Bøker av Douglas Dales

A selection of sermons following the structure of the Eucharist as the framework for Christian life, thought and prayer.

St Dunstan of Canterbury (909-88) was the central figure in the development of English church and society after the death of King Alfred. Douglas Dales traces Dunstan's life beginning with his education at the great monastery of Glastonbury of which he became abbot. He was a central figure at the court of the kings of Wessex but was banished, partly because of his hostility to the king's mistresses, and went to exile in Flanders. After his return he was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury. During the twenty-eight years of his primacy he carried out one of the major developments of the century, the reformation of the monasteries. The millennium of Dunstan's death provides an opportunity to examine him not merely as a prelate and royal advisor, but to see other aspects of his life: his skills as a craftsman caused him to be adopted as the patron saint of goldsmiths; some of his work as calligrapher and artist survives to this day; the coronation service which he drew up still lies at the heart of this service for English monarchs today; he was famed for his musical skills; above all, the sanctity of his name and the fame of his miracles kept Dunstan's memory alive. Douglas Dales' re-examination of the life and times of Dunstan sets his achievements against the social and religious background of the day, at a time when new forces were emerging that would shape the future of England and the English Church for centuries to come.

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.

A study of Collations on the Hexaemeron, the last work of Saint Bonaventure, and one of the most important texts of medieval theology.

Bonaventure was a great pastor and preacher, and also a very effective teacher. His writing shows clarity and conviction, and his authority arose from his profound grasp of Scripture and patristic monastic tradition. The force behind how he wrote sprang from his keen sense of the significance of Francis and Clare and all that flowed from them, not least into his own spiritual life and experience as a person of deep contemplative and mystical prayer. Way Back to God is a comprehensive conspectus and study of how Bonaventure taught Christian theology and applied it to spiritual life. It is intended to be a guide through most of his writings (though not as a substitute for reading them). It provides a bridge into his thought, and also a remarkable hand-book of Christian theology in its bearing upon spiritual life. Douglas Dales' new work enables Bonaventure's distinctive spiritual theology to be seen as a whole, as well as making his writings, in Latin or English, accessible and attractive.

Scholar, ecclesiastic, teacher and poet of the eighth century, Alcuin can be seen as a true hidden saint of the Church, of the same stature and significance as his predecessor Bede. His love of God and his grasp of Christian theology were rendered original in their creative impact by his gifts as a teacher and poet. In his hands, the very traditional theology that he inherited, and to which he felt bound, took new wings. In that respect, he must rank as one of the most notable and influential of Anglo-Saxon Christians, uniting English and continental Christianity in a unique manner, which left a lasting legacy within the Catholic Church of Western Europe. This book is intended for the general reader as well as for those studying, teaching or researching this period of early medieval history and theology in schools and universities.

Archbishop Michael Ramsey was palpably "saintly", his Bible lessons imbued with a "fire" that made God real for people. This biography is arranged around the themes that were central to his ministry, including "the meaning of the cross" and "the primacy of worship".

Learned, cultured, and gentle in its exercise of authority, the Anglo-Saxon period was a golden age of spirituality which climaxed in the devotion and creativity of the twelfth century.

This collection provides a rich selection of devotional material that aims to help deepen readers' understanding of the central truths of Christianity. The prayers have been chosen for their longevity and popularity - many have been memorised over generations.

This guide to the Christian faith is arranged in three parts: "Becoming a Christian"; "Belonging to God"; and "Belonging to the Church". It takes ther reader through the first steps of faith, building solid foundations for life.

An introduction to the thought and writings of the Franciscan theologian St Bonaventure, through his insightful commentary on the Gospel of St Luke.

Douglas Dales provides a comprehensive study of the life of one of the most underrated figures of the early medieval Western Church. Alcuin left behind him a varied selection of correspondence and other documents which attest to his prominence as a statesman, theologian, poet, friend, and teacher. In this, the first study to fully examine the full span of Alcuin's life and the lasting effect of his actions, the author deftly weaves together the primary manuscript evidence to record Alcuin's transition from a precocious schoolboy of noble lineage in York to his involvement with Charlemagne, Offa, and the papacy in Rome.Alcuin was a conscious heir to the rich traditions of the English Church, and his skill as a poet of prayer, as well as an educator, marks him out as a seminal influence upon his own generation and those that came after him. This book examines his life and career in England and on the continent, and considers his legacy as a churchman and a leading political figure. While Dales places Alcuin firmly within his Christian cultural inheritance and historical context, he also traces from the surviving evidence the subtle and nuanced elements of Alcuin's personality and relationships.

Alcuin of York was one of the most significant figures of the Anglo-Saxon church alongside Bede and Cuthbert. This introductory selection from his extensive writings includes Alcuin's prayers, poetry and prose.