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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.

The Harrying of the North...In 1069 Northumbria is in revolt against Norman rule. William the Conqueror's brutal reprisal devastates the province and brings untold suffering to its people. Caught between the Northumbrian rebels and their new Norman masters, the Community of Saint Cuthbert at Durham is struggling to survive.But the mysterious influence of the Saint brings aid from the furthest corners of the kingdom-and from some of the least likely of his followers:Thorgot, an Anglo-Norse adventurer from Lincoln on the run from the NormansEdith, the repudiated wife of Durham's deanAldwyn, a visionary monk of WinchcombeExtraordinary twists of destiny draw the three together to bring about a new order from the ashes of the old. By the time the foundation stone is laid for a new cathedral at Durham, their lives have changed for ever and the survival of the shrine is assured.A gripping story of violence, heartbreak and redemption that brings the trilogy of novels about Northumbria's warrior saint to a dramatic conclusion.

In the many worshipping communities, music leaders perform a vital function. They help to build Christlike, inclusive communities - what St Paul described as the "e;body of Christ"e;. However, resources can be in short supply.In this insightful and practical guide, an experienced church musician describes how, according to Paul, individuals and communities are transformed into the body of Christ, and how music-making enables this process, even when resources are in short supply.This valuable book encourages music leaders to step-up and persevere in low-resource contexts, and challenges all those who lead music in worship to focus not just on producing musical results but on building Christlike communities. It is essential reading for music leaders and those who train, oversee and nurture them, such as clergy, elders, worship committees and educators.

A unique guidebook for visitors to the many pilgrimage sites in Yorkshire, and the holy people who have been associated with these places. The intention is to help readers develop their spiritual life through reflection on the lives of familiar and less familiar figures from the Christian story in Yorkshire. The importance of place is also a key feature of this approach, whether on the coast (e.g. Whitby), in the relative wilds for many of the abbeys (e.g. Rievaulx, Fountains), or in the bustle of a city (e.g. York, West Yorkshire towns). Theguide can be used over the course of a week, but equally it can be used to assist in visiting places one by one, or by following the journey in the imagination while being read at home. Each day has four elements: People, Place, Prayer, and Practicalities, plus brief information about other places which might be included in a visit.It is accessible to anyone interested in learning from some significant Christian characters from Yorkshire, both recent and from long ago.

Matthew's Gospel seeks to show that the life, teaching and ministry of Jesus fulfils what was promised in the Old Testament and has long been expected by the people of Israel.In this accessible guide to the first book of the New Testament, Patrick Whitworth explores key texts and themes of the Gospel of Matthew, such as the Sermon on the Mount, the Passion Narrative, the story of the resurrection and the Gospel's finale in the Great Commission to "e;go into all the world and preach the good news"e;. Originally written as a manual for discipleship for Jewish-Christians, Matthew remains a challenging text for all who want to learn what it means to follow Christ today.

Christians often find it difficult to talk or preach or engage with the possibility of climate catastrophe and an uninhabitable earth, for the questions are enormous. Faith in God needs to engage with the reality of the tragic loss of creation through anthropogenic impact.If we're living in the end times, then how should we live? Wracked with grief, anxiety and guilt, with foreboding deep as death? How is it possible to live hopefully, even as we face realistically the inevitability of the radical impact of an unpredictable climate, rising sea levels, the collapse of biodiversity? How do we remain faithful to God and loving to our neighbour, particularly if our neighbours are exiles and immigrants because their homes are no longer inhabitable? What do we tell our children and grandchildren, so they don't grow up completely overwhelmed by anxiety, such that mental illness levels continue to soar?Frances Wardattempts to think through some of these questions; to continue to have faith, hope, and love in response to God. It is a Christian response to eco-anxiety, a theological and contemplative reflection to sustain a fierce hope that hopes against hope. It is a deep lament that provokes a fierce hope to enable humanity to live life to the full, like there's no tomorrow.

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.

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.

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.

The Gospel of Luke uniquely proclaims that the message of good news was for the outsider in Jewish society, and indeed for any outsider in any society where the sleek, the successful and the slick are often preferred to the loser, the lonely and the lowly.In this book, Patrick Whitworth explores how this compassion for the outsider is clear from several levels, and should direct our mission to those who, in whatever shape or form, are outsiders today in our communities.At the end is a study guide, providing an excellent opportunity for groups to study the Gospel from the outsider's perspective, and help us to discern the outsiders in our own communities and go to them with the love of Christ and the hope of the gospel-a gospel for outsiders."e;Mark may challenge you, Matthew reassure you and John inspire you, but it is among the real people of Luke's gospel that you will find yourself. And that, I suggest, is the task of our times-to find ourselves, to discover who we are and how it is that we can play our part in shaping a new world. This is a readable, compelling invitation to walk into the story and find yourself, whoever you may be, within its pages. Indeed the outsider, as Patrick so clearly and beautifully demonstrates, becomes the insiderthrough his or her encounter with Jesus."e;- The Revd Dr Alison Morgan,Author, ReSource

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.

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.

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.

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.

For large part of the Church of England, the standard model of an ordained minister is the full-time stipendiary priest, or, alternatively, the chaplain. Yet, there are a growing number of clergy for whom their vocation consists of life in the Church and work in the secular world.Jenny Gage argues that in the twenty-first century, priests in secular work (PSW) are not a new phenomenon. They have a specific vocation, which is not to be subsumed under any church-based model of priestly ministry. She makes the case for understanding priestly ministry in secular work as a distinct vocation, which is as necessary to the life of the institutional Church at a time when secular society is rapidly changing, as it is to those whose vocation it is.Both the sacramental nature of this vocation and the work they do are key to the vocational identity of priests in secular work and to their calling to build God''s kingdom in the world.Beginning with her experience of reflecting her vocation as a maths educator and as a priest, Jenny Gage explores priestly ministry in secular work through a number of theological lenses including the narrative formation of identity, theology of work, and theology of place.

What is pilgrimage? What does it mean to Christians who undertake pilgrimage? Each chapter of this book focuses on a popular place of pilgrimage within Britain and Ireland, offering historical background and exploring why each has become such a powerful magnet for pilgrims over the ages.

A celebration of the conversation and friendship between members of various Christian traditions (Roman Catholic, Methodist, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Anglican) and a substantial contribution to a theological understanding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in dialogue with other Christian churches.

Celtic Christianity is the key not only for the future of the Church but of the whole planet, argues Ray Simpson, Founding Guardian of the Community of Aidan and Hilda.

A re-evaluation of assisted dying from a theological perspective, relating theological issues to scientific, pastoral and practical concerns about the subject.

Move beyond the conventional pattern of a twenty-first century Christian, into a rich and fruitful faith adventure. Adventure Awaits meets us wherever we are currently at in our faith journey and guides us through practical steps, supported by biblical illustrations and personal testimonies, equipping us with the tools to boldly step into the fullness of life that God promises in His Word.

What does it mean for human society, and for us individually, if we really want heaven on earth? The Christian hope is often thought of simply as a hope for the life to come, but if we are true to Jesus' prayer, then our hope cannot be limited to the life to come, but is also for the life here and now.Light in the Darkness explores the Christian hope for today. Taking to heart the petition in the Lord's Prayer that the Kingdom shall come on earth as it is in heaven.The book explores seven basic hopes: for truth, justice, freedom, a new beginning, enlightenment, peace and love. These hopes are beautifully expressed in the Advent Antiphons, the ancient praises of Jesus that mark the seven days before Christmas Eve; Brought together with the I Am sayings  from John's Gospel and the Book of Revelation the author shows how, with each of the seven hopes, Christian faith offers a deeper and more insightful understanding than secular approaches. The fulfilment of hope requires a change of heart, a new spirit, and this is explored through some challenging issues, particularly about the way economic ideas, our individualistic culture, and the legacy of the Enlightenment shape hope in the modern world.