially four independent essays on related subjects (‘First-century Jewish monotheism’; ‘Homage to the historical Jesus and early Christian devotion’; ‘Early Jewish opposition to Jesus-devotion’; and ‘Religious experience and religious innovation in the New Testament’). The book does not exactly hold together, and therefore is perhaps more a book for a theological college’s library, rather than for a pastor’s study.

Jesus: a modern introduction to theology - new questions for old beliefs (Tauris, London 2006; 290pp; £15.99; ISBN 1 84511 010 2) by Oxford theologian Philip Kennedy, is an extraordinarily stimulating attempt to relate traditional Christian theology to issues such as world poverty, women, science, and religious diversity. It is not a technical book, and is therefore accessible to non-theologians as well as would-be theologians.   Although its approach is more radical than my own, as a preacher I will find this a helpful resource as I seek to enable my congregation to wrestle with the today’s challenges.    

Fifty Major Cities of the Bible: From Dan to Beersheba (Routledge, London 2006; 246pp; £16.99; ISBN 0 415 22315 6) by John C H Langlin provides a handy reference to the major archaeological sites in Israel. Illustrated with black and white photographs, every entry contains suggestions for further reading. A useful tool for archaeology enthusiasts.

Inevitably in A Brief History of Christianity (Blackwell, Oxford 2006; 216pp; £12.99; ISBN 1 4051 1047 3), Carter Lindberg can only give a bird’s eye view of the development of the church. Nonetheless, it is a little surprising that Anglicans get just one mention, and Baptists none. Nor is anything said about the rise of evangelicalism, although in the glossary evangelicals are wrongly equated with fundamentalists.

Pure: sex and relationships God’s way (IVP, Leicester 2005; 144pp; £6.99 hardback; ISBN 1 84474 090 0) by Linda Marshall is a simple down-to-earth guide to relationships for Christian young people. A useful resource for youth leaders.

Fifty Key Christian Thinkers (Routledge, London 2004: reprinted 2005; 297pp; £12.99; ISBN 0 415 17050 8) by Peter McEnhill and George Newlands introduces the lives and ideas of some of the most influential figures in Christian history. Each entry includes not only a summary of the major writings of the theologian concerned, but also books for further reading. Along with such obvious figures as Aquinas and Augustine, Luther and Calvin, modern theologians such as Moltmann and Kung feature. Somewhat surprisingly to this reviewer, so too do John Hick and David Tracy. A useful tool for students.

With the Da Vinci Code still all the rage, The Gnostic Discoveries: the impact of the Nag Hammadi library (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2006; 239pp; £12.95; ISBN 0 232 52672 9) by Marvin Meyer is a timely publication. This detailed and scholarly over-view of such texts as the Gospel of Thomas, the Secret Book of John, and the Gospel of Truth reveals how different these Gnostic writings are from the canonical Gospels.

Cross-examined: the life-changing power of the death of Jesus (IVP, Leicester, first published 2001, 2nd edition with study guide, 2006;l 189pp; £6.99; ISBN 1 84474 101 X) by Mark Meynell, Senior Associate Minister at All Souls, Langham Place, London, is a lively approach to the Cross of Christ, abounding with quotable quotes, and therefore a gift for any preacher.

The Early Days of Grieving (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2006, first published 2001, revised and updated 2006; 77pp; £5.95; ISBN 0 232 52644 3) by Derek Nuttall, a former Director of Cruse Bereavement Care, is an excellent secular guide for people who have recently lost their loved one, but from a Christian perspective is disappointing, for Jesus doesn’t get a mention, even though the author has also been a URC minister.

Why Trust the Bible? Answers to 10 tough questions (IVP, Leicester 2005; 128pp;£6.99; ISBN 0 85111 993 X) by Amy Orr-Ewing, training director of the Zacharias Trust, is a well-written popular exercise in Christian apologetics. Well-presented, preachers could benefit from her use of communication skills. It’s a good book to give to questioning ‘seekers’.

J I (‘Jim’) Packer has produced a new expanded edition of his classic Keep in step with the Spirit: finding fullness in our walk with God (IVP, Leicester 2006; 249pp; £9.99; ISBN 1 84474 105 2), first published in 1984. The author, who is Professor of Theology at Regent College, Vancouver, Canada, describes himself as a ‘theological pietist’ and a pietistic theologian, and stands very much in the Reformed tradition of evangelicalism. This new edition is expanded in two respects. First, there is a five page ‘Preface to the Preface’ in which amongst other things he sets out the fourfold aim of the original book: (i) to restate the Christ-centeredness of the Holy Spirit’s ministry; (ii) to reaffirm the biblical call to holiness; (iii) to assess the charismatic movement; and (iv) to show that the charismatic vision falls short of the fullness of revival according to the Scriptures. Second, he has added a ten-page chapter entitled ‘Heaven on Earth’, which deals with the doctrine of assurance. Those who have already a copy of the first edition will scarcely find the need for a copy of the second edition. The second edition, however, does give an opportunity for a new generation to benefit from Packer’s exposition of the work of the Spirit. 

Sacred Rhetoric: preaching as a theological and pastoral practice of the church (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 2005; 143pp; £8.99; ISBN 0 8028 2058 1. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Michael Pasquarello III, is a book on preaching with a difference, in that it looks at ten great preachers of the past (Augustine, Gregory the Great, Benedict, Bernard of Clairevaux, Bonaventure, Aquinas, Erasmus, Latimer, Luther and Calvin) with a view to discovering what true preaching is all about. It is a refreshing contrast from books on preaching which are concerned simply for ‘relevance’.

For many years David Pawson has been an influential, albeit highly controversial, figure in evangelicalism. In his autobiography, Not as bad as the truth: memoirs of an unorthodox evangelical (Hodder and Stoughton, London 2006; 236pp; £8.99; ISBN 0 340 86427 3), this maverick Baptist gives a lively account not just of his life but of the principles undergirding his life.   

Eat This Book: The Art of Spiritual Reading (Hodder and Stoughton, London 2006; 186pp: £9.99; ISBN 0 340 86391 9) by Eugene Peterson is a somewhat long-winded and discursive treatment of the benefits of ‘lectio divina’ loosely based on Revelation 10.9-10. It offers little new, and for any experienced pastor will be a re-statement of the well-known truth.

Preachers looking for help in preaching on Christian stewardship will probably benefit from Giving to God: The Bible’s Good News about Living a Generous Life (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Michigan 2006; 204pp; £7.97; ISBN 0 8028 2926 0. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Mark Allan Powell, an American New Testament professor.

The nature of New Testament theology (Blackwell, Oxford 2006; 314pp; £19.99; ISBN 1 4051 1174 7) edited by Christopher Rowland and Christopher Tuckett, consists of a series of seventeen scholarly essays in honour of Oxford theologian, Robert Morgan, on such diverse subjects as ‘The nature of New Testament theology’ (Morna Hooker), ‘The contribution of reception history to a theology of the New Testament’ (Ulrich Luz), ‘Deutero-Paulinism, pseudonymity and the canon’ (John Muddiman), and ‘The Trinity and the New Testament’ (Frances Young).  Perhaps surprisingly this Festschrift includes little information about the scholar being honoured - was this an oversight?

Momentum for life: sustaining personal health, integrity and strategic focus as a leader (Abingdon Press, Nashville 2005; 176pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 687 33191 9. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Michael Slaughter, senior pastor of a 4000-attendance church, together with Warren Bird and Kim Miller, is a populist ‘This is how I’ve done it’ book on self-management in ministry, which will probably have little appeal beyond its immediate context.

In John Paul II: Man of History (Hodder and Stoughton, London 2006; 344pp; £20; ISBN 0 340 908165), we have a critical albeit essentially respectful account of the life of the late pope by Edward Stourton, a radio presenter on Radio 4’s Today programme and weekly religious affairs programme, Sunday, himself  a Catholic. Although Stourton has clearly read widely, he also writes as one who over the years has closely followed the life of John Paul II. A good read!

Pastors under pressure: conflicts on the outside, fears within (Day One Publications, Leominster 2nd edition 2004; 160pp; £7; ISBN 1 903067 67 8) by retired Scottish Baptist minister James Taylor is a very different book from the first edition published in 2001. With 68 additional pages, there are further reflections on the role of ministers’ wives, but the principal reason for expansion are the ten new sections on the minister and retirement. Although these last sections do not really fit in to what was originally a practical guide to ministry, they are of great interest, not least because there is so little written material on this subject. Ideally, this final section could perhaps be expanded even more and form a free-standing book. In the meantime, this is a useful book for ministers in their late 50s or early 60s to get hold of.   

The Basics: Roman Catholicism (Routledge, London 2005, reprinted 2006; 205pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 415 26381 6) by Michael Walsh, a former Jesuit and editor of the Heythrop Journal,  offers an insider’s account of Roman Catholic beliefs and practices. It is not intended to be a ‘defence’, but a guide to Catholicism. It is a well-written introduction.

Yet another popular ‘tour de force’ by N T Wright. In Evil and the Justice of God (SPCK, London 2006; 117pp; £12.99; ISBN 0 261 05788 5), he explores the question of evil (and the Cross of Christ) in a post-9/11, post-Asian tsunami, post-Katrina, post-Kashmir earthquake society.  I particularly appreciated the final chapter on the role that forgiveness has to play in overcoming evil. My one quibble is the price for a book of this kind.

A warm welcome to the latest edition of The Case against Christ (Hodder and Stoughton, London, first edition 1986, latest edition 2006; 223pp; £7.99; ISBN 0 340 90882 3) by John Young and, now, with David Wilkinson. This latest edition has been completely revised and includes a chapter on ‘Dan Brown and the Da Vinci Code’. This is an excellent popular book on Christian apologetics, and contains great resources for preachers.

The Crossway Bible guides, with questions after each section, are ideal for home groups wanting to work their way through a book of the Bible.  Two recent editions to the series are Discovering 1 Corinthians (Leicester 2005; 192pp; £4.99; ISBN 978 85684 225 9) by Stephen Dray and Robin Dowling; and Discovering Hebrews (Leicester 2005; 175pp; £4.99; ISBN 978 1 85684 224 2) by Steve Motyer.

Anglican priests should appreciate A Companion to Common Worship: Volume 2 (Alcuin Club, SPCK, London 2006; 262pp; £?; ISBN 0 281 05778 8), edited by Paul Bradshaw, which provides a scholarly historical survey of all the various services found within Common worship.

The Iona Community continue their splendid tradition of providing resources for the Christian year. One of the latest such resources is Iona Dawn: Through Holy Week (Wild Goose Publications, Glasgow 2006; 112pp; £7.99; ISBN 1 905010 11 7) edited by Neil Paynter, is suitable for individual use as also for use in church services.

Hodder and Stoughton have produced a number of gift editions of TNIV Bibles, including the small print Love Bible (£14.99 hardback; ISBN 0 340 909860 2).

Looking ahead to next year, the Canterbury Press of Norwich have published two versions of their Canterbury Church Book and Desk Diary 2007: the first in hardback (£13.61) and the second in the form of an insert for a personal organiser (£14.46). The former is clearly a good deal larger than the latter, but the content remains the same, consisting of a page-a-day diary with double page spread for Sundays, together with the various readings and collects for the day, and an information section.

Anglicanism: a very short introduction (Oxford University Press, 2006; 157pp; £6.99; ISBN 0 19 280683 9) by Mark Chapman, Vice Principal of Ripon College, Cuddesdon, is an excellent fair-minded up-to-date guide to the world-wide Anglican church. It would make an excellent gift to every church warden!

Another excellent gift, albeit of a very different type, is The Good Parish Management Guide (Canterbury Press, Norwich 2006; 164pp; £12.99; ISBN 1 85311 672 6) by Ian Smith, who spells out in a very simple manner  principles of ‘Christ-centred’ management. The author’s intention is “to help every parish to start building the kingdom of God here on earth”. This jargon-free book, written with lay people in mind, will come as a real ‘God-send’ to many a PCC.

From the Abundance of the Heart: Catholic Evangelism for all Christians (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2006; 140pp; £10.95; ISBN 0 232 52636 2) by Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Reading, is a well-written down-to-earth guide to evangelism for Christians within the Anglo-Catholic tradition. Evangelism is too important to be left to the Evangelicals!

Blessed Among All Women: Women saints, prophets, witnesses for our time (Darton Longman and Todd, London 2006; 316pp; £14.95; ISBN 0 232 52675 3) by Robert Ellsberg, is a wide-ranging collection of ‘saints’ (not all Christian), ancient and modern, well-known and obscure, grouped according to the Beatitudes. Almost every pen portrait is followed by a suggestion for further reading. Informative, undoubtedly, but useful? For women’s groups perhaps.

Letters to new pastors (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Michigan 2006; 204pp; £8.99; ISBN 0 8028 2751 9. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Presbyterian minister Michael Jinkins, is full of much practical wisdom and would form a great ordination gift. For instance, writing on time management, he says: “The problem is not so much failing to master certain techniques related to the clock, it’s failing to discern what should guide their days and determine their priorities”.

Pastoral Prayers in Public Places (Abingdon, Nashville 2006; 80pp; £4.99; ISBN 0 687 49567 9. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by F Belton Joyner, a retired Methodist minister, is an unusual book in so far as it provides prayers for eighty very different situations, not all of them ‘run of the mill’, such as decisions about euthanasia, strikes, school fights, denial of abuse. This is certainly an innovative pastoral resource.   

He came down from heaven: the pre-existence of Christ and the Christian faith (Apollos, Leicester 2005; 349pp; £16.99; ISBN 1 84474 104 4) by Douglas McCready, is a careful exploration, both exegetical and theological, of the person of Christ, in which the author rightly argues that there is no proper doctrine of salvation without belief in pre-existent Christ.

Many ministers have preached a sermon series on the ‘seven last words’ of Christ, but The Seven Next Words of Christ: Finding Hope in the Resurrection Sayings (Abingdon, Nashville 2006; 98pp; £7.99; ISBN 0 68749821 X. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Shane Stanford suggests a totally different sermon series on seven ‘words’ of the Risen Christ. These are: “Who are you looking for”; “Greetings - don’t be afraid”;  “What are you so concerned about”; “Peace be with you”; “Go into the world”; “Have you caught any fish?; and “Wait for the gift”.  The accompanying sermons may not be great exegesis, but they will spark off ideas.

Called to be church: the Book of Acts for a new day (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2006; 298pp; £11.99; ISBN 0 8028 6065 6. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Anthony B Robinson and Robert W Wall, is a commentary with a difference, for much of the book is devoted to seeking to apply insights gained to the life of the North American church. The authors look at such issues as conflict resolution, pluralism, multiculturalism, sexuality, money, church and state, and the role of the Holy Spirit. A useful resource for a sermon series!

Communion Services (Abingdon, Nashville 2006; 99pp; £4.99; ISBN 0 687 49836 8. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Robin Knowles Wallace, comes out of the North American Methodist tradition and is a very basic guide to the Lord’s Supper, with orders of service and prayers for Sundays and for special days of the year. I was struck by one simple suggestion: “As you wait in the line for Communion, pray for those who pass by and for those who wait in lines for food each day… at a soup kitchen or in war-torn countries”.

The Zondervan NIV Recovery Devotional Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan 2003; £19.99 hardback; ISBN ?; Available in the UK through Hodder and Stoughton, London), edited by Verne Becker, is a Bible with a difference.  Connecting Scripture and the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, it contains 365 ‘daily meditations’, 400 ‘life connections’ and 2000 ‘step-markers’.

Recent booklets from Grove of Cambridge, all 28pp in length and priced at £2.95, include Mark’s Jesus: The Message and Meaning of Mark (Biblical 37, 2005; ISBN 1 85174 601 3) by John Proctor of Westminster College, Cambridge, written in a lively style, with some helpful hints for preachers; Shame: Biblical reflections and pastoral advice on living with shame  (Pastoral 101, 2005; ISBN 1 85174 588 2) by John Watson, who has a delightful quote from the Talmud: ‘A sense of shame is a lovely sign in a man. Whoever has a sense of shame will not sin so quickly’; Preaching at Weddings (Pastoral 103, 2005; ISBN 1 85174 602 1) by Rod Symmons , with some useful sermon ideas; Creative Learning in the Local Church (Spirituality 94, 2005; ISBN 1 85174 600 5) in which Meg Orr shares her passion for theology; How to use symbol and action in worship (Worship 184, 2005; ISBN 1 85174 598 X) by John Leach, a booklet more for Anglicans than others; Towards the conversion of England: a report revisited (Evangelism 71, 2005; ISBN 1 85174 599 8) in which Geoff Pearson shows that in many ways things have not changed much since the report was first produced in 1945;  Islamic Terrorism: Is there a Christian response? (Ethics 139, 2005; ISBN 1 85174 604 8) by Colin Chapman is an excellent guide, with the author rightly stating that terrorism “is not the root of the problem; it is usually a reaction to a perceived injustice, and therefore needs to be seen as a symptom of other underlying responses”; Engaging Emotions: The need for emotions in the Church (Renewal 22, 2005; ISBN 1 85174 605 6) in which Jamie Dow cogently argues that “emotions are not to be thought of as mysterious sub-rational forces sweeping through us from somewhere deep within.  Rather, they are cognitive and part of our rational minds, responsive to circumstances and hence motivators of (rationally justifiable) action”; Mothering Sunday (Worship 185, 2005; ISBN 1 85174 603 X) in which Em Coley traces the roots of this emotive Sunday, before taking a brief look at some of the practicalities involved in ‘doing’ Mothering Sunday, e.g. inviting back baptism families to the service to celebrate their family units (perhaps with cake!); Sustaining your spirituality (Youth 2, 2006; ISBN 1 85174 618 8) by Sally Nash, which concludes with a very helpful chart illustrating how the author has cared for herself on a daily, weekly, monthly, annual and seasonal basis; Supervising Youth Workers: the potential and pitfalls for churches employing youth workers (Pastoral 105, 2006; ISBN 1 85174 617 X) by Malcolm Herbert and Sally Nash, who make the need for such a booklet clear, when they state that there are today some 6000 church youth workers, half of whom are full time!   Two booklets, both ‘musts’ for any pastor, are devoted to rising to the challenge of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code: Decoding Da Vinci: the challenge of historic Christianity and fantasy (Biblical 39, 2006; ISBN 1 85174 616 1) by New Testament scholar N T Wright sets out ‘the facts’; and Coded Messages: Evangelism and the Da Vinci Code (Evangelism 73, 2006; ISBN 1 85174 614 5) by Steve Hollinghurst, who a researcher based at the Church Army Sheffield Centre, suggests a number of helpful ways in which churches can engage with non-Christians in the present debate.  Christian Festivals: reclaiming a biblical theology (Renewal 23, 2006; ISBN 1 81574 612 9) by Mark Fraser, who encourages Christians to ‘party at home’ and not just at Spring Harvest or wherever; Soul Spark: a short course exploring prayer and spiritual growth (Spirituality 96, 2006; ISBN 1 85174 615 3) by Nick Helm, gives details of a six-session course in developing a variety of approaches to prayer; Vulnerable Learning: thinking theologically about higher education (Ethics 140, 2006; ISBN 1 85174 611 0) seeks to draw parallels - unconvincingly for the reviewer - between the disciple-making process of Jesus and university education today.