A Season of Silence

Author Joshua Rey
Publisher Canterbury £12.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781786226617

It is easier than ever before to live with a constant accompaniment of sound whatever we are doing. The author, an investment banker turned vicar, aims to convince readers of the value of tuning in to silence to hear what God is saying to each one of us. He suggests a programme of training for forty days, maybe starting during Lent, and building up from two to ten minutes a day. There is much practical advice on stilling the body, and reassurance about how to deal with distractions. Each chapter ends with a passage from the Bible or literature, a question for reflection and a prayer. Rey writes with humour and uses personal anecdotes which keep the reader involved. Although written primarily for beginners and a little repetitive, there is much that will inspire the prayer life of any Christian. There is also sound advice on listening attentively to other people, a gift even more valuable when refined by our own experience of listening to God. The book will have achieved its usefulness when it is set aside and is no longer needed as a guide.

Reviewed by LAURA HILLMAN

Devotional