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Short Notes

Reviewed by Paul Beasley-Murray.

First published in 1984, The Edge of Glory:  Prayers in the Celtic Tradition (SPCK, London, re-issued 2011; 107pp; £7.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06451 9) by David Adam, is a delightful collection of prayers, for both private and public use.

Thomas Merton: Contemplation and Political Action (SPCK, London 2011; 150pp; £14.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06058 0) by Mario Aguilar, Professor of Divinity at St Andrew’s and Director of the Centre for the Study of Religion and Politics, gives an introduction to the life and work of this most unusual Cistercian monk. If the truth be told, it does not scratch where most local churches itch. 

First written in AD 397-398, this edition of Saint Augustine’s Confessions (Hendrickson, Peabody, Mass. reprint 2011; 335pp; £10.99; ISBN 9768 1 5985 639 0. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) first saw the light of day in 1955 as part of The Westminster Library of Christian Classics, which then was taken over by Hendrickson in 2004. The translation is dated - ‘Thees’ and ‘Thous’ abound. Surely a new translation is called for!

What Was Lost: A Christian Journey through Miscarriage (Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville 2010; 165pp; £10.99; ISBN 978 0 664 23520 8. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Methodist minister Elise Erikson Barrett, is not just a book for women, but for any pastor wanting to engage with women undergoing this form of loss.

Around A Thin Place: An Iona Pilgrimage Guide (Wild Goose Publications, Glasgow 2011; 192pp; ISBN 978 1 84952 188 8) by Jane Gentley and Neil Paynter, is a beautifully produced collection of readings, prayers, poems, photographs, songs, stories and reflections, for visitors to Iona.

Prayers for all occasions (SPCK, London 2011; 154pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06367 3) by Ian Black, an Anglican vicar, contains some 140 original prayers ranging from bonfire night to expectant mothers, from retirement to commitment and civil partnerships. A helpful index is also included.

Fiction from Tegel (Fortress Press, Minneapolis 2010; 287pp; £12.99; ISBN 978 0 8006 9766 2. Available in the UK from Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, is volume 7 of this new edition of the works of Bonhoeffer. It contains an incomplete drama, a novel fragment, and a short story, written by Bonhoeffer in his first year in Tegel prison.  Frankly, only Bonhoeffer enthusiasts will really want to buy this volume!

Meeting Jesus in Mark (SPCK, London 2011; 140pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06401 4) by Marcus Borg, is a highly readable guide, but at the same time highly disconcerting, for there is so much about Jesus which Borg does not believe. Lay people would find this book confusing, whereas ministers would get more from reading a commentary with substance.

Catherine of Siena: A Passionate Life (Darton, Longman & Todd, London 2011; 296pp; £16.99; ISBN 978 0 232 52859 6) by Don Brophy, is carefully written biography of a 14th century saint who initially was famed for her wonder-working, but today is celebrated for her truth-telling. This account will delight all those interested in medieval mystics, but - if the truth be told - will not attract the average Protestant pastor.

The Spirit-Driven Leader: Seven keys to succeeding under pressure (Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville 2010; 130pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 0 664 22986 3. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Carnegie Samuel Calian, a former seminary president and currently a visiting professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s school of business,  identifies the seven ‘keys’ as creativity, competence, commitment, character, collegiality, compassion and courage. Somewhat unusually for a ‘religious’ book, most of the illustrations are drawn from the world of business. Although the seven ‘keys’ are certainly relevant to local church life, the application is not present - there is room therefore for a second book by the author!

Finding Your Way Around ‘Common Worship’: A Simple Guide (Church House Publishing. London 2011; 149pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 0 7151 4236 3) by Mark Earey, is a useful guide for would-be Anglican ordinands and readers.

Slugs and Snails and Puppy Dogs’ Tails: Helping Boys Connect With God (IVP, Nottingham 2011; 192pp; £8.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 523 4) by Carolyn Edwards, is an excellent book for anybody working with boys under-eleven. Highly creative, the author sets out ten ways in which boys would willingly connect with God, given the opportunity.  

Is God Still At the Bedside? The Medical, Ethical and Pastoral Issues of Death and Dying (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2011; 484pp; £19.99; ISBN 978 0 8028 2723 4. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh) by Abigail Rian Evans, is a wide-ranging exploration of death, and abounds with quotes, facts and statistics, and yet ultimately disappoints, for perhaps because of the author’s many years in teaching, it appears to lack a rootedness in personal experience. Certainly there is no reflection on personal experience. As a result, the undoubted scholarship fails to connect with the realities of pastoral ministry today. When it comes to learning how to minister to the dying at the bedside, we need to hear from those who actually ‘do the business’, rather than from those professionals, isolated in the academy, who teach would-be pastors how!         

First published in 1996, Housegroups: The leader’s survival guide (IVP, Nottingham 2011; 184pp; £6.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 510 4), edited by Stephen Gaukroger and Ian Coffey, could have been published a number of years ago. The title of Nick Mercer’s contribution, ‘I was a house group junkie’, is probably true of most of the contributors. There is nothing in this worthy collection of essays which reflects current experimentation with house groups.

First published in 1991, Meister Eckhart: Mystical Theologian (SPCK, London 2011; 258pp; £14.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06410 6), by Oliver Davies, Professor of Christian Doctrine at King’s London, is an introduction for the non-specialist to the 14th century German mystic and theologian, who down through the centuries has presented a different face at different times to a diverse group of people - including more recently Bloch and Derrida.

For those who are black and gay and are from North America, then Sexuality and the Sacred;  Sources for Theological Reflection (Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville 2nd edition 2010; 439pp; £26.99; ISBN 978 0 664 23366 2. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), edited by Marvin M Elison and Kelly Brown Douglas, this collection of some 29 articles may be of interest - but not for others!

Betjeman on Faith: an Anthology of his Religious Prose (SPCK, London 2011; 193pp; £12.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06416 8), edited by Kevin J Gardner, consists of some 40 articles, sermons, radio broadcasts and reviews, most of which not have been reprinted since their original publication. The material is divided into five parts: faith and culture, Christian aesthetics, churches and cathedrals, the Christian life, and belief and doubt. It is an interesting collection to dip into.

Two further volumes have appeared in John Goldingay’s popular For Everyone series published by SPCK: Joshua, Judges and Ruth (London 2011; 197pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06128 0) and 1 and 2 Samuel (London, 2011; 196pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06129 7). Full of personal anecdotes, but also based on sound scholarship, both books are a great resource for preachers as well as for devotional use.

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go: Facing Death with Courageous Confidence in God (IVP, Nottingham 2011; 160pp; £7.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 526 5), edited by Nancy Guthrie, is a collection of 22 short meditations drawn from the sermons and writings of past and present pastors and theologians. If the truth be told, I did not find this collection particularly stimulating.  

Dwelling with Philippians: a conversation with Scripture through image and word (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2010; 288pp; £14.99; ISBN 978 0 8028 6618 9. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), edited by Elizaberth Steele Halstead, Paul Detterman, Joyce Borger and John D Witvliet, provides a multi-dimensional approach to Paul’s letter to the Philippians through evocative juxtapositions of poetry and pictures, and is accompanied by reflections, prayers and questions. This is not so much a book to read, as to ponder. As the title suggests, to make the most of this book the reader needs to take time to ‘dwell’ with Paul’s letter. It is a most unusually creative approach to Bible study.

Reimagining Ministry (SCM Press, London 2011; 218pp; £19.99; ISBN 978 0 334 04367 6), by David Heywood, currently Director of Pastoral Studies at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, has four main sections: mission - a quiet revolution; kingdom - yeast in the loaf; church - foretaste of the kingdom; and ministry - agents of the kingdom. Written from within a non-evangelical Anglican tradition, for this reviewer the picture of church and ministry which the author draws appears alien. It certainly doesn’t excite.

First published in 1988, Too Busy Not To Pray: Slowing Day To Be With God (IVP, Nottingham 2011; 206pp; £8.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 509 8), by Bill Hybels, has gone through yet another printing. The cover has changed, little else. This guide to prayer has become a popular classic.

The Hospitality of God: Emerging Worship for a Missional Church (SPCK, London 2011; 152pp; £12.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06350 5), by Mary Gray-Reeves, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of El Camina Real, California, and Michael Perhaps, Bishop of Gloucester, describes the development of sacramental ‘emerging’ churches in England and the USA. To a non-Anglican, this book was almost impenetrable and certainly irrelevant - and thus disappointing.

God in New Testament Theology (Abingdon, Nashville 2010; 152pp; £13.99; ISBN 978 0 687 46545 3. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Larry Hurtado, Professor of New Testament at New College, Edinburgh, is a ‘solid’ examination of ‘God’ in the New Testament, including his relationship to Jesus and the Spirit. He argues that, although the New Testament does not contain the developed Trinitarian doctrine of subsequent centuries, nonetheless that doctrine would not have developed without the New Testament’s ‘triadic discourse’ about God.

The Westminster Handbook to Theologies of the Reformation (Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville 2010; 218pp; £19.99; ISBN 978 0 664 22398 4. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), edited by R Ward Holder, is wide-ranging in scope; each of the relatively short entries are followed by a very brief bibliography. It is primarily aimed at the student market.

The World’s Christians: Who they are, Where they are, and How they got there (Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford 2011; 399pp; £19.99; ISBN 978 1 4501 8887 6), by Douglas Jacobsen, is an attractive overview of the spread of the Christian church. However, from the relatively narrow perspective of Baptists, this book contains a major failure to understand one of the strongest Protestant sub-traditions. For example, the author writes of the Baptist ‘church’, as if church is equivalent to ‘denomination’, whereas for Baptists ‘church’ is always local, not least because each church is self-governing!

First published in 1987, Julian of Norwich (SPCK, London 2011; 230pp; £14.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06424 3), by Grace Jantzen, misleadingly contains on the cover the phrase ‘New edition’, when in fact it is just a reprint of the 2000 revised edition! This is a  book not only for those who have a scholarly interest in the 14th century anchoress, but also for anyone drawn to Christian mysticism and the place of women within that tradition.

First published in 1981, Sharing Possessions: What Faith Demands (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2nd edition 2011; 170pp; £12.99; ISBN 978 0 8028 0399 3. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Luke Timothy Johnson, a former monk and now married with seven children, is a fascinating and deeply thoughtful exploration of the apparent ambiguities of Scripture on the faithful use of possessions. In this new edition, the author, instead of editing the original text, has added several paragraphs of comment at the end of each section. Any minister would benefit from reading this book. 

The Cambridge Dictionary of Christian Theology (Cambridge University Press, 2011; 549pp; £130 hardback; ISBN 978 0 521 88092 3), edited by Ian A McFarland, David A S Ferguson, Karen Kilby and Iain R Torrance, is a superb authoritative work of reference from which every minister could profit. With over 550 scholarly entries ranging from traditional to contemporary issues, it is a delight to dip into. Alas, the price puts it out of reach for all but the most well-paid of ministers!

Christmas - philosophy for everyone (Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford 2010; 239pp; £11.99; ISBN 978 144 433090 8), edited by Scott C Lowe, consists of nineteen thoughtful albeit humorous philosophical and cultural insights into the festive season. For the most part it will annoy the orthodox, and yet in its cheeky way it provides much food for thought - as also plenty of illustrations for the thoughtful preacher.

First published in 1996, the fourth edition of The Christian Theology Reader (Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford 2011; 608pp; £22.99; ISBN 978 0 470 65484 2), edited by Alister McGrath, has been updated and expanded, bringing together 378 readings drawn from 230 sources, which introduce the key ideas, personalities and schools of thought within Christian theology by direct engagement with original texts. This is a key text for undergraduates studying theology. Beautifully produced, this book is a pleasure to handle.

One of the latest contributions to The New International Commentary on the New Testament is The Letter of James (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Michigan 2011; 497pp; £35.99; ISBN 978 0 8028 2627 5. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Scott McKnight. The NICNT series aims to provide “critical yet orthodox” commentaries, marked by “solid biblical scholarship within the evangelical Protestant tradition”. In this respect this commentary well and truly succeeds. It is a good example of accessible scholarship - although a knowledge of Greek is necessary to understand many of the footnotes.  Yet what is the point of accessible scholarship if no effort is made to relate the teaching of James to the modern world? If this beautifully printed commentary is primarily intended to be used by ministers, then why is the work only half-done? Yet again another example of the academy living remote from the church, let alone from the world.

Domestic Violence: What every pastor needs to know (Fortress Press, Minneapolis, 2nd edition 2011; 183pp; £13.99; ISBN 978 0 8006 9755 6. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Al Miles, is a clarion call to pastors to wake up to the reality of domestic violence within their congregations. “One in four women will experience emotional, physical, psychological sexual, and/or spiritual abuse in their lifetime. This daunting statistic indicates abused women are in every congregation”. Written very much within the American scene, nonetheless it has relevance to the UK too.

Snatched from the Fire: life with a purpose (IVP, Nottingham 2011; 141pp; £7.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 502 9), by Mitch (no surname supplied), an Irish evangelist and fire fighter, will no doubt entertain some, but left me cold. It is a strange book for a thoughtful press like IVP to publish.  

A revised edition of A Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament (Hendrickson/United Bible Societies Stuttgart, 2010; £23.99; ISBN 978 1 5985 6649 9) has been prepared by Barclay M Newman. The revisions are relatively minor. This remains an indispensable tool for any minister wanting to read the Greek New Testament.

A Key to Balthasar: Hans Urs von Balthasar on Beauty, Goodness and Truth (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2011; 117pp; £12.99; ISBN 978 0 8010 3974 4), by Aidan Nicholls, is a useful introduction for students to one of the more demanding of theologians. The author concludes: “May there be something in these pages inspirational enough to encourage readers to holiness and to steady them in the praying life that flows from the theological virtues. That for him (Balthasar)... was the best test of whether any book was worthwhile”. Wow!

First published in the USA, Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith (SPCK, London 2011; 172pp; £12.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06422 9) and Spiritual formation: following the Movements of the Spirit (SPCK, London 2011; 161pp; £12.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06421 2), by Henri Nouwen with Michael J Christensen and Rebecca J Laird, were not technically written by Henri Nouwen; rather they consist of sermons, articles, lecture notes, published and unpublished writings, all brought together and edited as guides for spiritual direction and formation. They are challenging resources and would be a useful books for any minister to read on retreat.

First published in 1995, The Making of the New Testament: Origin, Collection, Text and Canon (Apollos, Nottingham 2nd edition 2011; 302pp; £14.99; ISBN 978 0 8308 2721 3), by Arthur G Patzia of Fuller Theological Seminary, has been revised and expanded, and will be of interest to students, but also to anybody wanting to know about such issues as: Why are the books arranged in the way they are? Why are there only 27 books? How were the books dispatched, received and used by different congregations? How was the text preserved throughout the centuries?   

Mark [one of the first volumes in a new series entitled Belief: A Theological Commentary] (Westminster John Knox, Louisville 2010; 272pp; £19.99 hardback; ISBN 978 0 664 23209 2. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by William Placher, is a super commentary for preachers, for this is a commentary which engages not just with the text, but with today’s world.  It is a thoroughly enjoyable read and is full of interesting insights.  It does not, however, offer a verse-by-verse exposition, and therefore will need to be supplemented with a more traditional commentary.

Documents and Images for the Study of Paul (Fortress Press, Minneapolis, 2011; 418pp; £24.99; ISBN 978 0 8006 6375 9. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), edited by Mark Reasoner and Neil Elliott is essentially a student textbook, which provides all kinds of Jewish and Greco-Roman parallels to the life and letters of Paul. The book is highly informative and fascinating to dip into. My one regret, however, was that all the many photos were just in black and white.

In the context of an increasing interest and indeed commitment to Calvinism, particularly in the USA, in Ten Myths About Calvinism: Recovering the Breadth of the Reformed Tradition (Apollos, Nottingham 2011; 301pp; £14.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 513 5), Kenneth Stewart of Covenant College, Georgia, explores such key ‘myths’ as Calvin’s view of predestination must be outs; TULIP is the yardstick of the truly reformed; Calvinism is largely anti-missionary, leads to theocracy, undermines the creative arts, resists gender equality, and has fostered racial inequality. Largely historical, the final chapter is devoted to Calvinism in the 21st century. This is a thoughtful and interesting read. 

God, Sex and Gender: An Introduction (Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford 2011; 271pp; £19.99; ISBN 978 1 4051 9370 2), by Adrian Thatcher, is one of those rare undergraduate textbooks which at the same time provide a marvellous resource for ministers, not least in their preaching. Its aim to introduce readers “to the exhilaration of thinking theologically about sex, sexuality, sexual relationships and gender roles” is well and truly fulfilled.  Lively, up-to-date, with a clear setting out of the issues involved, this highly readable introduction should be on every minister’s shelf.

Blackwell Bible Commentaries: 1 & 2 Thessalonians through the Centuries (Wiley Blackwell, Oxford 2011; 317pp; £70 hardback; ISBN 978 1 4051 9682 6), by Anthony C Thiselton, is a beautifully produced commentary showing how past commentators have understood these two letters. It is, however, of little relevance to preachers today.

A Life of Mary Butterwick (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2011; 190pp; £10.99; ISBN 978 0232 52837 4), by Carmel Thomason, tells the story of a pioneer of hospices in North East England. Alas, the story fails to hold the reader’s attention - in the words of a friend who is a keen patron of a hospice here in Essex and who set out to read the book with real enthusiasm, but who gave up reading half-way through, it was “really boring”.

A Gracious and Compassionate God: Mission, salvation, and spirituality in the book of Jonah (New Studies in Biblical Theology, Apollos, Nottingham 2011; 201pp; £12.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 499 2), by Daniel Timmer of the Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, is a careful study of Jonah, which would benefit pastors wishing to preach their way through this ‘surprising’ book.

The Cambridge Companion to Miracles (Cambridge University Press, 2011; 338pp; £17.99; ISBN 978 0521 72851 5), edited by Graham Twelftree, consists of an introduction by the editor and then 17 essays on such diverse subjects as ‘miracles in the Greek and Roman world’; ‘miracles in Hinduism’, and ‘philosophers and miracles’.  There is a careful essay on ‘the miracles of Jesus’ by Barry Blackburn, who concludes that “the historical Jesus probably exorcised demons, healed the sick, [and] raised the dead”.  This collection may well be of interest to an undergraduate writing an essay on miracles, but frankly has little to offer most working ministers.

First published in 1978, Small Faith, Great God (SPCK, London 2011; 174pp; £8.99; ISBN 978 028 1063 659), by N T Wright, contains 20 sermons preached by the author in his younger days! Some are a little dated, but nonetheless all are highly readable.

Moving in the Right Circles: Embrace the Discipleship Adventure (IVP, Nottingham 2011; 189pp; £7.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 503 6), by Chick Yuill, is a popular guide to the Christian life, which explores four concentric circles that “make up the authentic Christian life”, namely: walking in the company of Jesus; growing in the community of believers; engaging with the culture of the times; looking to the coming of the King.  This is more a series of lively sermons rather than a serious engagement with the Gospel text.

The Blackwell Companions to Religion are a beautifully produced series of collections of scholarly albeit accessible essays on a wide range of religious topics. Three recent publications in this series are the following.  The Blackwell Companion to Religion and Violence (Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford 2011; 615pp; £110 hardback; ISBN 978 1 4051 9131 9), edited by Andrew R Murphy, contains 45 essays.  It is divided into five parts: Part I  defines terms; Part II gives a series of ‘disciplinary’ perspectives (e.g. economic, theoretical, anthropological, evolutionary, sociological); Part III looks at traditions and movements, concepts and themes (including essays on the differing approaches of world religions toward violence); Part IV gives a series of case studies, both past and present, mostly overseas, although there is an essay on Cromwell; and Part V looks at future prospects - ‘beyond violence?’. It is a fascinating companion. The Blackwell Companion to Paul (Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford 2011; 615pp; £110 hardback; ISBN 978 1 4051 8844 9), edited by Stephen Westerholm, contains a splendid collection of 37 essays. It is divided into three parts:  Part I deals with Paul and Christian Origins (including Rhetoric in Paul; the Social Setting of Pauline Communities;  Women in the Pauline Churches;  Part II with Readers of Paul (Marcion, Origen, Chrysostom and Augustine - right up to African readings of Paul); and Part III with the Legacy of Paul (in Art and Literature, as also in Theology). This companion would make a great study book for a sabbatical. Unfortunately its price puts it out of the reach of most ministers - it is a book to be borrowed rather than bought.   First published in 2004, The Blackwell Companion to Christian Ethics (Wiley-Blackwell, 2nd edition Oxford 2011; 569pp; £110 hardback; ISBN 978 1444 33134 9), edited by Stanley Hauerwas and Samuel Wells, has been expanded with additional chapters on class, race, feminism and the virtues; in addition a number of the earlier essays have been revised.   Reviewed in an earlier issue of Ministry Today, it offers a fascinating approach to Christian ethics and would undoubtedly benefit every reader of this journal. Alas, the price of all three volumes means that these ‘companions’ will probably just end up on the shelves of libraries.  

Recent Grove Booklets of Cambridge, all 28pp in length, and all £3.95, include:

Youth Work and the Law: A Brief Introduction (Youth 22, 2011; ISBN 978 1 85174 788 7), by Owen Smith, looks at such issues as health and safety, data protection, copyright, and child protection.

Understanding Self-Harm: A Biblical model for encouraging recovery (Pastoral 125, 2011; ISBN 978 1 85174 787 0), by Helen Thorne, herself a former self-harmer, develops a seven-fold system of care for this all too prevalent issue amongst young people - the nearly 3000 under-25s who were admitted to hospital in 2008/2009 for self-injury with a sharp object are, alas, just the tip of an iceberg.