Bücher veröffentlicht von Sacristy Press

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.

Peace is something to which we all aspire, but what does it actually mean? Giving a pattern for each day of the year, Peace is a Doing Word uses poetry, story and prayers to reflect on what practicing peace means in every moment of our daily lives. The book offers insights throughout the course of the day, from "e;waking"e; to "e;resting"e; and concludes each section with a blessing. There are questions for reflection which could be a starting point for personal growth or group discussions. The book aims to encourage a wide-ranging engagement with peace keeping and peace making for ordinary people in everyday life.

A biography of George Congreve showing his contribution to the Society of St John the Evangelist (SSJE) and the Church of England by describing his teaching and quoting much of his unpublished or out-of-print writing.

A chronological survey of the Bishops of Hexham and Newcastle from 1850 to the present day.

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.

Part travelogue, part exploration of religious images and pilgrimage, J. Richard Smith tells the story of icons and the places where the New Testament story really happened.

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.

Recent trends in Old Testament studies have radically changed the way we look at the first book of the Bible. This commentary takes account of these developments-acknowledging that traditional source-critical theories need to be re-evaluated, seeking to explore the book holistically, and taking account of its qualities as a 'story'. Clare Amos draws upon her extensive knowledge of the modern Middle East, its peoples, its religions and its problems, to provide new insights into some of the challenges which Genesis offers for faith and life today. Birthpangs and Blessings offers new insights into the spirituality of the Bible, the voyage of mutual discovery between God and humanity, a recurrent theme of this important biblical book.

In the Middle Ages, the region of Tuscany and its surrounding area was, for around 150 years, home to a surprising number of holy women, from the birth of Margaret of Cortona in 1247 to the death of Catherine of Siena in 1380, with the fourteenth century seeing the greatest of them. While Catherine of Siena has received worldwide recognition, women like Agnes of Montepulciano and Angela of Foligno have received little attention outside their homeland. Yet they and others are important figures in what is a largely unrecognised movement of Tuscan mystics. Their individual stories are enhanced by the efforts of artists and writers which all help to create a recognisable type of religious woman.This study looks first at the underlying influences on Tuscan mysticism, from the legend of St Katherine of Alexandria through to the celebration of women in the secular literature of the High Middle Ages and the effect of the emerging monastic orders. It examines the life and work of Tuscan holy women and focuses in particular on how they were perceived in their largely patriarchal contexts and by the artists, biographers and "e;men of God"e; who brought their own cultural assumptions to bear on the telling of their story. In consequence, the power that stemmed from their godly lives was to varying degrees undermined by some of the people closest to them and eroded by the church itself.This story of women alternately constrained and encouraged by their social contexts is one of individual struggles and collective achievement. Although the movement in Italy began to fade away after the death of Catherine of Siena, the mystic tradition would live on in other parts of Europe, where the experiences of holy women such as Margery Kempe or, later, Teresa of vila will have much in common with their Tuscan predecessors.

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.

Rudyard Kipling's poem, Eddi's Service, from which this book takes its title, is a set of verses put into the mouth of Eddius Stephanus, St Wilfrid's earliest biographer. Set in the tiny chapel at Manhood End, close to Selsey Bill, it tells of a dedicated priest persevering with a midnight celebration despite appalling weather, and with just a donkey and bullock as his companions. Reflecting the challenges of the seventh-century missions to Britain and Ireland, it captures something of how all who would be disciples of Christ must take up their cross and follow him. This book focuses on those challenges in the early missions to these islands, set in the context of Jesus' passion and, ultimately his crucifixion, in the very first Holy Week of all, in Jerusalem. Each of us is invited to walk that same path in Lent, in Holy Week or at any time in our own life or pilgrimage.

Embracing poetic and prose writings on philosophy, contemplation and bibliophily, key service books for the clergy, and devotional texts for the laity, this book explores the interrelated themes of literature and devotion in England from the Black Death to the Reformation as seen through the lens of twenty-six precious manuscripts in Durham University Library.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

What does it mean to be human and made in the image of God? This collection of essays explores the question from a wide range of theological and philosophical perspectives.

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.

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.

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.

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.