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Befriending Silence

Nov 22, 2020 | 2016 - Winter, Book Reviews, Free Winter 2016

Befriending Silence

Author Carl McColman
Publisher Ave Maria Press £10.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781594716157 (2015)

There is, among Christians and seekers of no particular faith, a hunger to live lives that are more spiritually rooted. What is hard is finding the how in answer to this hunger. Befriending Silence is an inspiring series of reflections on how the Cistercian monastic tradition can help women and men who are not necessarily part of a religious order draw closer to God in ways which are simple and radical.
One of the benefits of McColman’s book is its down to earth practicality in matters spiritual. Each chapter, covering a range of subjects from hospitality to contemplation, ends with some good suggestions about how to deepen the practice of hospitality, or Bible reading, or humility. The spiritual life is about how God is embodied in our lives. The centre, for McColman, of spiritual living is contemplation: the cultivating of a silent and loving awareness of God. The chapters on prayer and contemplation are particularly fresh. But the book as a whole is a thoughtful, conversational and often moving guide in how to grow in awareness of God’s presence with us and within us.

BEN BROWN

Spirituality, Prayer

 

Thomas Merton, Peacemaker

Nov 22, 2020 | 2016 - Autumn, Book Reviews, Free Autumn 2016

Thomas Merton, Peacemaker

Author John Dear
Publisher Orbis/Alban Books £12.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781626981072

The author of these ‘Meditations on Merton, peacemaking and the Spiritual Life’ is himself a committed worker for peace. This comes out strongly in his choice of extracts from Merton’s letters and journal entries, as well as his own comments on Merton’s life and views. Consequently, it offers a rather different stance from Merton’s earlier autobiographical writing in The Seven Storey Mountain: the stress in Dear’s book is on Merton’s choice not to fight in the war and subsequent desire for ‘nonviolence’ – a word repeated to an almost annoying degree throughout. The book is presented as a series of twenty-seven meditations, an interesting format. I found the earlier ones rather repetitive; the later ones were much more effective in provoking thought and empathy with the views expressed. It is, however, a book of interest that illuminates the spiritual life of a peacemaker.

MARGARET TINSLEY

Spirituality, Biography

 

Light in the Darkness

Nov 10, 2020 | 2020 - Winter, Book Reviews, Section1

Light in the Darkness

Author Peter Sills
Publisher Sacristy Press £14.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781789591002

This book explores the path of Christian hope, which has become a precious commodity in recent months. It has a clear structure, utilising the Advent antiphons (which are included) and also the ‘I am…’ sayings of Jesus as a framework. The antiphons are familiar to us in a versified form through the hymn ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel!’ and they speak of a hope that is both personal and social, reflecting the hopes of people in every age and of every faith. The seven hopes that are explored (one per chapter) are for truth, justice, freedom, a new beginning, light, peace and love. The book is wide-ranging, biblical and spiritual and contains numerous references to modern life, including the coronavirus pandemic. The author’s background in law and economics is evident and this exploration of hope is written out of his conviction ‘that the Christian understanding of both the human person and human society offers the best way forward out of our present confusion.’ One of the strengths of the book lies in its ability to make meaningful connections between biblical material and life in the 21st century. The book makes no claims to be suitable for group study, but for personal reading and reflection during Advent it would be both challenging and worthwhile.

Reviewed by MICHAEL FOSTER

Advent, Spirituality


 

The Celtic Year

Nov 10, 2020 | 2020 - Winter, Book Reviews, Section1

The Celtic Year

Author David Cole
Publisher BRF £ 8.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9780857469687

David Cole is well known and respected for the books he has already produced on Celtic Advent, Celtic Saints and Celtic Lent. This new work focuses on the eight points of the Celtic year: the four seasons, and the midpoints of each season. Each of these sections contains an introduction, a liturgy, daily devotions and prayers and blessings. Perhaps, in these uncertain days, like our Celtic forebears, we need to connect more to the cycles of the year and appreciate the flow from samhain, or winter, to imbolc (spring) then to beltane or summer and, finally, lughnasa or lammas, which is autumn. Reading this book is an ideal way to do so, with meaningful and moving liturgies and daily devotions covering a theme for each day of the week, starting with creation on Mondays and leading us through incarnation, the Holy Spirit, community, the cross, the saints to the resurrection or new life. While this carefully researched book is of interest to all readers it is a wonderful resource for those taking services, like Forest Church, which reflect the Celtic tradition.

Reviewed by MARGARET TINSLEY

Advent, Spirituality

 

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