The hum of angels
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God and the Pandemic
God and the Pandemic
Author Tom Wright
Publisher SPCK £7.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9780281085118
This is a thoughtful response to the pandemic, necessarily written with speed, but also great care. Wright does not immediately take the line that it is a sign of the end times. He makes us realise that suffering is part of the human condition and that we need as Christians to lament, but above all to act, as encouraged and challenged by the parable of the sheep and the goats. By focusing on Romans 8 in particular, Wright encourages us to see how, even in the midst of this disaster, we can still find God – perhaps it is easier to find him there than we think. He analyses deeply the concept of creation groaning at its incompleteness and the need to find our purpose in God. Wright does not suggest a trite answer to Romans 8.28 that ‘all things work together for good for those who love God.’ This is a verse to struggle with. For Wright, the psalmists’ tradition of lamenting, of wrestling with God in a time of confusion, is part of faith that we should also embrace.
CAVAN WOOD
Biblical Analysis, Theodicy
The Bible in Worship
The Bible in Worship
Author Victoria Raymer
Publisher SCM £35.00
Format pbk
ISBN 9780334056478
How is the Bible presented, handled and introduced during public worship? Which passages are read and how are they chosen? Do people listen? If so, what are they hearing? Raymer’s book deals with these important questions in considerable depth, usually by studying the perspectives of three distinct church traditions in turn: Catholic, Reformed and Anglican. Early chapters focus on the role of the Bible in the performed liturgical life of church communities whilst later ones describe and analyse the concept and rationale of a prescribed lectionary, as well as the challenges it presents. There are short sections about ‘enhanced’ and ‘interactive’ uses of scripture (drama and art); and scripture in daily prayer. This mine of well-referenced material relating to the Bible in liturgical life is a ‘one stop shop’ for ministers and students who will have wondered about these vital issues but probably lacked access to the materials needed to explore them in an organised way. The author’s anecdotes and analyses are at their best when she is discussing the Anglican tradition, and – having identified the shortcomings of current practices – she ends the book with some compelling challenges for our churches.
STEPHEN LAIRD
Biblical Analysis
Walking with Biblical Women of Courage
Walking with Biblical Women of Courage
Author Fiona Stratta
Publisher BRF £7.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9780857465337
Subtitled ‘Imaginative Studies for Bible Mediation’, this book is really lectio divina for those who might be put off by the term. For each of seventeen characters (or in one case a group) there are biblical passages to read followed by a reflection in the first person as if written by the character herself. Some of these are more convincing than others, and the author admits to a certain amount of licence with facts. A series of questions then prompt further reflection or conversation if used with a group. Footnotes in each chapter helpfully tell you ‘what happens in the end’ or clarify points of cultural context. This is an excellent way to meet lesser-known characters from scripture and the hidden yet pivotal role of some of these women. It is not a feminist critique, although it might provoke some wrestling with difficult contemporary issues and the courage required in our own age. Selecting a handful of characters could make up a study course. This is a useful tool to encourage us to engage with scripture in a less familiar way, and for personal study in a lighter vein.
SUSANNE MITCHELL
Biblical Analysis
In a Glass Darkly
In a Glass Darkly
Authors Zoe Bennett and Christopher Rowland
Publisher SCM £25
Format pbk
ISBN 9780334054221 2016
Our reading of the Bible, or indeed any work, is to some extent coloured by our own life experience. Bennett and Rowland bring together the Bible and Christian tradition with their own personal and professional experience as they consider the interpretation of scripture, made more interesting by the fact they come from different church backgrounds. This is not an easy book to read, but it is made more appealing by reference to literature, particularly the works of John Ruskin and William Blake, and by the personal experiences encountered by the authors. It is, in the true apocalyptic sense, an ‘unveiling, unmasking, revealing, that which is hidden.’ As such it provides a challenging and thought provoking read for all who attempt to explain the Bible to others; a book to ‘stimulate readers’ imagination to engage with the Bible’, as the authors intend.
MARGARET TINSLEY
Biblical Analysis, Christian Tradition
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