The pick of the new releases
Murder of William of Norwich EM Rose tells how the body of a murdered young apprentice in 12th Century Norwich became the source of the myth that Jews regularly murdered young gentile men in a ritual mocking Christ’s death. The act was known as ‘blood libel’. David Potter’s Constantine the Emperor received positive reviews when it was first published in 2013. A paperback version is now available. Both books are published by OUP. There is more to Richard Coles’ autobiography than sex, drugs and pop music although there is plenty about all those topics. But Fathomless Riches, now available in paperback from Weidenfeld and Nicholson also describes his journey to Christian faith and to ordination in the C of E.
How to Read the Bible (without switching off your brain) offers an intelligent introduction to Bible reading that doesn’t ignore the hard questions about the Bible’s teaching on sex and violence but also argues that it can be used in the context of a life of faith and integrated with prayer. It is by Simon Taylor, Canon Chancellor of Derby Cathedral, who has worked as a parish priest and a university lecturer. Published by SPCK.
A Long Letting Go
The This is a book that will be especially valuable for anyone who is accompanying a friend, relative or loved one on their final stages of life. David Arnold has studied history at Oxford and Cambridge universities. His book The Context of Eternity (Grosvenor House Publishing) offers a readable and stimulating short history of the Christian church in under 300 pages. It is dedicated to the author’s brother, John Arnold, a well-known figure in the C of E who was Dean of Durham. Chaplaincy in hospitals, schools, universities, prisons, the armed forces and other institutions brings the church into contact with wider society. A Handbook of Chaplaincy Studies, edited by Christopher Swift, Mark Cobb and Andrew Todd (Ashgate) looks at the issues raised in chaplaincy. There are case studies as well as theological and critical inquiry by a range of people involved in the field. Essential reading for those in this form of ministry or interested in it. Sam Harris is one of the New Atheists who has broadened his work to try to be positive about ethics and spirituality after God. Waking Up, Harris’ attempt to find a spirituality without religion, was a best seller when it appeared in hard back last year. Now Black Swan has issued a paperback edition. Rob Meyers is an American United Church minister who sees faith as a subversive activity. He sets out his case in Spiritual Defiance (Yale), which carries a warm commendation by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Meyers sees the church as an instrument of both social change and personal transformation and he makes his case with 30 years’ experience as a parish minister and professor.