Jesus and Jellied Eels
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October – ‘Now hell is here’: Poetry as a response to current events
The Reverend Dr Andrew Pratt is well-known for his hymns, but he also paints, takes beautiful photographs and writes poetry. Much of his work is reactive, responding to news items that are often shocking. This poem, written after the terrible events in Israel and Gaza, gives words at a time when we may be finding them hard. It could be used as an introduction to lament or intercessory prayer, or for focusing our own thoughts at a time of international crisis.
Now hell is here, and words are cheap,
a bloodied sheet, a shattered bed…
as women, men and children weep,
while prayer is silent, felt not said.
With seeds of vengeance sown not sought,
while roots in hearts of flesh, not stone,
bring carnage traced with quiet thought
as guilt will fester none will own.
And distantly, in muffled sighs,
of deep regret and dark despair
we wring our hands and harbour lies,
dare not admit the blame we share.
© Andrew Pratt 17/10/2023
We are grateful to Dr Pratt for giving us permission to publish this poem on our website. You can
find more of his work on his blog: https://hymnsandbooksblog.uk
In Search of Julian of Norwich
In Search of Julian of Norwich
Author Sheila Upjohn
Publisher DLT £9.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781915412508
It is a great pleasure to see a new edition of this classic companion guide to Revelations of Divine Love, the profound medieval text which, even today, illuminates many Christian lives. Published to coincide with the 650th anniversary of Julian’s famous visions (or ‘showings’), this edition updates the author’s 1989 original, bringing in new material from the internet age. Upjohn knows her history, and quickly sets Julian in her turbulent times, when plague, rebellion, war and purges against heresy disturbed the hearts and minds of all people. This is valuable context, but even greater benefit comes from the spiritual analysis of Julian’s theological insights, the product of her many years of prayer and contemplation as an enclosed anchoress. The beautiful trinitarian symbolism of the hazelnut, the parable of the Lord and his servant, the motherly love of Jesus – all these are described with care and clarity. Above all, the problem of sin is convincingly elucidated by Julian’s genius. No one has produced a more reassuring doctrine. If you never managed to acquire the original edition, do not miss this wonderful book.
Reviewed by ELIZABETH STEPHENSON
Medieval spirituality
Beauty and Meaning
Beauty and Meaning
Author Anthony Bloom (ed. James Heywood)
Publisher DLT £19.99
Format hbk
ISBN 9781915412195
This book reproduces for the first time four lectures on Beauty, originally delivered over forty years ago. The original lecturer was an archbishop, the book carries an introduction by another archbishop, is published by a firm specialising in religious works, and contains numerous biblical references. On the ‘quacks like a duck’ principle, this should be a work of theology. But it isn’t. It is an absorbing work of philosophy, albeit written from a clearly Christian perspective. The author died in 2003 and was highly regarded for his works on meditation and prayer – and these interests recur in varying degrees in all four lectures. I suspect that to academic philosophers of today some of the ideas here may now be dated. However, I was still fascinated, especially by the frequent references to other works in languages other than English. Bloom was a polyglot who brings his internationalism into his thinking as well. I enjoyed this book, but I must conclude that I think its use in parochial ministry would be extremely limited.
Reviewed by ALAN WAKELY
Philosophy
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