Reviews Archbishop’s
Lent Book 2006: Free of Charge Archbishop’s
Lent Book 2006 We are at
our human best when we give and forgive. But we live in a
world in which it makes little sense to do either one. In
our increasingly graceless culture, where can we find the
motivation to give? And how do we learn to forgive when
forgiving seems counterintuitive or even futile? A
deeply personal yet profoundly thoughtful book, Free of
Charge explores these questions – and the further
questions to which they give rise – in light of God’s
generosity and Christ’s sacrifice for us. Miroslav
Volf draws from popular culture as well as from a wealth
of literary and theological sources, weaving his rich
reflections around the sturdy frame of Paul’s vision
of God’s grace and Martin Luther’s
interpretation of that vision. Blending
the best of theology and spirituality, he encourages us
to echo in our own lives God’s generous giving and
forgiving. The
Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lenten study book for
2006 is at the same time an introduction to Christianity.
Even more, it is a compelling invitation to Christian
faith as a way of life. Miroslav Volf, one of the
most celebrated theologians of our day, offers us a
unique interweaving of intense reflection, vivid and
painfully personal stories and sheer celebration of the
giving God. Lent
with Luke Lent with
Luke offers the reader a daily passage from Luke's
Gospel, with thoughtful reflections, suggestions for
prayer, and study notes. A special feature of the book is
its use of reproductions of famous and not-so-famous
paintings of the gospel scenes to open up our reactions
to familiar passages, especially the Passion narrative,
which is covered in full and forms the heart of the book.
The daily studies continue into the week after Easter to
help encourage continuing Bible study, prayer and
fellowship beyond the time-limits of Lent. Life
Attitudes: a five-session course on the Beatitudes
for Lent The aim
of this Lent course is to explore the Beatitudes, which
encapsulate the teaching of Jesus. Jesus himself lived
out the Beatitudes in his earthly life and called his
followers to do the same. This five-session
group study course, specially designed to be used during
Lent, encourages Christians to examine their lifestyle in
the light of Jesus’ radical teaching and to live out
these kingdom values – now. Each
session of the course contains enough material for 90
minutes and includes: 1. Living
well: introducing the Beatitudes Life’s
Big Questions How can
the sixty-six books of the Bible have a single message
for us today? What unites the vastly different accounts
of God’s work in the world? How do the various
genres of the Bible work together? Vaughan Roberts
believes that the Bible tells a single story for all time.
He draws out the Bible’s message of Jesus Christ and
God’s redemption through him, in six big questions: · Who is
the king? Inspirational
Gold - thought provoking meditations from great Christian
Authors Mary
Werner has produced a delightful daily devotional made up
of quotations selected from the last twenty centuries of
Christian experience. These allow us to benefit from the
wealth of wisdom of past pilgrims on the road to
enlightenment. Each day
opens with a passage of the Bible that is then
illuminated from the writings of Great Christian figures
and authors. These gems come from a wide variety of
sources, early Christians like Cyprian and Iranaeus; then
Jerome, Anselm or Francis of Assissi; Thomas a Kempis;
Martin Luther and Jonathan Edwards pop up; as do John
Donne; Blaise Pascal and John Wesley; also included are
more contemporary figures such as Frances Ridley
Havergal, George Macdonald - and many more from each and
every century of thought. Refined
by the passage of time, these ideas remain as relevant
today as when they were written. They will enrich your
times of meditation with a freshness and clarity that
sets you up for the day. Whether you use it for a few
moments before the daily rush gets under way, on the
train or bus, or as you wind down at night,
'Inspirational Gold' will provide the ideal companion. Learning
about true spirituality: Jesus our joy Do you
enjoy God? Most of us could not reply to such a
question with a straight answer. We might say that we
respect God or fear him. Some would admit to worshipping
God, or to even love God - but few are heard to say that
they enjoy him. Surely this is wrong! But it is what true
spirituality is all about. People
outside the church are eager to explore 'spirituality'.
Wallace Benn presents here an opportunity to introduce
them to something completely fulfilling - or rather
'someone'. Wallace
doesn't want you to just believe in God, he wants you to
enjoy God. He takes, as his starting point, the epistle
to the Philippians because Paul says here that he wants
to know Jesus, so that he can know God - and thus have
joy. He shows
that true spirituality flows out from a personal
relationship with Christ and involves increasing your
knowledge of him, trusting his, and our, heavenly Father
and getting involved in Christ-like service. Wallace
Benn is the Bishop of Lewes. Entering
into the Mind of God The seven
last words from the cross tell us all we can know about
Jesus' thoughts at his crucifixion. We treasure them for
what they enable us to understand about his sacrificial
love and as a source of faith, inspiration and mystery.
For they allow us to enter into the mind of God at his
most vulnerable, and glimpse what it means for the
disciple to obey Jesus' injunction to take up his own
cross and follow. The illustrations perfectly complement
the journey we too must make to share in both the pain
and the glory, which are ours to embrace. A
Sense of Grace Robin
Gill through a series of meditations helps us to find God’s
grace breaking through into our everyday experience -
into family life, into being a grandparent, into the gap
between what we are and what we could be. A Sense of
Grace is written for busy people who perhaps don’t
take the time to see God’s grace in their own lives.
A meditation for each day of Lent, except Sundays,
reflecting on Scripture and making the connection between
everyday life and the Christian life - bringing us to a
deeper understanding of our need for God and the role of
Jesus as God’s Son. |