The Israelites in History and Tradition
Niels Peter Lemche
SPCK, London, 1998; viii+246pp; £30; ISBN 0 281 05227
Potential readers need to know that the conclusions drawn in this book are extremely sceptical. Its thesis is that the description of the pre-exilic ancient Israelites in the Old Testament has no historical validity, but that it is a literary construct of scribes in the post-exilic Jewish community who needed to create a 'foundation myth' to undergird the self-understanding and sense of identity of their people. There seems to be hardly any archaeological evidence for any ethnic group who could be identified as the Biblical Israelites that would distinguish them from other peoples in the same region at the same time. And, indeed, much that has been written about the ancient Israelites by modern scholars may also be no more than a figment of their imagination, under the influence of Enlightenment values.
What this means is that the stories of the Exodus, of the time of the conquest and of the Judges, and of the monarchy up to the time of the exile, have a similar role in establishing and defining Jewish identity as the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table do for 'Britishness'. Clearly this is an important function, and not one to be despised, even if its historical basis is open to question. Nor do such judgements undermine the value, and, indeed, the 'truth', of such stories since they plainly operate at a level below the rational.
This reviewer, who is not an Old Testament scholar, is scarcely able to assess the evidence to be able to argue against the case made by Lemche. This is a scholarly work, not a popular one (hence the price?), although some might find it a fascinating read. It is important to take the author's position seriously, even if in the end we find it hard to swallow.
Philip Clements-Jewery
Suffering Divine Things - Theology as Church Practice
Reinhard Hutter
William B.Eerdmans, Grand Rapids/Cambridge, UK, 2000; xviii+314pp; £15.99;
ISBN 0 8028 4688 2
The context for theology today is both 'post Constantinian' and 'after modernity', a sense of gulf between 'anything goes' on the one hand and a return to orthodoxy on the other. The old 'camps' have splintered into a multiplicity driven by liberation theology, feminist theology, the psychotherapeutic movement, the Pietist-evangelical movement, the charismatic movement, etc. Similarly, the engagement with 'advanced modernity' by Protestant churches is pushed either towards a privatised form of religion or increasingly reified forms of faith designed to counter the dynamic of modernity itself, such as biblical fundamentalism. Both reactions lose the 'public' presence of the church. This book is an attempt to break through this impasse.
In four parts, the first of which explores the issue of pathos, poiesas, praxis and practice, this book argues for a renewed confidence in theology as a church practice. Part two engages with two theologians, the post-liberal George Lindbeck and the Lutheran theology critical of modernity of Oswald Bayer. Part three explores the Church's Rooting in the Spirit, and part four, Theology as Church Practice, Church being understood as "the Public of the Holy Spirit".
If all this sounds arcane, then you would be wrong, for the issues at stake are serious and profound ones for the survival of the Church in the realm of public debate. However, this really is a 'theologian's theology', translated from the German in a dense and heavy-going style which lends itself in no way to the kind of general theological reader which makes up the majority of ministers and pastors. But then, it was not written for that audience (witness its origins as a 'Habilitationsschrift' and its one third of text as end notes,) and we need Hutter, or someone similar, to bring its arguments to the attention of the vast majority of thinking ministers who lack the specialised dogmatics/systematics background to use this book to some profit. If you have done post-graduate studies in dogmatic theology, then you will cope, but otherwise wait for 'the idiot's guide'!
Paul Goodliff
The Kingdom and the Power - Theology Of Jürgen Moltmann
Geiko Muller-Fahrenholz
SCM Press, 2000; 262pp; £14.95; ISBN 0 334 02801 9
The jacket describes Moltmann as "probably the most important German-speaking Protestant theologian since the Second World War." He is probably the most widely read in Britain and the United States, with translations of his major works, from Theology of Hope to Experiences in Theology following hot on the heels of their publication in Germany with Margaret Kohl always providing excellent translations for the now completed series 'Contributions to Systematic Theology' which began in 1980 (translated 1981) with The Trinity and the Kingdom of God. I am not so sure as to whether he is the most influential German-speaking Protestant theologian, or whether history will give those honours to Eberhard Jungel!
However, such is the breadth of his readership and influence, this survey of the major works of Moltmann by Muller-Fahrenholz, a former student of Moltmann's, is sure to find a useful place in the libraries of theological students keen to short-cut the reading of over 1500 pages of the texts under consideration and would provide a good companion to any minister wanting to come to grips with Moltmann during a study week or sabbatical. Muller-Fahrenholz rightly places the theological work in the context of the changing ideologies and cultural influences which are the main horizon against which Moltmann explores his themes. More than almost any other post-war theologian, Moltmann's theological programme has been shaped by the political and social forces which have transformed Europe: Marxism, the emerging 'green' movement and postmodernism, alongside the churchly movements of ecumenism, liberation theology and charismatic renewal. Moltmann has always attempted to do his theology in deliberate dialogue with the wider context, and this has been brought into sharp focus by this book. I hope that this useful guide to reading Moltmann gains wide acceptance, for it deserves to do so.
Paul Goodliff
The Outrageous Pursuit of Hope
Mary Grey
Darton, Longman and Todd, London, 2000; 116 pp; £9.95; ISBN 0 232 52319 3
"....... faith communities live between memory and fulfilment," writes Grey (p.95) in this fascinating affirmation of the necessity of hope in the modern world at this precise time of the beginning of a new Millennium. This is a book for now, and while its message of hope will outlast the Millennium celebrations against which backcloth it is written, it interacts with the events of 1999 in a way which may give it an ephemeral nature. This would be a pity, because she is adept at doing theology with many streams of understandings and cultures flowing into her imagination. This eclectic mix is what stimulated me most in this book: a preference for Sophia-Wisdom over Jesuology, in common with many Christian feminist theologians, an enormous world-wide concern with a passion for justice and the environment of earth communities and a delight in poetry and story.
Her biblical correspondent is Isaiah, and she calls for us to cry freedom when the dream has died, to reinvigorate our imaginations in prophetic hope, to "understand the presence of the Spirit as a new language of the sacred" and to discover a re-enchantment of the world in celebration of Wisdom's feast. This book is feast in itself.
Paul Goodliff
Following the Lamb: A Reading of Revelation for the New Millennium
Christina Le Moignan
Epworth Press, Peterborough 2000; 141pp; £8.95; ISBN 0 7162 0537 8
This book is written to show how the Book of Revelation is very relevant for today's world. Written in three parts, it introduces some of the issues present in the world, giving an outline introduction to the Book of Revelation. It then highlights specific challenges the message of Revelation presents to Christians today.
This is a book which is easy to read. It is overtly non-academic without being patronising, practical in approach and avoids technical scholarly debate on intricate hermeneutical issues and is aimed at those in Christian ministry who want to discover the often neglected treasures in Revelation and who want to be able to apply these in their preaching/teaching. The book is not a substitute for commentaries nor does it deal comprehensively with all the world issues. It is a companion, to be read alongside Revelation itself. In this way it will help readers to see appropriate applications of the biblical text in the 21st Century world.
Moignan's straightforward uncomplicated analysis provides the reader with a basic, but limited, background to Revelation. Her bold, uncompromising exposition presents Revelation's transforming interpretations of concepts such as vision, worship, witness and following. She always grounds her message in everyday life situations which she examines with openness and realism.
The book is refreshing because it does not give the reader slick answers to difficult questions. There is work to be done as the reader grapples with how Christians may respond with integrity and faithfulness to the challenges of God's Word in Revelation. The author's relaxed, down-to-earth approach, combined with her genuine concern and conviction, make this compelling reading.
Bridget Jenkinson
The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church - Volume 3: The Medieval Church
Hughes Oliphant Old
Wm B Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1999; xviii+646pp; £27.99; ISBN 0 8028 4619 X
The title of this long and rambling book might not be the most catchy, nor is its price one to capture the popular market, but do not be put off by such things. In many ways I found this a fascinating read and one to stimulate my own preaching.
Hughes Oliphant Old has obviously embarked on a major, multi-volume survey of Christian preaching down the ages. I would also guess that his scholarship in this field is a labour of love. It is apparent that each volume in the series can stand on its own, needing little reference to the others. Parts of the book can be skipped, particularly the pages of lectionaries if such do not interest the reader, but the material on preaching is worth reading.
This book surveys the development of preaching over a thousand year period, from sixth century Byzantium to Renaissance Italy, taking in Celtic preaching and especially the great preachers such as Bernard of Clairvaux, Abelard, Francis of Assisi, the German mystics and many others. There is an extensive bibliography and a very full index.
Old approaches his subject as a sympathetic evangelical and finds much of which he can approve. This is a little known period of Christian history, certainly so far as evangelical Protestants are concerned, and the book also has the value of complementing the one by Williams reviewed elsewhere in this edition of Ministry Today. All preachers would benefit from a reading of this book. Whether or not they choose to buy or borrow it is up to them.
Philip Clements-Jewery
Truth Decay - Defending Christianity Against the Challenges of Postmodernism
Douglas Groothius
W, Leicester & Downers Grove, 2000; 303pp; £8.99; ISBN 0 85111 524 1
Books on a Christian response to postmodernism are riding a publishers' wave at the moment (having written one myself, I must be careful of that particular glass house...), and not all are as cogent or fundamental as this offering from Douglas Groothius. He is opposed to the replacement of Truth by truths, considering it to be "very bad news philosophically, ethically, apologetically and theologically." He is aware that arrogance and dogmatism are weighty hindrances to communicating Christian Truth in our postmodern, relativistic culture, and while he wants to claim that universal truth exists, he also wants to do so with humility and a rejection of "an unbending, irrational dogmatism." If only all apologists would do likewise!
The book explores postmodernism primarily from a philosophical perspective, and especially as it understands the status of truth claims, probably the most problematic dimension of the postmodern for conservative Christians to handle. If postmodernists view truth as socially constructed, contingent and rooted in a particular historical context, Groothius wants to uphold truth as existing beyond the knowing mind or the language game, because "it exists in the mind of God."(p.147). This contrasting viewpoint (which Groothius shares, in part, with modernists and certainly with the bulk of theological tradition over two thousand years) forms the heart of the book. Alongside the defence of truth claims, he also explores how to do apologetics in a postmodern context, first by rejecting the post-liberal alternatives (Willimon, Kenneson and Newbigin,) and then, by advocating a "kind of foundationalism" which is neither thoroughly Cartesian, nor insensitive to persons or unaware of cultural conditions.
The remainder of the book explores ethics and aesthetics, race and gender, issues where postmodernists too often conflate the rejection of Truth and cultural or racial imperialism.
This is an important book for all who are in any way attempting to advocate the Christian faith in today's world, by preaching, spiritual direction and pastoral care. Like me, you may find the whiff of the internecine warfare between conservative evangelicals like Groothius and more liberal ones like Stanley Grenz off-putting, but such is the sad state of so much American evangelical life. Those little battles, which loom so large in church life, seem small fry by comparison with the task of reaching this generation with the gospel, and it is when Groothius addresses those vital issues that this book's importance becomes obvious. Concerned for truth? Then read this!
Paul Goodliff
What Happens In Holy Communion?
Michael Welker
SPCK, Cambridge 2000; xi+192pp; £12.99; ISBN 0 281 05291 3
I found this a rich and satisfying book. It is readable, with clear headings, good summaries and an appendix noting the ecumenical agreements of the last 60 years. He writes as a reformed theologian, but sensitive to the wide variety of perspectives involved in this discussion of "the source and summit of the Church's life" which has also been such a source of disagreement.
The book has three sections based on his analysis of the three aspects of the Resurrection:
The three sections are broken up into 12 chapters, twelve perspectives on Holy Communion. These include everything from the way in which Christ is present in this celebratory meal, to the nature of the sacrifice involved, and the renewal of ourselves and the liberation of our world in which we are all called to participate.
He tackles all the difficult questions - should children be admitted to Communion (he recommends an ordered flexibility - we cannot expect unilinear practice)? What is the difference between the Christian Supper and the Jewish Passover (he outlines the different strands in the New Testament itself connecting Jesus' Supper with the Passover and the other traditions linking it with the normal Jewish meal)? He believes there are diverse Biblical perspectives which offer a rich but coherent picture of what happens in the Supper. This is a book I will certainly return to from time to time.
Julian Reindorp
Retrieving the Tradition and Renewing Evangelicalism - a Primer for Suspicious Protestants
D H Williams
Wm B Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1999; ix+243pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 8028 4668 8
This book is about the very important subject of reclaiming the pre-Reformation history of the Church for Protestants as well as for Roman Catholics. The author is well placed to do this as he combines the roles of Protestant pastor and professor in a Roman Catholic university. However, although the subtitle of the book might suggest that it was written for a general readership, readers should be aware that this is a heavyweight work written in an academic style. It is not exactly heavy going, but neither is it a light read.
Many Protestants discount their pre-Reformation heritage. They have fallen for a myth of the Constantinian 'Fall' of the Church. Williams shows that this is just that, a myth. Close attention to the historical facts shows that not all fourth century church leaders played imperial power politics. Their predominant concerns were more pastoral than that. He also shows that the passing on of the tradition owed more to local churches than to the great councils and their creeds. Another Protestant trend he seeks to correct is the tendency to create alternative traditions - Fox's Book of Martyrs is an early example - which are used as anti-Catholic polemic. Such rival (and mythical) versions of the past enabled those who dissented from the Roman Catholic hegemony to claim that their version of the Church was truly modelled on the New Testament. Additionally, Williams shows that the great Reformers also valued the contribution of the Patristic age to a developing understanding of the faith.
There are some very important issues involved in all this. One is the ongoing discussion concerning the relationship between the Church and the Canon of Scripture. Another is the question of how Scripture is to be interpreted. History shows that an appeal to the Bible alone and/or to the personal illumination of the Holy Spirit is insufficient to safeguard from heresy. An authentic interpretation of the Bible can only be discovered in the light of the way the Church over the centuries has understood these matters. In other words, Protestants need to recover the catholic roots of their faith.
Evangelicals need to grapple with these issues. They have often thrown out the baby with the bathwater. If this book succeeds in correcting Protestant excess, then it will have done its job well. Those who read this book will find that it will provide much food for thought.
Philip Clements-Jewery
Preaching on the Common Worship Lectionary - A Resource Book
Joyce Critchlow
SPCK, London 2000; 162pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 281 05256 5
Can a book like this with less than 250 words for each Sunday's Biblical readings really help? After reading this resource my answer is positive - she even had me planning a Christmas midnight sermon in mid-summer. There is a brief introduction with good instructions for new and old hands, then a comment on the readings for the years A, B and C for 52 weeks of the year. She includes major saints' days. There is a subject index and a Biblical text index.
I was not surprised to read in the blurb that the author is invited to preach in over 40 churches. She gives Biblical meat and theological weight to whatever she touches. We can all tell our stories, but she anchors it in what we have received from God. How she fits in her preaching with being a churchwarden and on the Deanery Synod is a mystery. But she clearly longs for the Divine message to be heard through the human voice of the preacher. Yes - a real resource for all those using the Common Worship Lectionary.
Julian Reindorp
Daughters of the Goddess. Studies of Healing, Identity and Empowerment
Wendy Griffin (Ed)
AltaMira Press, Lanham, Maryland, 2000; 236pp; £19.95; ISBN 0 7425 0348 8
Little has been published about the growing 'Goddess spirituality movement' and less still is recognised by the church. We know that many women in today's church feel disenfranchised, and many more outside the church reject Christianity because it seems to be patriarchal and oppressive to women, but little is understood of this radical alternative to traditional Christianity. This is not surprising since the majority of clergy are male, and so this series of essays reflecting academic research into this New Religious Movement (all by women) is welcome and revealing.
The contributors include academic sociologists, theologians and psychologists, as well as practitioners of the cult of the Goddess, a feminist Witch and a Priestess of the Goddess. They explore the roots of feminist spirituality, the context of Goddess worship in the wider Pagan religion and various dimensions of the Goddess cultic practice, notably dance. Of particular interest to me is a paper on Thealogical Reflections on the Patriarchal Cult of Diana, Princess of Wales by Melissa Raphael, a Thea/Theologian at Cheltenham and Gloucester, who considers Diana a 'false goddess' within the context of Goddess worship.
With its roots among New Age practices, Wiccan neo-pagans, post-Christian feminists and drawing upon a multitude of influences and religious practices, this little-known movement is analysed and described in this useful collection. It is also profoundly antipathetic to Christianity - I guess as much a response to the way in which traditional forms of Christianity have silenced and oppressed women as it is an embracing of the neo-paganism of the New Age. Students of new Religious movements and feminist theology will find this essential reading. While it will not be at the top of every busy pastor's reading list, should fascination or necessity require a dip into this particular stream of religious belief and activity, this book will make a helpful introduction.
Paul Goodliff
All the Hours God Sends? Practical and Biblical Help in Meeting the Demands of Work
Peter Curran
IVP, Leicester 2000; 221pp; £7.99; ISBN 0 85111 656 6
This is excellent value for money. Fifteen chapters tackling the key issues faced in today's pressurised work place - workaholism, handling the pressures, making a difference, coping with change, finding the right job, redundancy, working relationships, leadership, ambition, wealth. Curran, a senior executive in the oil industry, tackles them all with sympathy, summarising what the experts have to say, giving Biblical guidelines where appropriate and an action column at the end of each chapter. I liked his point - we need to keep the appointments we make with ourselves and the need to keep up with our friends but this book is packed with insights and telling illustrations.
This book deserves an index; and there are times when it would have been helpful if he had tackled some case studies and underlined the way structures dominate our lives so often. Christians too easily focus on individual situations. As Reinhold Niebuhr used to say - "It is structural sin we need to beware of". A book to buy, to be influenced by and then to lend to anyone in the working environment. A 'must' for a church bookstall and an ideal work book for a 'Christians at Work' group.
Julian Reindorp
Learning While Leading - Increasing Your Effectiveness in Ministry
Anita Farber-Robertson
Alban Institute, 2000; 152pp; ISBN 1 56699 230 3
This is a book for when something goes wrong in ministry and we don't know why. The author is encouraging all in ministry to move from Model I to Model II Social Virtues. Model I is defined as:
Model II social values are defined as:
This action science will encourage both pastor and people to grow.
The author invites us to watch what is happening, always checking our assumptions and conclusions. She is seeking to create mature people - never use a strategy if you are unwilling to discuss. She wants people to be encouraged to ask the hard questions and never be afraid to learn. We are called to be coaches for change. Much of what she says seems obvious when you read it, but I suspect most of the time we operate on Model I.
The book has a number of strategies to help us to grow to Model II. It is worth reflecting on whenever things go wrong that it won't be all our fault, but we have a lot to learn if we ask the right questions of ourselves and our assumptions. This book is a very good place to start.
Julian Reindorp
Dynamics of Small Town Ministry
Lawrence W Farris
Alban Institute, 2000; 89pp; £?; ISBN 1 56699 228 1
Co-operating Congregations - Portraits of Mission Strategies
Gilson A C Waldkoenig and William O Avery
Alban Institute, 1999; 210pp; £?; ISBN 1 56699 225 7
Not long ago I spoke to a member of a church that is considering starting home-groups. Whilst to many that is familiar ground, for that congregation it is a new challenge and they need guides to the basic issues. Farris' book serves a similar purpose for those coming, for the first time, to small town ministry. The first part of the book explores the relevance of Geography, History, Culture and Values. Most of it is 'for America', but there are some interesting insights. Part Two focuses on ministry in the Small Town context e.g. the place of worship, sacramental responsibilities etc. The bibliography is thorough and usefully includes web sites and films. The shadow side of small towns is only hinted at (but can beginners see that?) - the lack of integration of professionals of Asian origin; the fact that poverty is real, increasing and sometimes intentionally overlooked; pressures on health care and Social Services. Farris almost assumes free-standing congregations served by a sole pastor - apart from a reference to Waldkoenig and Avery's book!
Congregations where home-groups have been running for years need to take a hard look at what is (and isn't) being achieved. Similarly Waldkoenig and Avery take a long analytical look at how to meet the needs of the 60% of American congregations where less than 100 people attend worship on a Sunday. In the face of shrinking memberships, ageing congregations and financial pressures, they believe co-operative parishes, by which they mean individual congregations with substantial and intentional co-operative processes, offer one way forward. They investigate five co-operative parishes with constituents from one or more of Methodist, Episcopalian, Lutheran and Presbyterian traditions. Four are rural and one city based (several have links with suburban churches). Some are new, others have been established for some time. Each Parish is reported in turn using a similar framework. Nevertheless the observation is based in the real world of poverty, racism, social need, church politics and the centrality of worship. The final chapter summarises key insights such as: the need to be mission oriented, to empower lay ministry, the significance of community development, reducing church subsidies, the need for long stay pastorates and the role of leadership. The membership of these co-operative congregations has held up well in the midst of national decline, even though they tend towards social mission more than evangelism. I would have preferred less individual reporting and more work on themes but there are threads in this study that could profitably be explored in the British context.
Bob Sneddon
Beyond the Final Whistle
John Boyers
Hodder & Stoughton 2000; 212 pages; £7.99; ISBN 0 340 75627
The church has always reached out to people through chaplaincies: in the Forces, in hospitals, in prisons and in independent schools. Today new forms of chaplaincy are being developed. The world of football might seem one of the hardest to reach spiritually and yet it is one which has opened up to chaplaincies in recent years.
Twenty years ago there were hardly any football club chaplains. Now there are 98 of them. One of the first was a Baptist minister, John Boyers, who became chaplain to Watford FC. In this book he describes the growth of this ground-breaking ministry and his own part in it. He is now chaplain to Manchester United and works as the national director of SCORE, a registered charity specialising in sports chaplaincy. The local club of which I am chaplain is at the opposite end of the spectrum from Manchester United but chaplaincy here, as there, is about building relationships and trust. Unexpected opportunities for ministry may then arise - and do.
John Boyers respects the confidences of his ministry and so there are no revealing personal details about star players. It is, however, a very readable book, full of human interest as the story of John's life and distinctive ministry unfolds. He goes on to offer a surprising number of parallels between football and the Christian faith.
Wallace Boulton
The Sacred in Music
Albert L. Blackwell
Lutterworth Press, Cambridge 1999; 256 pp; £25; ISBN 0 7188 2997 2
This book came to me for review with the comment that "it seems up your street". Was it? Yes and no.
The author is a graduate in physics and divinity, Professor of Religion at Furman University in South Carolina and director of a small church choir. In The Sacred in Music, his primary concern is to make connections between religion and music as complementary resources for interpreting our lives - something he believes has been neglected.
He explores this association of music and religion in a celebration of the rich Western musical tradition, both classical and Christian. His starting point is to speak of music's sacramental potential - "I believe that music offers divine epiphany, real presence".
Blackwell's treatment of the subject is detailed, exploring different sacramental traditions, and drawing upon an extensive and wide range of theologians. He makes a contrast between what he terms an incarnational tradition, well known to Christian theology, and a Pythagorean tradition, which is "virtually defined by musical experience, but in contemporary Christian theology receives little attention". For someone with my mathematical ineptitude this was perplexing and I confess to it affecting my reading at this point! However, all was not lost, and while pursuing this particular tradition within the themes of creation, fall, salvation, and final bliss, there was much of interest.
Blackwell concludes by looking specifically at music as a "sacramental vessel" in worship, examining a number of components of worship: quieting, preparing, abasing, attracting, constituting, proclaiming, and celebrating. The book predictably and appropriately ends with Barth's concluding tribute to Mozart.
The Sacred in Music is a work of theology, philosophy, mathematics and music! For the person who can hold it together, it provides stimulating reading. I struggled! But in the process there were many gains. I came across some other writers who have explored the interface of religion and music - Simone Weill for one. Also there are many musical examples I now want to explore - for example Mozart's Piano Concerto in G Major, K. 453, and John Coltrane's Cosmos. There is a fascinating treatment of evaluation and taste in sacred music. Drawing on Frank Burch Brown, there are "four major categories of sinful taste: that of the aesthete, the philistine, the intolerant, and the indiscriminate". And the quotes on music abound: "Josef Krips is reported to have remarked that whereas Beethoven's music aspires to heaven, Mozart's music was written from there". I love it!
Geoff Colmer
Time for Truth, Living Free in a world of Lies, Hype, and Sin
Os Guinness
Inter-Varsity Press, Leicester 2000; 139 pp; £5.99; ISBN 0 85111 978 6
In the author's own words, "this is a little book on a big topic and doors have been left unopened". This having been said, it has the sort of depth, and packs the sort of punch we have come to associate with Os Guinness.
The subject is truth, but more specifically the postmodern crisis of truth. In the course of the book Guinness explores the crisis of ethics and the crisis of character. He looks at the example of postmodernism's influence on America at two levels (the global and national), and what the outcome means for western civilization. He examines two arguments for the importance of truth in a day when many people don't seem to care. And he discusses two strategies for responding to those who insist on rejecting truth, before looking at two tough choices with which the discipline of living in truth always confronts us.
Two aspects of particular interest to me were first, Guinness' reflection on the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. Out of this he describes the habits of postmodern lying: pride of mind; partitioning; people pleasing; posturing; prevarication; and power-plays. And then second, towards the end of the book, drawing upon the thinking of Peter Berger, he suggests two strategies to counter the radical relativism of truth in our time: "relativizing the relativizers", and "pointing out the signals of transcendence".
Os Guinness is a first-class thinker and writer. And this is borne out in this his latest book. It is a short but penetrating study of a vital issue for society and for Christians needing to engage with society. I recommend it.
Geoff Colmer
The Care of Creation - Focusing Concern and Action
R J Brown (ed.)
Inter Varsity press 2000; 213pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 85111 657 4
In 1990 a World Council of Churches sponsored consultation on "Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation" declined to amend a summary document to affirm human beings alone as having been created in the image of God. As a result the Evangelical Environmental Network began to prepare "An Evangelical Declaration on the Care of Creation"! This was formally issued in 1994 and is printed in full in the first section of this book.
The Christian Community does not have an easy time in the Environmental Debate. In 1966 Lynn White gave a pivotal, though imperfect, paper (reproduced in this book) which traced the rapacious appetite of technology back to Judaeo-Christian theology. Such discussion frequently hinges on the meaning of 'subdue' and 'dominion' in Genesis 1.28. At the same time much of the American Religious Right sees environmental control as unhelpful and unnecessary - taking us back (again) to Genesis and to struggling with Eschatology. Section Two of the book explores issues of Context.
Section Three, almost half of the book, comprises fourteen 'Commentaries' (Theological/ Biblical/Applied) on the Declaration and related issues. They are a mixed bag but broaden the discussion effectively.
Practically where might the book lead us? Firstly royalties go to the John Ray Initiative (www.jri.org.uk) which is dedicated to promoting responsible environmental Stewardship in accordance with Christian principles and the wise use of Science and Technology. Secondly a careful reading of the book might mark the beginning of the end of 'Harvest Festival' as we know it. Alternatively Jurgen Moltmann suggests (p.113) Europe declare the anniversary of the Chernobyl Disaster (April 27th) a day to celebrate the Creation. Helpfully a new hymn by Timothy Dudley Smith is included!
Bob Sneddon
Homosexuality, Science and the 'Plain Sense' of Scripture.
(Ed) David L. Balch.
William B.Eerdmans, Grand Rapids/Cambridge, UK, 2000; xii+318pp; £14.99;
ISBN 0 8028 4698 X
This subject is a theological and practical 'hot potato' on both sides of the Atlantic. Those grabbing the attention of the general Christian in the 'muddled middle' are usually on the extremes - rabid homophobes or outrageous exponents of a fully and aggressively homosexual lifestyle. The opportunity for a measured and pastorally sensitive debate is often lost in the heat of strongly held opinion and prejudice. This book is an attempt to engage in just such a measured debate, with participants from both sides of the argument who remain respectful towards those who disagree with them.
This is not a general book about homosexuality, but rather a specific exploration of those biblical texts over which Christians disagree. So, for instance, David Fredrickson (chap. 7) argues that the force of Romans 1:24-27 is not an attack on homosexuality, but a description of the human condition informed by the philosophic rejection of passionate love, whilst Robert Jewett (chap. 8) argues that all same-sex relations are a proof of divine wrath.
In the course of these chapters the reader is introduced to debates over the social context in the ancient world, the status of the scientific debate over the etiology of homosexual orientation, as well as detailed exegesis of the relevant biblical passages. If you want the most comprehensive discussion of the issues these matters raise (and who can avoid these issues in the Church today?), then this is your starting point. If you want to remain prejudiced either way, avoid it! Personally, I would rather remain informed and pastorally open, so I value its contribution to the debate.
Paul Goodliff
Six Modern Myths, Challenging Christian Faith
Philip J Sampson
Inter-Varsity Press, Leicester 2000; 184 pp; £8.99; ISBN 0 85111 659 0
The premise of this book is that every society has its own stories, and these shape what we think and how we live. While ancient societies had myths, our modern society has its own distinctive myths, but these can all too easily be accepted as fact.
Philip Sampson takes a close look at six modern myths and investigates the stories they tell. He explores:
Each 'story' forms a sequence with developing themes, but each is more or less self-contained and can be taken on its own.
What becomes transparent is that despite their claim to be based on fact, these stories are closer to myths than history. Philip Sampson shows that these modern stories are not a transparent window onto history, but richly textured accounts which actually support modern myths, containing highly selective versions of history.
I would not have bought this book, but found it interesting and convincing, giving me a fresh perspective. It is a book I will refer back to as I find myself engaging with these persuasive myths about Christian belief and the practice of the church.
Geoff Colmer
The Continuing Conversion of the Church
Darrell Guder
Grand Rapids Michigan: Eerdmans, 2000; 122pp; £?; ISBN 0 8028 4703 X
Some books start with a flourish and end with a whimper. This book does the opposite. It starts rather slowly, but ends with a very powerful call to the church to recover its true gospel identity.
Guder's central thesis is that the vocation of the church is essentially missional. Salvation, he argues, has been too narrowly conceived in individualistic, pietistic ways that fall short of the call to be the people of God and the preaching of the kingdom of God.
This highlighting of the missionary vocation of the church is overplayed in my opinion, as if the church has no other rationale than to exist, using Archbishop Temple's language, for the benefit of its non-members. Moreover, it makes the second half of the book rather surprising, for in it Guder encourages the recovery of a church-focused ministry, centring on the word, in order to make such a vocation possible. It is a surprise that Guder puts it this way because up to this point one is anticipating some of those paradigm shifts, much beloved of missiologists, whereby we move from a pastoral model of the church to a missionary model, with all the attendant attempts to be culturally relevant. No such shift occurs however with Guder. He returns to the more classical means of ministry, the preaching of the gospel, the catechumenate, as a way of exposing congregations to the radicality of the gospel, raising the criteria of church membership to the witnessing challenges the gospel presents. It is a way of going about things that is, in my opinion, refreshing and welcome because in the end the conversion of the world does indeed hinge on the conversion of the church to the call and demands of her own gospel. While cultural relevancy is something to be borne in mind, Guder reminds us that when the gospel finds a hearing in the church it may actually prove to be the best form of evangelism.
Ian Stackhouse
Catechesis Revisited : Handing on Faith Today Liam Kelly Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2000; 155pp; £9.95; ISBN 0 232 52323 1
This is a fascinating book charting the history of Catechesis from the first few centuries when it was linked to believers' baptism for adults to today's preparation for confirmation of those baptised as infants. It shows the change from teaching as a monologue to the journey of faith that we all share in together, and from a rigid formula to a flexible approach concerned more about the end product (maturity) than the process. The reflection on the Emmaus story as catechesis is a brilliant and clear model for today's Church and its teaching ministry in any local setting. Protestant Churches could learn much from this consistent and systematic approach which it so often lacks. Liam Kelly's informative survey reads well and is ultimately very practical in its application.
David Bedford
Modernity. Christianity's Estranged Child Reconstructed
John Thornhill
William B.Eerdmans, Grand Rapids/Cambridge, UK, 2000; x+240pp; £15.95;
ISBN 0 8028 4694 7
Thornhill rejects the postmodernist's fundamental outlook that modernity's project is fatally flawed, and argues that the spirit of modernity, properly reconfigured, is compatible with Christianity (by which he means pre-eminently Catholic Christianity). In the first of its three sections he seeks to understand modernity and its present difficulties, not least the critique of postmodernism. He understands modernism as essentially an ideological movement with no firm self-understanding, beyond a reaction to late medievalism, and which calls its own propositions into question. In this opening section he engages with thinkers as diverse as Husserl, Nietzsche and Charles Taylor, and closes with some contemporary reactions to modernity, including J M Roberts, Alasdair Macintye and Vaclav Havel.
In the second section he discusses four issues which challenge the culture of modernity - wisdom, the affirmation of the ordinary, narrative and the free society which modernity has spawned. The final section attempts a Christian affirmation of modernity, confident that "the essential project of modernity and the fundamentals of Christian faith can be reconciled".
While remaining unconvinced by these contentions and with a greater scepticism about the enduring value of modernism than Thornhill, the book was informative and reminded me to be a little less dismissive of modernism. However, its relevance to the practice of day-to-day pastoral ministry is limited to a greater understanding of some of the forces which have shaped our culture. It is probably best to browse before buying.
Paul Goodliff
The Bible and People of Other Faiths
S. Wesley Ariarajah
World Council of Churches, Geneva 1987; 71pp; c£5.00; ISBN 2 8254 0840 9
Not Without My Neighbour, Issues in Interfaith Relations
S. Wesley Ariarajah
World Council of Churches, Geneva 1999; 130pp; £6.25; ISBN 2 8254 1308 9
If you want an introduction or an update on Inter-faith Issues, these books written by the former director of the WCC's Dialogue Programme are ideal. The Bible and People of Other Faiths was first published in 1987 and is in its fifth edition. Ariarajah, a Methodist minister originally from Sri Lanka, tackles the issues of Inter-faith Dialogue: What models are there in the Bible? What is the relationship between witness and dialogue? He makes suggestions for a theology of dialogue.
Not Without My Neighbour outlines some of the key issues of this inter-faith process: Can we pray together? Women and Dialogue; Socio-political Issues; Inter-religious marriage; Dialogue or Mission - Can the Tension be Resolved?
Using his own experience of having grown up next door to a Hindu family, his work in Sri Lanka and India and his experience of the WCC, Ariarajah writes clearly and graphically of the challenges involved. The tensions within the WCC over the years are outlined and he makes some suggestions for a new understanding of mission within a pluralistic situation. This book succinctly 'gathers up' the WCC's work on dialogue during Ariarajah's 16 year directorate. It is easy to read, but packed with insight and experience. It brought back many memories of my own time as a WCC scholar in India.
Julian Reindorp
Adventure into Silence: Making a Private Retreat
Augustine Hoey
Darton, Longman and Todd, London, 2000; xiv+97pp; £7.95; ISBN 0 232 52343 6
The author of this book is a Benedictine based at Westminster Cathedral and an experienced retreat leader. There is a very short introduction explaining the rationale of retreats with advice about how to use them, but the main part of the book contains material for four separate two-day retreats. The first three of these are based, in turn, upon the resurrection, the passion, and Mary, while the last contains a mixture of texts and suggestions.
It is all very Bible-centred, but the publishers seem to have been forced to fill out what would otherwise be a very slim volume by printing extended Bible passages and some of the other material amounts to little more than a verse by verse commentary on the passages. There is a considerable emphasis on the value of silence and doing nothing.
Some of the material on Mary will probably be too much for some Protestants, although this aspect is not overdone. Other Catholic emphases also intrude, such as the reserved sacrament. This book, intended for lay people, is rather expensive for what it has to offer. Nevertheless, some might find the book useful, but browse before you buy.
Philip Clements-Jewery
The Divine Embrace - Discovering the Reality of God's Love
Christina Rees
Fount, 2000; xi+178; £7.99; ISBN 0 00 628121 4
Christina Rees is a member of the General Synod of the Church of England and also of the Archbishops' Council. She is also a broadcaster, writer and speaker. She has written a readable if somewhat rambling devotional book. Subjects covered include, amongst others, the Trinity, personal identity, suffering, sexuality and spirituality, and death. Mrs. Rees writes in a highly autobiographical way and I was left wondering how on earth she had managed to pack in so many significant experiences in the course of her life!
This is superior, rather classy spirituality for the thinking lay-person. I commend it to others, although it does get a little repetitive and at times there seems to be little sense of onward movement in the making out of a case.
Philip Clements-Jewery
Eyes To See, Ears To Hear: An Introduction to Ignatian Spirituality David Lonsdale Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2000; 240pp; £9.95; ISBN 0 232 52198 0
Readers must forgive me, but this was not the kind of thing I read in college! Going back to the source is always better than seeing how succeeding generations built on it...what an exciting guy this Ignatius was! In a generation where traditional ways of Church are being largely rejected, we need to revisit and hold up the examples from Church history of radical discipleship like Ignatius. "Experience was the main catalyst for change in his life" (p.56). Ignatius' spirituality comes over as very early Church in flavour: "love ought to manifest itself in deeds rather than words" (p42). His pilgrim spirit and evangelist's heart show why he influenced the whole church of his time and since. His theology was very practical, Christ-centred and Trinitarian, his only weakness was that he paid little attention to the Holy Spirit. Ignatius believed that discernment lay at the heart of Christian spirituality...that we were called to a lifetime search rather than certainty. His 'Society of Jesus' was born to embody the work of the Spirit. It was monasticism let loose by obedient men who followed Christ to the ends of the earth and in many senses set the pattern for the later Protestant missionary movement.
David Lonsdale's revised edition is at times hard going, but is worth persevering with to the later chapters which helpfully throw up many challenges to today's Church.
David Bedford
Meetings That Work - A Practical Guide to Teamworking in Groups
Catherine Widdicombe
The Lutterworth Press, Cambridge 1994, 2000; 205 pp; £?; ISBN 0 7188 xxxx x
This is a very helpful manual, and one which I wish I had ten years ago when I began pastoral ministry. The author introduces the sort of meetings she is addressing as "a gathering of people met together with a task to do which entails the exchange of thoughts and feelings. Simply said, but enormously complex."
Her approach limits itself to the practical application of the non-directive approach in meetings. It is "a book to be used as you work rather than to be read from start to finish". And as a book to dip into, the full list of contents and the index are a tremendous help in searching for what you need. Summaries and check lists are another user-friendly aspect of this book.
The book is made up of seven parts: establishing and re-establishing a group; before a meeting; conducting a meeting; after and between meetings; facing common problems; specific application; and training yourself and others.
I have followed the author's advice and haven't read it from start to finish! But this is a book I have benefited from already and will continue to refer to in the future. An excellent resource for a wide range of meetings in the life of a church or any organisation.
Geoff Colmer
Know Your Spiritual Gifts (How to minister in the power of the Spirit)
Mark Stibbe
Marshall Pickering 2000; 200pp; £6.99; ISBN 0 551 03243 X
This book is a short and concise examination of the nine spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10. These are the charismata or 'grace-gifts' or, in modern Greek, birthday presents that come from God. By way of an introduction, Mark Stibbe discusses the existence and applicability of spiritual gifts in modern times and particularly how they apply to today's Christians.
The author then takes each gift in turn and with the use of biblical evidence and personal and third party testimony discusses what is and what isn't a spiritual gift. Questions are answered of how the gifts can be applied or misused and other questions that any Christian might have whether they are sceptics or actively seeking experience of spiritual gifts in their daily walk with God.
In conclusion the equality of all the gifts of the Holy Spirit is stressed, whether they be spectacular works of power or simple acts of service and the need to have ongoing development in the gifts to enrich individual and corporate worship.
Overall the style is a little scholarly, but it is still easy to read. Each chapter stands alone and makes a good source for a solo or group study. It is a very practical book and ends in prayer for all churches to be revived in the blessings that an acceptance of spiritual gifts brings. Mark Stibbe sees this as crucial if we are to reverse the current alleged decline of the Church in Britain
David Bedford
The Ministry Team Handbook - Local Ministry as Partners
Robin Greenwood
SPCK, London, 2000; 86pp; £7.99; ISBN 0 281 05279 4
This handbook challenges us to see how we can use God's gifts in mission through the local church and in the wider world. The involvement of all committed Christians in serving God's purposes through the whole Church is an essential part of the pattern. Ministry Leadership Teams, for their part lead, encourage and build up the work of the whole Body of Christ.
The book is well set out and should prove to be a very useful tool. The thoughts in the margins are diverse and well chosen to stimulate further discussion. Particularly helpful to those beginning this venture is the section "Making Use of this Handbook". Its sanity is reassuring. The handbook is in five stages;
At the end of the book there is a reference and Further Reading section.
Robin Greenwood's handbook has kept its original Anglican framework of vocabulary in order to save constantly repeating different sets of terminology for each denomination. It is a stimulating and imaginative handbook which affirms that ministry is for everyone.
Ursula Franklin
Short Notes
In Cathedral Reflections (Triangle/SPCK, London 2000; 151pp; £5.99; ISBN 0 281 05255 7) Joan Bristow, a retired Baptist minister, has produced a companion volume to her earlier book, Cathedral Meditations. Although the reflections may not be profound, they do reveal that the author has an amazing eye for detail. Her chapter on Chelmsford Cathedral, for instance, proved quite revealing to one who has often sat through concerts and services, but never actually 'seen' what is around.
C S Lewis: Collected Letters Volume 1 (HarperCollins, London 2000; 1057pp; £25 hardback; ISBN 0 00 628145 1), edited by Walter Hooper, deals with the period 1905-1931 and concludes with Lewis's realisation of Christianity being 'a true myth'. This volume is well produced and contains a good index.
Veronica Heley's Murder At The Altar (HarperCollins, London 2000; 293pp; £14.99 hardback; ISBN 0 00 274073 7) is the first book in a series which features Ellie McCorkadale, amateur detective, and may appeal to those wanting the lightest of reads with an ecclesiastical flavour!
The increasing number of ministers opting to become associate (as distinct from assistant) ministers, as also their senior ministers, would do well to buy How To Thrive In Associate Staff Ministry (Alban Institute, Maryland 2000; 224pp; ISBN 1 56699 227 3) by Kevin E Lawson. The book is not so much about 'problem-solving', but rather about 'ministry enhancement'. One chapter in particular is devoted to the issues female associate staff face. There is nothing novel in the book - rather it contains a good deal of straight-forward common-sense.
Leading From Within (Guardian Books, Canada, 1999 and available from The Teal Trust, 11 Lincoln Road, Northburn Green, Cramlington NE23 9XT; 151pp; ISBN 1 55306 001 6) by John Preston, a sales and marketing manager with Procter and Gamble and a Reader in the Church of England, is a popular guide to "developing strong servant leadership in the church" enlivened by some apt quotations from the world of business. For example, to illustrate his point that great leaders value others and appreciate diversity in them he quotes David Ogilvy, the founder of Ogilvy and Mather Advertising Agency: "If you always hire people who are smaller than you are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. If, on the other hand, you always hire people who are better than you are, we shall become a company of giants".
SPCK have published a superb anthology of prayers intended for use by those in need of healing as well as by those praying for their healing. Prayers for Health and Healing (SPCK, London 2000; 128pp; £12.99 hardback; ISBN 0 281 05273 5) contains prayers which deal with enduring pain and suffering, depression and sorrow, chronic illness and disability, inner pain, illness in old age, losing a child, death and bereavement. There is also a good index. This is a good book to lend - and to use! My one criticism is that the unknown editor receives no acknowledgement!
Recent re-prints include C S Lewis's classic sci-fi trilogy, Out Of The Silent Planet (Fount /Harper Collins, London 2000 - first published in 1938; 167pp; £6.99; ISBN 0 00 628165 6), Perelandra (Fount/HarperCollins, London 2000 - first published in 1943; 228pp; £6.99; ISBN 0 00 628166 4) and That Hideous Strength (Fount/HarperCollins 2000 - first published in 1945; 428pp; £6.99; ISBN 0 00 628167 2); Swift To Hear: Facing Aids: The Challenge, The Churches' Response (WCC, Geneva 2000 - first published in 1997; 116pp; £6.50; ISBN 2 8254 1213 9), a WCC study document with contributions from theologians and ethicists, virologists and physicians, specialists in human rights, pastoral counsellors and local persons, as well as people living with AIDS, working with AIDS-related movements and others directly affected by AIDS; and Confessing The One Faith: An Ecumenical Explication of the Apostolic Faith as it is confessed in the Nicene-Constantinoplian Creed (381) (WCC, Geneva 1999 - first published in 1991; 139pp; £6.90; ISBN 2 8254 1036 5), a Faith and Order report which seeks to relate this ancient creed to the challenges of today's world. Michael Jacobs has produced a new edition of Swift To Hear: Facilitating Skills In Listening and Responding (SPCK, London 2000; 176pp; £10.99; ISBN 0 281 05260 3), which differs from the 1985 edition in that more exercises and also additional examples (particularly relating to our increasingly pluralistic society) have been included, while the chapters on small and large groups have been cut out. Jacobs writes: "Although it may equally be true that we should learn to say less, we also need to learn how to respond, because a good response shows not just how well we have listened, but that we have something valuable to give in return".
Colin Blakely's Great Christian Thinkers: A Starter Kit (SPCK, London 2000; 128pp; £7.99; ISBN 0 281 05283 2) first saw the light of day in the pages of The Church of England Newspaper of which the author is the editor. I'm not convinced that Blakely's racy and light-hearted approach to theologians from Abelard to Zwingli transfers all that well to permanent book form. Having said that, some of the quips certainly provide cause for amusement: e.g. we are told that Richard Baxter was least likely to say "Play by the rules" - while we are not to mention Judge Jeffreys, "on any account".
Beginning Again (SPCK, London 2000; 122pp; £7.99; ISBN 0 281 05265 4) by John Pritchard is a simple, but well-written book "for people on the edge of the Christian faith, just inside or just outside". It is also written for Christians who are in need of beginning again on the Christian journey. Very much a 'how to' book, it is concerned to help people pray, read the Bible, and enjoy church. A wide variety of material is offered on the premise that "God has given us a huge variety of ways of making the Christian journey".
SPCK, London, have produced their diaries for 2001. The Church Pocket Book and Diary 2001, priced £6.99, is to my mind too small for most working ministers. Their Desk Diary 2001, which includes the full Common Worship Lectionary, priced at £15, is by contrast a good size. One small quibble: unlike most secular diaries the week is printed as beginning on a Sunday - theologically this may be correct, but in so far as most ministers work up to a Sunday, I wonder whether the secular practice might not be better.
Icons of the Passion - A Way of the Cross (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2000; 31pp; £4.95; ISBN 0 232 52357 6) by W H Vanstone, with illustrations by Sheila Wrigley is a stimulating fusion of emphatic wood-carving and encouraging, sensitive interpretation.
Thirsting for God (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2000; 99pp: £7.95; ISBN 0 232 52365 7) by Robert Llewelyn is a thoughtful, refreshing and encouraging collection of reflections on many of the central themes of the spiritual life. He persuades us to examine ourselves and our attitudes to Christ's teaching, to abandon the strictures of prejudice and habit and to apply ourselves to understanding what Christ is asking of us in our daily living. The style is somewhat paternalistic and dated, but the wisdom of his learning and experience is treasure indeed. This could be a stimulating book to offer when pastoral visiting.
Philip Sheldrake's Love took my hand - the Spirituality of George Herbert (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2000; 117pp; £7.95; ISBN 0 232 52287 1) reveals the author's enthusiasm for the works of George Herbert as an historian and a theologian. Scripture and the liturgy are the two great foundations of his spirituality and it is impossible to read Herbert without being aware of his strong sense of God's presence in everyday life. The book may not readily appeal to this postmodern generation but it gives keen insight into the spiritual struggles that Herbert faced, being a member of an aristocratic family and destined for a significant academic career. Yet he was a man who always felt a sense of unworthiness in the face of God's love. The strangeness of the 17th century writing is quaint, but it is worth persevering as its wisdom is still challenging.
In Jesus Freaks (Eagle, Guildford 2000; 368pp; £9.99; ISBN 0 96347 388 1), the Christian band, d.c.Talk, have brought together stories of "martyrs and others who, through the ages have stood firm in their faith in Jesus." This unusual book will appeal to young people in particular.
Lambeth Palace: A History of the Archbishops of Canterbury and their Houses (SPCK, London 2000;116pp; £17.50 hardback; ISBN 0 281 05437 2) by Tim Tatton-Brown is a beautifully produced book, which will no doubt appeal to bishops and other visitors to Lambeth Palace. Otherwise it is a book of very limited interest!
The Book of Exodus (Epworth, Peterborough 2000; 1
You are reading Book Reviews by Various, part of Issue 20 of Ministry Today, published in October 2000.
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