Undoing Theology
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The Naked Preacher
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New World, New Church: the theology of the emerging church movement
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Days of Awe and Wonder
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Christianity and Depression
Christianity
and Depression
Author Tasia Scrutton
Publisher SCM £19.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9780334058908
This book is an erudite addition to the literature concerning Christianity and depression, the author being an Associate Professor in Philosophy and Religion at the University of Leeds. The foreword by John Swinton, with his references to ‘unconventional mental health experiences’, sets the tone for the main text which is concerned with the different interpretations of depression within the Christian faith and how these interpretations influence the experience of depression. The book also addresses the kinds of response, support and advice people should get about depression from churches. In the first two chapters, the author is at pains to dismantle explanations of depression which focus on sin and demons as causes. The biology of depression is dealt with in chapter 3, and notions of a suffering God form the material for chapters 6 and 7. The chapter that I most related to was chapter 5, entitled ‘Can depression help us grow?’, which examines the life, work and writings of the psychologist and Catholic priest Henri Nouwen. Each chapter concludes with comprehensive notes. This is recommended reading for anyone with an interest in this field, from whatever perspective.
MICHAEL FOSTER
Mental Health
Understanding Christian Leadership
Understanding
Christian Leadership
Author Ian Parkinson
Publisher SCM £19.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9780334058748
Ian Parkinson teaches leadership at several theological colleges. In this book he combines academic and Christian thought on leadership to ‘serve as … a leadership primer, especially for those embarking on or engaging in Christian leadership’. The result is a substantial, comprehensive and academically rigorous volume, organised in two parts: Understanding Leadership and the Work of Leadership. Part 1 attempts a definition of leadership and includes a look at leadership in the Christian tradition as well as a critical reflection on the practice of leadership. In Part 2, Parkinson mines secular thinking and shows how it can be utilised for leadership in the context of religious organisations before presenting a blueprint for an authentically Christian understanding of leadership. His case studies are challenging and inspiring in turn. For Readers who are seeking to live the CRC vision as ‘leaders in church and society’, there is much that is of relevance. I found the chapter on leadership in the New Testament particularly interesting and thought-provoking, not just for what it says about leadership, but also for how we ‘do church’. A demanding read, recommended for Readers who find themselves with significant leadership responsibility.
GERTRUD SOLLARS
Leadership
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