Bücher veröffentlicht von Sacristy Press

The most devastating experience of God's people in the Old Testament was the exile. But rather than destroying them, it resulted in them emerging from it with a fresh understanding of God and committed to new ways of worshipping him. For many churches and individual Christians, the Covid pandemic has also been a form of exile. How far have we emerged with fresh understanding of our faith, new ways of being and doing church, a reinvigorated commitment to the mission task?Mission, particularly the clear proclamation of the Gospel, is the core task of the church, our response to Jesus' Great Commission to "e;go and make disciples of all nations"e; (Matthew 28:19). Every individual Christian has their part to play in this, learning how to sing the Lord's song (the gospel) effectively in our current context, which is not always entirely friendly. Every Christian community, every local church, needs to be able to sing the same song through the quality of their life together. Whenever new people join us, we need to offer them a positive experience: comfortable facilities, meaningful worship, relevant teaching, and, above all, a genuine, warm welcome. Without this, any message we may proclaim is likely to fall on deaf ears.

From the beginning, Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection have been the heart and foundation of Christian faith. Beginning with Mark, the first account to be written, these six series of sermons interpret the four Gospel narratives of Jesus' passion and death, taking account of the distinctiveness of each. The author believes that we hear the gospel first in the individual accounts of the evangelists, and neither in any "e;harmonization"e; of our own to smooth out the differences, nor even in the work of scholars to establish an historical core behind their divergences. The four Gospels are the authenticated "e;witnesses"e; to Jesus' death and resurrection. The differences between them give rise to a range of legitimate interpretations of Jesus' death. It is this richness of meaning and understanding that these sermons explore.Taking account of critical scholarship, but written in accessible language, this is an exploration of the foundation of Christian faith for those who would like to know more.

What are we human beings? What might our common future be? Who or what is God?These are some of the most fundamental questions asked by Christians and many others, and they need asking anew in each generation. Neil Richardson's latest book offers a "e;new look"e; Christian faith, drawing from the Bible and from Christian tradition, but showing how much we have missed in the Bible, and how much some traditional beliefs have been misunderstood.The person of Jesus is key to all three questions explored here. As the "e;ultimate human being"e; and, paradoxically, the image of a God, Jesus is an iconic figure for our common human future.Neil Richardson also explores some of the practical outcomes this has for the life of the Church and the way Christians live in the world. Social justice and a greater sharing of the earth also follow, and the neglected Christian themes of enjoying both God and the world, and life before and after death.

Christians who feel drawn to remain unmarried but know that life in a religious order is not for them often face the challenge of identifying, naming and responding to their vocation, both within and outside traditional church life.Christine Barnabas takes a fresh look at consecrated celibacy, a calling she believes experiences a new lease of life on the edges of the institutional church. Reflecting on her own journey and encounters with others, she explores the biblical affirmation of the single life and the many ways consecrated celibacy has been expressed throughout history.This book will be a welcome resource for many who want to discern their calling to a committed and meaningful life before God. Christine Barnabas explores some of the questions that need to be asked, how to come to a decision and make a vow to stay single out of love for God and live out this calling "e;in the world"e;. It will also be helpful for spiritual directors, priests and pastors who accompany others on this journey or seek to deepen their own understanding about this ancient charism God continues to give to the Body of Christ.

In this ground-breaking theological appreciation of neo-Darwinism, David O. Brown argues that evolution is not the way that God creates, but is a consequence of creatures' imitating and participating in God. Theologians often claim that evolution is the way that God creates; however, this is not how biologists understand evolution. David O. Brownargues that a sober appreciation of neo-Darwinism understands evolution as a theory of preservation, not creation. Evolution is not a temporary process that will end in the completion of creation (or deification), but is a permanent feature of how creation is. In other words, evolution is a scientific theory of ontology, not a scientific theory of creation, and the point of connection between evolution and theology is ontology, not creation.This leads to two important implications:First, evolution cannot be the way that God creates and, further, shows that God cannot influence the universe. This leads to the idea that Christ is the sole agent of all divine activity; God creates through Christ. Second,there is a connection between the theological ontology of participation and imitation on one side and neo-Darwinism on the other. Evolution is simply imitation and participation at a biological level. Thus, causing participation is the divine act achieved through Christ, of which evolution becomes a necessary side effect. Evolution is not the way that God creates, but is a consequence of creatures' imitating and participating in God.

"That the Church of England should have spent so much energy on two matters of relative unimportance is bad enough. That this should have happened during the sharpest economic downturn since the early 1930s, with its disproportionate consequences for the most disadvantaged, is nothing short of scandalous."Kevin Carey''s thorough exegesis and cutting commentary question the purpose and intent of the modern church. Examining the bible book by book, Carey demonstrates that the Church has betrayed its core message by failing to focus on the big issues of the bible and society, instead becoming myopic in its obsession with doctrinal minutiae.Kevin Carey is the Chairman of RNIB, the UK''s leading blindness charity, and a Reader in his parish church. He has been a Member of General Synod, and is a chorister, published poet, and classical music critic.

A collection of thought-provoking reflections inviting us to contemplate the events of Good Friday in new ways.It is all-too-easy to become so wrapped up in the celebration of Easter Day that the preceding days are forgotten. The reflections are diverse, from Peter’s clumsy fear to the Seven Last Words, and are based on a series of addresses given during the two hours at the foot of the cross on Good Friday.

These 14 essays by scholars who have worked with David Jasper in both church and academy develop original discussions of themes emerging from his writings on literature, theology and hermeneutics. The arts, institutions, literature and liturgy are among the subject areas they cover.

Creating Space tells a professional and personal story of healthcare chaplaincy and models the way in which practice development emerges from reflecting on the human story. This book reveals to healthcare, the Church and the community, the unique role of the chaplain's experiences as a resource to others. It is written for professional practitioners, prompting their own contextual learning and development, whether as chaplains, pastoral carers, parish clergy, lay ministers, volunteers in any caring context, those who work in listening therapies, those who provide care and support to others of any kind, or those who use or teach reflective practice.The authors connect in a straightforward way their view of healthcare chaplaincy as a model of practical theology, based on key practical theologians who see the human story as a source of learning. They outline their own reflective practice tool for learning and share the way in which they see each pastoral encounter as a reflective source of learning. They discover how their experiences have developed the discernment process for chaplaincy vocation, urging the Church to see beyond the parish model in today's world.

Posting the Word tells of the story of how Chris Harris, a laicised priest, managed, against all the odds, to set up a successful adult religious education course by distance learning. Life Light Home Study Courses grew over nearly half a century into a facility which has enabled thousands of mostly lay Catholic students to develop their biblical and theological literacy. A very large number of these have moved on to positions of responsibility for RE in schools and parishes.In the background lies a human story which unfolded in a succession of different settings: monastic, seminary, university, school, home and parish. The challenges confronted along this winding road are here described in some detail.Of particular interest is the contribution made by Chris and his wife Heather to the spirituality of Christian married life. Both had a deep appreciation of religious life and sought to lay the foundations of a complementary and equally rich spirituality for married people.Posting the Wordoffers a fascinating insight into lived Catholicism before and after the Second Vatican Council and also into the history of adult theological education within the Roman Catholic Church.

The local church holds a special place in the imagination of many people, whether or not they attend it regularly. Drawing on theology, literature, art, philosophy, popular culture and personal experience, priest and writer Tim Gibson uncovers its significance, arguing that churches play an important role in local communities and in the life of the nation, keeping faith alive for the whole population.In a deeply personal essay, Gibson tells the story of the church through the lens of his experiences in a variety of places, including Westminster Abbey, Holy Trinity Geneva and his home parishes in Sussex and rural Somerset. His imagining is at once faithful to tradition and optimistic about the future.Gibson's aim is simple: to identify the importance of the local church as a focus of faith and becoming in the national imagination. Considering themes such as time, place, identity and glory, he demonstrates how local church communities help us make sense of what it is to be human.Following the spirit of Anglican writers such as CS Lewis and Michael Mayne, Imagining the Church will delight and inspire anyone with a love of their local church or an interest in ministry and mission, while posing thoughtful questions about the role of the church and faith in contemporary society.

Mark's Gospel was written in Rome, the political centre of the ancient world. Its author was a follower of 'the Way' and likely an eyewitness of the ministry of Jesus. The Good News according to Mark relies on the recollections of the apostle Peter and was the pioneering prototype of the New Testament Gospels.In this accessible guide to the shortest and oldest of the Gospels in the New Testament, Patrick Whitworth explores some of the key texts and themes of the Gospel of Mark. From the outset, Marks Gospel proclaims Jesus as the Messiah (Christ) and Son of God and centres on Jesus's announcement of the God's kingdom. It is this kingdom that is at the heart of Jesus's ministry and passion and entrances Mark. Breath-taking in style, vivid in content, powerful in concept, the Gospel of Mark makes known Jesus of Galilee in a way which is ever fresh and ever challenging to the ways of the world and self-centred human life; and calls for a response of repentance, conversion and faith.

What happens when everything you thought you knew about your family turns out to be a lie?Joy and Felicity have always been like chalk and cheese. Self-sufficient and practical, Joy was a war baby who was forced to stand on her own two feet at a very young age. Her younger sister Felicity is the cosseted darling of the family. Highly musical and doted on by her father, Felicity looks set for a career as a singer until disaster compels her to choose a very different path.Now their mother is dying. And there are secrets buried deep in the past. Will the truth finally set them free? As the sisters meet at her bedside to say goodbye, they discover a bond that runs far deeper than either of them ever imagined.

The Spring of Hope is a collection of sermons and reflections for a variety of occasions throughout the Christian year. Many of these were originally preached as part of online worship during the time of national lockdown in 2020. Douglas Dales invites readers to embark on their Christian journey in the company of saints and church fathers, and to find there new hope and courage for their lives as disciples of Christ in the twenty-first century.

What does the good news of Jesus look like in the North of England? Is there such a thing as a "e;northern gospel"e;?Rooms and Wort analyse what the North actually is, and why we need to study our context if we want to understand more about God and God's ways. They look at the current religious climate in the North where many churches are closing. They explore how their detailed research among northern churches demonstrates a gospel characterized by fragility and freedom, but full of authenticity, community and humour. They describe "e;fuzzy"e; churches where the boundaries of the church and its worship are less fixed and where there is more of a flow between churches and their world. They discover that closing churches might provide the "e;compost"e; for what God is doing next.

For Christian believers, hymns offer an opportunity to bear witness to their faith and lift their voices in praise of God with their fellow worshippers. Hymns, even those dulled by familiarity, far from being trite and complacent, have the power to alert us to grave dangers facing the world today, and even to move us to decisive action. It is tempting to disregard older hymns thinking of them as past their sell-by date, yet for many of the faithful, these traditional texts form the bedrock of worship and liturgy. What can be done if treasured hymns express social attitudes we no longer share, for example with regard to gender or colonialism?Gillian Warson blows the dust off unfashionable texts and argues that they can now be regarded as "e;vintage"e;. She argues that hymn singing can continue as a flourishing tradition with old and new coexisting comfortably alongside each other, and invites us to see that vintage hymn texts are lovingly preserved so that they can be enjoyed for generations to come.

In the present century, from the twin towers to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is much to disturb our securities and beliefs. The Old Testament presents us with similar situations of bewildered suffering, and one persistent theme of response is that of lament.Honest Sadnessexamines lament as a means of articulating faithful incomprehension, and as a resource for what have been called communities of honest sadness. It traces the development of lament through the Old Testament and questions why it is apparently absent from both the New Testament and much of the life of the Church today, at just the point where many think it could be most useful.Those who work with disabled people and with abuse victims, for example, are realizing the importance of lament. Liturgists are wondering how it can be reintroduced into worship, and whether it is legitimate to do so. Biblical scholars are looking afresh at how and why lament died out.The book brings these various questions and insights together, suggesting that perhaps the early Church got it wrong about lament, and attempting new definitions for communities of honest sadness. It is written not only from the perspective of lived experience in the wider world in such places as Beirut and Bosnia, but also from the intensely painful personal experience of the author's own bereavement. It will be of interest to all who are reflecting theologically seriously on our times, or helping others to do so.

God is at work among us. The "e;kingdom of God"e;-that dynamic, active power that breaks in to the hardest of hearts and places-is on the move. And how may we have eyes to see and ears to hear all that is truly taking place in, with and under the reality of our daily lives?Here the gift of poetry may come to our aid. In poems that range from loose informality to tight structure, and from the humorous to the sombre, Richard Briggs seeks to let poetry open our eyes and ears to the strange and elusive work of God among us. He seeks out a voice that will let us celebrate the everyday, rejoice in the remarkable, and at the same time will enable us to weep with those who weep. He writes with gentle humour of his own path from zeal towards wisdom, and encourages us to follow.Life is a gift, andNot of This Worldviewoffers a response to accompany us wherever we are in the ups and downs of that life-from the mountain top to the pit, as the Psalmists once said, and at all locations in between.

From the earliest days of the Christian Church, there have been deacons and priests who have earned a living and explored their ministry through supporting themselves. However, as the Church is developing fresh initiatives in mission in a fast-changing world, there is a renewed interest in vocations that unite a sacramental ministry with daily life and work-a type of ministry, as the image of "e;busking"e; suggests, that is characterized by creativity and improvisation.This book on self-supporting ministry focusses specifically on ordained ministry in secular employment (MSE). The aim is twofold: to undertake an in-depth theological reflection on MSE, and to offer some practical help to enable such clergy (and the Church generally) to grow in the awareness of the creative scope and potential of this ministry in the contemporary world.

Discover the story of the English Church from its earliest times to the present day. Having taken root in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, it emerged in the medieval world amidst poverty, pandemics and power struggles, and not free from abuses. We see here its struggles during the Reformation, leading to an English Bible and Prayer Book, and the virtual banishment of Roman Catholicism for three hundred years. We see the spawning of new forms of Protestantism, inimical to the Crown, with the emergence of Quakers, Independents and the Methodists among many others. Following the ending of the Slave Trade in 1807, the Church became a force for both social change and spiritual endeavour in the Victorian period.Patrick Whitworth charts both the contribution and shortcomings of the English Church. An extraordinary story well told, surely this will remain the standard work on the Church in England for many years to come.

Although science is almost ubiquitous in the modern world, for many Christians there is a gap between science and their faith. In this book, the authors explore a number of subjects such as creation, evolution, cosmology, climate change and pandemics, and show how science and faith can mutually enrich each other and can be incorporated, confidently and healthily, into an orthodox Christian worldview.

The growing number of mixed-faith families and personal cross-faith explorations is leading to a fluidity in religious engagement that would once have been considered undesirable or even impossible. This book gives unprecedented practical content to the reality of multiple religious participation, balancing and challenging the more theoretical descriptions that are developing.The author, a Christian priest and practical theologian, has spent several years worshipping as a Sikh while continuing in his Christian ministry, and has made this the basis of a sustained piece of autoethnographic reflection. His frank presentation of the challenges and the joys he encountered is in places deeply personal but also engages with the expectations of the communities with which he was involved, and the widest themes of religious identity and loyalty. The author's own experience is supplemented by interviews with others who relate to both Sikhi and Christianity, by focus groups with colleagues, and by wide reading related to the issues involved. He encourages us to take part in similar boundary-crossing, reflecting in our own lives the self-giving friendliness of God.