Spck July Dec 2012

New Titles July – December 2012

SPCK seasonal (07-12-12) A5.indd 1 20/6/12 17:07:05

Welcome to the SpCk Seasonal Catalogue, July to december 2012We kick off this season’s bounty of books with The Lion’s World by rowan Williams, an adept and intriguing study of the world of Narnia. Stanley Spencer’s paintings also come under refl ective scrutiny in Stephen Cottrell’s Christ in the Wilderness, while tom Wright considers the practice of prayer in New Testament Prayer for Everyone. Other highlights include offerings for both Lent and Advent, a host of new titles in ministry and spiritual reading, and the welcome return of the Church Pocket Book and Diary for 2013. We do hope you enjoy browsing!

To see all our titles and keep up to date with SPCK news and events, please visit our new website at www.spckpublishing.co.uk.

This catalogue provides listings of new and forthcoming titles published up to December 2012. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this catalogue is accurate at the time of going to print, prices and dates may be subject to change without notice.

If you are a journalist and would like a review copy of any of our books, or to interview an author, please contact the publicity department on 020 7592 3900 or email [email protected].

Contents

1 Featured titles 9 For Everyone Bible study guides 10 New Testament studies 11 Old Testament studies 12 Lectionary resources 13 Lent reading 14 Spiritual reading 17 Church and ministry 20 Church history/Theology 21 Resources for schools and churches Back cover Ordering and rights information

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‘Reading Rowan Williams on C. S. Lewis is like watching two old friends in animated discussion of great, powerful themes.’

Tom Wright

In this absorbing exploration of the world of Narnia, Rowan Williams provides a guide to the moral landscape of the novels, and an expert account of their spiritual symbolism. He shows how, through the character of Aslan, Lewis aimed to communicate ‘a real experience of surrender in the face of absolute incarnate love’.

Drawing on Lewis’s life, beliefs and significant themes from his other novels, Williams illuminates our view of Narnia while also answering critics who regard Lewis’s fiction as marred by sexism, racial stereotyping, and the glorification of violence.

Whether you have read the whole series or just enjoyed one of the films, The Lion’s World is a rewarding and ultimately joyful read for people of all ages and backgrounds.

roWan WIllIaMS is the Archbishop of Canterbury. His most recent books include A Silent Action: Engagements with Thomas Merton (2011), Dostoevsky: Language, faith and fiction (2011), Tokens of Trust: An introduction to Christian belief (2007), Grace and Necessity: Reflections on art and love (2006) and Silence and Honey Cakes: The wisdom of the desert (2004).

August 2012£8.99ISBN: 978 0 281 06895 1Paperback • 176 pp

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Rowan wiLLiams

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the lion’s WorldA journey into the heart of NarniaROWAN WILLIAMS

Related title

978 0 281 06224 9 £12.99


Related titlesRelated titles

978 0 281 06426 7 £14.99

Related titles

978 0 281 06430 4 £9.99

• A distillation of Tom Wright’s meditations on the meaning and practice of prayer, drawn from his popular New Testament For Everyone series

• Fresh translations of all the major prayers in the New Testament

• Questions for personal reflection or group discussion

From the opening chapter:

‘Prayer is one of life’s great mysteries. . . At its lowest, prayer is shouting into a void on the off-chance there may be someone out there listening. At its highest, prayer merges into love, as the presence of God becomes so real that we pass beyond words and into a sense of his reality, generosity, delight and grace. For most Christians, most of the time, it takes place somewhere in between those two extremes.’

toM WrIght is Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St Andrews. He is the author of over fifty books, including the ‘For Everyone’ guides to the New Testament, the highly acclaimed series, ‘Christian Origins and the Question of God’, and the bestselling Simply Christian, Surprised by Hope, Virtue Reborn, Simply Jesus and How God Became King (all SPCK).

September 2012£9.99ISBN: 978 0 281 06906 4Paperback • 160 pp

New Testament

for Everyone

Tom WrighT

new testament prayer for everyoneTOM WRIGHT

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Related titles

978 0 281 06635 3 £6.99

Related title

978 0 281 06618 6 £14.99

In this beautifully illustrated book, Stephen Cottrell reflects on five paintings by the remarkable English painter Stanley Spencer. Taken from the artist’s Christ in the Wilderness series, these paintings give us startling insight into Jesus’ own vocation and self-understanding of his ministry. They show his great love for the earth, for the whole created order and for all creatures within it.

To look at these paintings is an invitation to enter the desert through the doorway of your imagination. By dwelling in the wilderness of these beautiful and provocative paintings, Stephen Cottrell encourages us to refine our own discipleship and learn again what it means to follow Christ.

Stephen Cottrell is the Bishop of Chelmsford and was formerly the Bishop of Reading. He has worked in parishes in London and Chichester, as Canon Pastor of Peterborough Cathedral, as Missioner in the Wakefield diocese and as part of Springboard, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s evangelism team. He is the author of three books for SPCK: The Things He Carried (2008), a book of Lent and Holy Week meditations; a follow-up of reflections for Easter Day, The Things He Said (2009); and his new Lent book, The Nail (2011).


Christ in the WildernessReflecting on the paintings by Stanley SpencerSTEPHEN COTTRELL


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The SPCK Bible AtlasThe events, people, and places of the Bible from Genesis to RevelationEdited by BARRY J. BEITZEL

Written by an international team of distinguished academics and Bible scholars, The SPCK Bible Atlas features accurate and accessible retellings of the key events of the Bible. This essential guide includes:

over 150 images and 100 full-colour maps that bring the people, • places and events of the Bible to lifehandy charts showing exactly where each event is located in • the Bibleextensive discussion of the geography and archaeology of the • Bible lands, placing the biblical narrative in its historical and cultural contextsfamily trees, timelines, charts and tables summarizing essential • information.

September 2012£17.99ISBN: 978 0 281 06851 7Hardback • 352 pp

BARRY J. BEITZEL is professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfi eld, Illinois.

278 PA RT 8 : SPR E A DING T HE WOR D T HE SECOND JOUR NEY OF PAUL 279

the fact that he is a Roman citizen. Nowhere in his epistles does Paul mention the fact that he is a Roman citizen, but it is mentioned again in Acts 22:25. Eventually, the Roman officials placate Paul and convince him to leave.

Years later, in his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes with fond memories of his time with them (Philippians 1:3–5), but also with stern warnings not to fall away to those who promote circumcision (Philippians 3:2). So it appears that while an important decision was reached at the Jerusalem conference, the issue was not entirely settled. We should note that while Paul mentions in his epistle to the Philippians that he is imprisoned (Philippians 1:7, 13–14), he is not referring to the same

imprisonment that is recorded in Acts, since it would have been long in the past. Instead, it is likely that Paul was imprisoned when he wrote this letter.

THESSALONICA AND BEROEAIn Acts 17, we learn that Paul and Silas travel to Thessalonica via the cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia. Thessalonica was the capital city of the Roman province of Macedonia (northern Greece). Paul wrote at least once (1 Thessalonians) and likely a second time to the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians). 1 Thessalonians is the oldest surviving letter of Paul. Some scholars believe it is also the oldest book in the New Testament (c. C.E. 50).

In the story, Paul and Silas enter the Jewish synagogue, which seems to have been a regular practice for Paul. Why would he do this? There are a number of reasons. First, the synagogue was a meeting place, so in an age before any type of mass media, the best way to reach a lot of people quickly was to find them where they congregated (note how Jesus would gather crowds or teach at the Temple). Next, Paul himself was a Jew and had been a Pharisee. He was thus well versed in the Torah and was able to debate with other Jews from their sacred text. Moreover, other Jews would have been ready to discuss the topic of the messiah, even if they disagreed as to the messiah’s actual identity. Additionally, at the synagogue, Paul would have likely made important social contacts such as people who would house him and help him to find work. Thus, it is quite likely that Paul did begin his work in new cities at the synagogue. This being the case, we can also see why another trend in Paul’s missionary work emerged. Paul’s mission was an urban one; that is, Paul went to cities. Most often, Paul went to cities that were capitals of their respective Roman provinces. Why would Paul have done this? In such cities Paul would have found the most synagogues, people, more means of communication, and so on. It is no surprise then that most of Paul’s work occurred in, and most of his letters were written to the churches in, major urban areas.

Beroea (Acts 17:10 and 13) is not mentioned elsewhere in Paul’s letters and is mentioned only once more in the New Testament at Acts 20:4. It does not appear to have become an important city for Paul and is likely only mentioned because it was located on the road from Thessalonica to Athens.

PAUL SPEAKS TO THE ATHENIANSIn Acts 17:16–34 we read of Paul’s time in

Athens. In verses 22–31, Paul makes an impassioned speech in the Areopagus of Athens. The Areopagus was the Council of Athens where important civic matters were adjudicated. Other than this story in Acts, we have virtually no record of Paul’s mission in Athens (see 1 Thessalonians 3:1), and given the fact that Acts records Paul’s relative lack of success there, this is not too surprising. The portrayal is an interesting one in that the philosophical schools mentioned in 17:18 (the Epicureans and Stoics) were contemporary to Paul’s time and proponents might well have reacted with great skepticism to Paul’s teachings about resurrection, as is portrayed in Acts 17.

PAUL’S TIME IN CORINTHIn one of the most interesting sections of Acts, chapter 18, we learn about Paul’s stay in Corinth. Paul wrote at least two epistles to the Corinthian Church that appear in the New Testament, and he may have written others (see 1 Corinthians 5:9 and 2 Corinthians 2:3) that do not remain as independent texts. The city of Corinth was ancient; however, it had been destroyed in the second century B.C.E. and was rebuilt by Julius Caesar (c. 50 B.C.E.). This meant that when Paul was there the new city of Corinth was less than 100 years old. It was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia (southern Greece), and it had developed into an important port city where goods from the East would cross on their way to Rome (and vice versa). Thus, the city had a burgeoning population of what we might in modern terms call a middle class: that is, people whose initiative and hard work were allowing them to gain some ground socially and economically. It is likely that some of the people with whom Paul interacted in Corinth were from among this class of people.

Acts 18:3 is the only place in the New Testament where we learn of Paul’s occupation—a tentmaker. Paul speaks of working with his hands (1 Thessalonians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 4:12). Moreover, it is plausible (and we might even say likely) that Paul would have needed a skill that allowed him to find work wherever he went; tentmaking, which would have meant primarily working with leather, skins, and ropes, would have been such an occupation. Tents were used by a variety of people, especially travelers, not only for lodging on land but also as a shield from the sun and elements when traveling by sea. Having such a skill would have proven very valuable to an itinerant missionary such as Paul.

Crispus, an official of the synagogue in Corinth (Acts 18:8), is said to have converted to Christianity along with his entire household. Interestingly, Crispus is also mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians as one of the only people that Paul himself baptized (1 Corinthians 1:14). While Paul rarely speaks about baptism, it ultimately replaced circumcision as the mark of entry into the new Christian community.

Paul has a vision of a man begginghim to go to Macedonia.

Paul and Silasimprisoned.

Paul sent to the coast; Silasand Timothy remain.

Paul and Silas meetTimothy, who joins them.

After the Jerusalem conference, Paul begins his second missionary journey.

Paul addresses the Areopagus;Silas and Timothy rejoin Paul.

Paul sails to Ephesus with newfriends Priscilla and Aquila.

Paul and Silas travelto Syria and Cilicia.

Paul and Barnabas sent toJerusalem conference; issueof circumcision debated.

Rhodes

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Thessalonica

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100 km0

Route of Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 15–18)

Route of the Via Egnatia

THE SECOND JOURNEY

OF PAUL

Mediterranean Sea

SYRIACYPRUS

LEBANON

ISRAELEGYPTLIBYA

GREECE TURKEY

This stele from Thessalonica is evidence of the co-existence of Greek and Roman cultures at the time of Paul’s ministry. It depicts a Roman family, but the inscription beneath it is in the Greek language.

GENESIS AND THE

PATRIARCHS

PART 2

The Covenant of the Lord 92

Creation and Fall 94

Noah and his Descendants 98

Abraham 102

Isaac 110

Jacob 116

Joseph and his Family 124

Moses 134

The Plagues of Egypt 140

The Flight out of Egypt 146

The Giving of the Law 156

Forty Years in the Desert 160

The Death of Moses 168

Joshua and the Promised Land 170

GENESIS EXODUS LEVITICUS NUMBERS DEUTERONOMY JOSHUA JUDGES RUTH 1 SAMUEL 2 SAMUEL 1 KINGS 2 KINGS 1 CHRONICLES 2 CHRONICLES EZRA NEHEMIAH ESTHER >>

JOB PSALMS PROVERBS ECCLESIASTES SONG OF SOLOMON ISAIAH JEREMIAH LAMENTATIONS EZEKIEL DANIEL HOSEA JOEL AMOS OBADIAH JONAH MICAH NAHUM HABAKKUK ZECHARIAH HAGGAI MALACHI >>

TOBIT JUDITH ADDITIONS TO ESTHER WISDOM SIRACH (ECCLESIASTICUS) BARUCH 1 ESDRAS 2 ESDRAS LETTER OF JEREMIAH PRAYER OF AZARIAH/SONG OF THE THREE JEWS SUSANNA >>

>> BEL AND THE DRAGON 1 MACCABEES 2 MACCABEES 3 MACCABEES 4 MACCABEES PRAYER OF MANASSEH

OLD TESTAMENT

APOCRYPHA/DEUTEROCANON

whom Paul and the Jerusalem leaders were concerned. Timothy’s mother was Jewish, however, his father was a Greek; therefore, Timothy was not originally Jewish and thus not circumcised, but he became a believer in Jesus Christ.

AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTActs 16:10–17 is noteworthy for its important shift from the third person (“they”) to the first person (“we”). It represents the first of the so-called “we” sections of Acts. The nature of these “we” sections of Acts is unclear. They are suggestive in that they appear—via either Luke or perhaps another eyewitness—to record moments when the narrator was actually in Paul’s company.

The city of Troas is only mentioned a few other times in the New Testament. It appears again in Acts 20:5–6, but also in 2 Corinthians 2:12, where Paul mentions his brief visit there (it also appears in 2 Timothy 4:13). It does not appear to have become an important city for Paul, but it was an important travel city, since it was from there that Paul would cross over from Asia Minor to Greece.

PAUL AND SILAS ARE IMPRISONED IN PHILIPPIIn a lengthy narrative (Acts 16:16–40) we hear about Paul and Silas’s experience in Philippi. Philippi was located on the important Roman road called the Via Egnatia (the Egnatian Way), making it a good place for meeting a variety of people and for communication.

Thus, a strong Roman presence would have been likely, as we see in the Acts narrative. After Paul exorcises a demon from a woman, some Thessalonians take exception and turn Paul and Silas over to the Roman authorities for allegedly disturbing the peace. Paul and Silas are imprisoned. About midnight, as they were praying, an earthquake frees them from their bonds and breaks open their cell. Rather than fleeing, however, they remain in their cell. On seeing this, the guard decides to convert himself and his family to the teachings of Paul and Silas.

The next day word comes from the local Roman magistrates that Paul and Silas should be freed. Paul refuses to depart, however, noting his ill-treatment despite

ey to our understanding of this section of Acts is the fact that at this early stage in the Christian movement, its members were largely Jewish and had been since birth. Moreover,

in the period from Jesus’ death (c. . . 30) until . . 70, the center of the early Church was Jerusalem, not Rome. Only with Paul and the missionaries who, like him, took the message beyond Judea did the issue of non-Jews becoming Christians become important.

MEETING IN JERUSALEMChapter 15 of Acts opens by describing the confusion that arose in the early Church when some church leaders from Judea said that unless Christians were circumcised as prescribed by God in the Jewish Law (the Torah) they could not be saved. When strong dissension arose over this issue, it was decided that Paul and Barnabas would go to Jerusalem to discuss this matter with the leaders there.

The meeting in Jerusalem represents a watershed in the early Christian move-ment. Paul mentions his attendance at the Jerusalem conference in his epistle to the Galatians (2:1–10). His efforts to draw converts and to establish churches were beginning to bear fruit. Paul did not require converts to be circumcised as Jewish men had been commanded by God (Genesis 17:11).

However, some of the Jerusalem leadership, who had formerly been Pharisees like Paul himself (Philippians 3:5), felt it was important to keep with tradition and circumcise non-Jewish converts. This question may seem odd to us today, but it was of great significance to the early Christians, who sought to carry out the will of God. Many felt that this meant continuing to be faithful to ancient traditions, such as circumcision, while others, such as Paul, thought that in Jesus, God had done something new, which meant letting go of older traditions.

Luke tells us that the outcome of the Jerusalem conference was that non-Jewish converts would be asked only to “abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication” (Acts 15:29). This is similar to what Paul outlines in Galatians 2:7–10 as the result of the conference. The decision of the Jerusalem conference defined the way Christianity would look from that point forward. Its members would not be circumcised, nor in large part would they keep the Torah. Instead, baptism would be the primary marker of entry into the community, and new rules of conduct based on the life and teachings of Jesus would guide the movement.

PAUL, SILAS, AND TIMOTHYAt the end of chapter 15, we learn that Paul and Barnabas seem to have had a disagreement over who should travel with them. Acts 15:39 says there arose “a sharp contention.” In the end, Barnabas chooses Mark (see also John Mark in Philemon 24; Colossians 4:10) and departs for the island of Cyprus, while Paul chooses Silas and departs for Syria and Cilicia. Silas is mentioned only in this section of Acts

(chapters 15–18). He is likely the same individual mentioned by Paul (as Silvanus) in 2 Corinthians 1:19 and in 1 Thessalonians 1:1 (see also 2 Thessalonians 1:1) and also perhaps is the referent in 1 Peter 5:12. He appears to have been Paul’s close associate during his most important missionary work.

At the beginning of Acts 16, Paul and Silas meet Timothy in the region of Derbe and Lystra. Timothy becomes perhaps Paul’s most important co-worker. Paul mentions him in virtually all of his undisputed letters (Romans 16:21; 1 Corinthians 4:17, 16:10; 2 Corinthians 1:1, 1:19; Philippians 1:1, 2:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 3:2, 3:6). Timothy represents the very type of person about

THE SECOND JOURNEY OF PAUL

DATING PAUL’S MISSIONSPerhaps no unit of information is more important in dating Paul and his journeys than the reference in Acts 18:12 that suggests Paul was in Corinth when Gallio was proconsul. This of itself is not terribly useful, but when connected to an inscription discovered in Corinth that outlines the specific time that Gallio was proconsul in the city, it means we can date the time of Paul’s visit to Corinth with amazing precision to around the year . . 51. This crucial bit of information helps scholars to

create a timeline for Paul’s missionary activities.

K

In this wonderful section of the Acts of the Apostles we read about the pivotal Jerusalem conference and the beginning of the heart of Paul’s missionary work in important Greek

cities such as Philippi, Thessalonica, and especially Corinth. Information from this section often corresponds directly with information from Paul’s letters, which makes

it even more interesting from a historical perspective.

So the churches were strengthened

in the faith and increased in numbers daily

ACTS 16:5

ROMANS 1 CORINTHIANS 2 CORINTHIANS GALATIANS EPHESIANS PHILIPPIANS COLOSSIANS >>MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

JAMES 1 PETER 2 PETER 1 JOHN 2 JOHN 3 JOHN JUDE REVELATION

NEW TESTAMENT

>> 1 THESSALONIANS 2 THESSALONIANS 1 TIMOTHY 2 TIMOTHY TITUS PHILEMON HEBREWS

Jerusalem, watercolour by Karl Friedrich Werner. Although Gentiles had already been admitted into the church, the meeting in Jerusalem discussed conditions that might apply to such admission, such as circumcision.

SPCK seasonal_spck atlas spread_june-dec2012.indd 2-3 27/6/12 09:42:0412677_SEASON_JULY_DEC_2012.indd 4 06/07/2012 14:59

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The SPCK Bible AtlasThe events, people, and places of the Bible from Genesis to RevelationEdited by BARRY J. BEITZEL

Written by an international team of distinguished academics and Bible scholars, The SPCK Bible Atlas features accurate and accessible retellings of the key events of the Bible. This essential guide includes:

over 150 images and 100 full-colour maps that bring the people, • places and events of the Bible to lifehandy charts showing exactly where each event is located in • the Bibleextensive discussion of the geography and archaeology of the • Bible lands, placing the biblical narrative in its historical and cultural contextsfamily trees, timelines, charts and tables summarizing essential • information.

September 2012£17.99ISBN: 978 0 281 06851 7Hardback • 352 pp

BARRY J. BEITZEL is professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfi eld, Illinois.

278 PA RT 8 : SPR E A DING T HE WOR D T HE SECOND JOUR NEY OF PAUL 279

the fact that he is a Roman citizen. Nowhere in his epistles does Paul mention the fact that he is a Roman citizen, but it is mentioned again in Acts 22:25. Eventually, the Roman officials placate Paul and convince him to leave.

Years later, in his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes with fond memories of his time with them (Philippians 1:3–5), but also with stern warnings not to fall away to those who promote circumcision (Philippians 3:2). So it appears that while an important decision was reached at the Jerusalem conference, the issue was not entirely settled. We should note that while Paul mentions in his epistle to the Philippians that he is imprisoned (Philippians 1:7, 13–14), he is not referring to the same

imprisonment that is recorded in Acts, since it would have been long in the past. Instead, it is likely that Paul was imprisoned when he wrote this letter.

THESSALONICA AND BEROEAIn Acts 17, we learn that Paul and Silas travel to Thessalonica via the cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia. Thessalonica was the capital city of the Roman province of Macedonia (northern Greece). Paul wrote at least once (1 Thessalonians) and likely a second time to the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians). 1 Thessalonians is the oldest surviving letter of Paul. Some scholars believe it is also the oldest book in the New Testament (c. C.E. 50).

In the story, Paul and Silas enter the Jewish synagogue, which seems to have been a regular practice for Paul. Why would he do this? There are a number of reasons. First, the synagogue was a meeting place, so in an age before any type of mass media, the best way to reach a lot of people quickly was to find them where they congregated (note how Jesus would gather crowds or teach at the Temple). Next, Paul himself was a Jew and had been a Pharisee. He was thus well versed in the Torah and was able to debate with other Jews from their sacred text. Moreover, other Jews would have been ready to discuss the topic of the messiah, even if they disagreed as to the messiah’s actual identity. Additionally, at the synagogue, Paul would have likely made important social contacts such as people who would house him and help him to find work. Thus, it is quite likely that Paul did begin his work in new cities at the synagogue. This being the case, we can also see why another trend in Paul’s missionary work emerged. Paul’s mission was an urban one; that is, Paul went to cities. Most often, Paul went to cities that were capitals of their respective Roman provinces. Why would Paul have done this? In such cities Paul would have found the most synagogues, people, more means of communication, and so on. It is no surprise then that most of Paul’s work occurred in, and most of his letters were written to the churches in, major urban areas.

Beroea (Acts 17:10 and 13) is not mentioned elsewhere in Paul’s letters and is mentioned only once more in the New Testament at Acts 20:4. It does not appear to have become an important city for Paul and is likely only mentioned because it was located on the road from Thessalonica to Athens.

PAUL SPEAKS TO THE ATHENIANSIn Acts 17:16–34 we read of Paul’s time in

Athens. In verses 22–31, Paul makes an impassioned speech in the Areopagus of Athens. The Areopagus was the Council of Athens where important civic matters were adjudicated. Other than this story in Acts, we have virtually no record of Paul’s mission in Athens (see 1 Thessalonians 3:1), and given the fact that Acts records Paul’s relative lack of success there, this is not too surprising. The portrayal is an interesting one in that the philosophical schools mentioned in 17:18 (the Epicureans and Stoics) were contemporary to Paul’s time and proponents might well have reacted with great skepticism to Paul’s teachings about resurrection, as is portrayed in Acts 17.

PAUL’S TIME IN CORINTHIn one of the most interesting sections of Acts, chapter 18, we learn about Paul’s stay in Corinth. Paul wrote at least two epistles to the Corinthian Church that appear in the New Testament, and he may have written others (see 1 Corinthians 5:9 and 2 Corinthians 2:3) that do not remain as independent texts. The city of Corinth was ancient; however, it had been destroyed in the second century B.C.E. and was rebuilt by Julius Caesar (c. 50 B.C.E.). This meant that when Paul was there the new city of Corinth was less than 100 years old. It was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia (southern Greece), and it had developed into an important port city where goods from the East would cross on their way to Rome (and vice versa). Thus, the city had a burgeoning population of what we might in modern terms call a middle class: that is, people whose initiative and hard work were allowing them to gain some ground socially and economically. It is likely that some of the people with whom Paul interacted in Corinth were from among this class of people.

Acts 18:3 is the only place in the New Testament where we learn of Paul’s occupation—a tentmaker. Paul speaks of working with his hands (1 Thessalonians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 4:12). Moreover, it is plausible (and we might even say likely) that Paul would have needed a skill that allowed him to find work wherever he went; tentmaking, which would have meant primarily working with leather, skins, and ropes, would have been such an occupation. Tents were used by a variety of people, especially travelers, not only for lodging on land but also as a shield from the sun and elements when traveling by sea. Having such a skill would have proven very valuable to an itinerant missionary such as Paul.

Crispus, an official of the synagogue in Corinth (Acts 18:8), is said to have converted to Christianity along with his entire household. Interestingly, Crispus is also mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians as one of the only people that Paul himself baptized (1 Corinthians 1:14). While Paul rarely speaks about baptism, it ultimately replaced circumcision as the mark of entry into the new Christian community.

Paul has a vision of a man begginghim to go to Macedonia.

Paul and Silasimprisoned.

Paul sent to the coast; Silasand Timothy remain.

Paul and Silas meetTimothy, who joins them.

After the Jerusalem conference, Paul begins his second missionary journey.

Paul addresses the Areopagus;Silas and Timothy rejoin Paul.

Paul sails to Ephesus with newfriends Priscilla and Aquila.

Paul and Silas travelto Syria and Cilicia.

Paul and Barnabas sent toJerusalem conference; issueof circumcision debated.

Rhodes

Samothrace

Cyprus

Crete

A C H A I A

A S I A

B I T H Y N I A A N D P O N T U S

C A P PA D O C I A

C I L I C I A

C Y R E N A I C A

E G Y P T

G A L AT I A

J U D E A

L Y C A O N I A

L Y C I A

L Y D I A

C A R I A

M A C E D O N I A

M Y S I A

PAMPHYLIA

P H R Y G I A

P I S I D I A

S Y R I A

T H R A C E

M e d i t e r r a n e a n S e a

B l a c k S e a

A e g e a n

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Lake Tuz

Dead Sea

Sea of Galilee

Euphrates

Jord

an

Aleppo

Alexandria

Amphipolis

Antioch

Antioch in Pisidia

Apollonia

Athens

Attalia

Beroea

Byzantium

Caesarea

CenchreaeCorinth

Cyrene

Damascus

Derbe

Dorylaeum

Ephesus

Iconium

Jerusalem

Lystra

Myra

Neapolis

Perga

Philippi

Rhodes

Seleucia Pieria

Sidon

Smyrna

Tarsus

Thessalonica

Thyatira

Troas

Tyre

100 miles0

100 km0

Route of Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 15–18)

Route of the Via Egnatia

THE SECOND JOURNEY

OF PAUL

Mediterranean Sea

SYRIACYPRUS

LEBANON

ISRAELEGYPTLIBYA

GREECE TURKEY

This stele from Thessalonica is evidence of the co-existence of Greek and Roman cultures at the time of Paul’s ministry. It depicts a Roman family, but the inscription beneath it is in the Greek language.

GENESIS AND THE

PATRIARCHS

PART 2

The Covenant of the Lord 92

Creation and Fall 94

Noah and his Descendants 98

Abraham 102

Isaac 110

Jacob 116

Joseph and his Family 124

Moses 134

The Plagues of Egypt 140

The Flight out of Egypt 146

The Giving of the Law 156

Forty Years in the Desert 160

The Death of Moses 168

Joshua and the Promised Land 170

GENESIS EXODUS LEVITICUS NUMBERS DEUTERONOMY JOSHUA JUDGES RUTH 1 SAMUEL 2 SAMUEL 1 KINGS 2 KINGS 1 CHRONICLES 2 CHRONICLES EZRA NEHEMIAH ESTHER >>

JOB PSALMS PROVERBS ECCLESIASTES SONG OF SOLOMON ISAIAH JEREMIAH LAMENTATIONS EZEKIEL DANIEL HOSEA JOEL AMOS OBADIAH JONAH MICAH NAHUM HABAKKUK ZECHARIAH HAGGAI MALACHI >>

TOBIT JUDITH ADDITIONS TO ESTHER WISDOM SIRACH (ECCLESIASTICUS) BARUCH 1 ESDRAS 2 ESDRAS LETTER OF JEREMIAH PRAYER OF AZARIAH/SONG OF THE THREE JEWS SUSANNA >>

>> BEL AND THE DRAGON 1 MACCABEES 2 MACCABEES 3 MACCABEES 4 MACCABEES PRAYER OF MANASSEH

OLD TESTAMENT

APOCRYPHA/DEUTEROCANON

whom Paul and the Jerusalem leaders were concerned. Timothy’s mother was Jewish, however, his father was a Greek; therefore, Timothy was not originally Jewish and thus not circumcised, but he became a believer in Jesus Christ.

AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTActs 16:10–17 is noteworthy for its important shift from the third person (“they”) to the first person (“we”). It represents the first of the so-called “we” sections of Acts. The nature of these “we” sections of Acts is unclear. They are suggestive in that they appear—via either Luke or perhaps another eyewitness—to record moments when the narrator was actually in Paul’s company.

The city of Troas is only mentioned a few other times in the New Testament. It appears again in Acts 20:5–6, but also in 2 Corinthians 2:12, where Paul mentions his brief visit there (it also appears in 2 Timothy 4:13). It does not appear to have become an important city for Paul, but it was an important travel city, since it was from there that Paul would cross over from Asia Minor to Greece.

PAUL AND SILAS ARE IMPRISONED IN PHILIPPIIn a lengthy narrative (Acts 16:16–40) we hear about Paul and Silas’s experience in Philippi. Philippi was located on the important Roman road called the Via Egnatia (the Egnatian Way), making it a good place for meeting a variety of people and for communication.

Thus, a strong Roman presence would have been likely, as we see in the Acts narrative. After Paul exorcises a demon from a woman, some Thessalonians take exception and turn Paul and Silas over to the Roman authorities for allegedly disturbing the peace. Paul and Silas are imprisoned. About midnight, as they were praying, an earthquake frees them from their bonds and breaks open their cell. Rather than fleeing, however, they remain in their cell. On seeing this, the guard decides to convert himself and his family to the teachings of Paul and Silas.

The next day word comes from the local Roman magistrates that Paul and Silas should be freed. Paul refuses to depart, however, noting his ill-treatment despite

ey to our understanding of this section of Acts is the fact that at this early stage in the Christian movement, its members were largely Jewish and had been since birth. Moreover,

in the period from Jesus’ death (c. . . 30) until . . 70, the center of the early Church was Jerusalem, not Rome. Only with Paul and the missionaries who, like him, took the message beyond Judea did the issue of non-Jews becoming Christians become important.

MEETING IN JERUSALEMChapter 15 of Acts opens by describing the confusion that arose in the early Church when some church leaders from Judea said that unless Christians were circumcised as prescribed by God in the Jewish Law (the Torah) they could not be saved. When strong dissension arose over this issue, it was decided that Paul and Barnabas would go to Jerusalem to discuss this matter with the leaders there.

The meeting in Jerusalem represents a watershed in the early Christian move-ment. Paul mentions his attendance at the Jerusalem conference in his epistle to the Galatians (2:1–10). His efforts to draw converts and to establish churches were beginning to bear fruit. Paul did not require converts to be circumcised as Jewish men had been commanded by God (Genesis 17:11).

However, some of the Jerusalem leadership, who had formerly been Pharisees like Paul himself (Philippians 3:5), felt it was important to keep with tradition and circumcise non-Jewish converts. This question may seem odd to us today, but it was of great significance to the early Christians, who sought to carry out the will of God. Many felt that this meant continuing to be faithful to ancient traditions, such as circumcision, while others, such as Paul, thought that in Jesus, God had done something new, which meant letting go of older traditions.

Luke tells us that the outcome of the Jerusalem conference was that non-Jewish converts would be asked only to “abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication” (Acts 15:29). This is similar to what Paul outlines in Galatians 2:7–10 as the result of the conference. The decision of the Jerusalem conference defined the way Christianity would look from that point forward. Its members would not be circumcised, nor in large part would they keep the Torah. Instead, baptism would be the primary marker of entry into the community, and new rules of conduct based on the life and teachings of Jesus would guide the movement.

PAUL, SILAS, AND TIMOTHYAt the end of chapter 15, we learn that Paul and Barnabas seem to have had a disagreement over who should travel with them. Acts 15:39 says there arose “a sharp contention.” In the end, Barnabas chooses Mark (see also John Mark in Philemon 24; Colossians 4:10) and departs for the island of Cyprus, while Paul chooses Silas and departs for Syria and Cilicia. Silas is mentioned only in this section of Acts

(chapters 15–18). He is likely the same individual mentioned by Paul (as Silvanus) in 2 Corinthians 1:19 and in 1 Thessalonians 1:1 (see also 2 Thessalonians 1:1) and also perhaps is the referent in 1 Peter 5:12. He appears to have been Paul’s close associate during his most important missionary work.

At the beginning of Acts 16, Paul and Silas meet Timothy in the region of Derbe and Lystra. Timothy becomes perhaps Paul’s most important co-worker. Paul mentions him in virtually all of his undisputed letters (Romans 16:21; 1 Corinthians 4:17, 16:10; 2 Corinthians 1:1, 1:19; Philippians 1:1, 2:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 3:2, 3:6). Timothy represents the very type of person about

THE SECOND JOURNEY OF PAUL

DATING PAUL’S MISSIONSPerhaps no unit of information is more important in dating Paul and his journeys than the reference in Acts 18:12 that suggests Paul was in Corinth when Gallio was proconsul. This of itself is not terribly useful, but when connected to an inscription discovered in Corinth that outlines the specific time that Gallio was proconsul in the city, it means we can date the time of Paul’s visit to Corinth with amazing precision to around the year . . 51. This crucial bit of information helps scholars to

create a timeline for Paul’s missionary activities.

K

In this wonderful section of the Acts of the Apostles we read about the pivotal Jerusalem conference and the beginning of the heart of Paul’s missionary work in important Greek

cities such as Philippi, Thessalonica, and especially Corinth. Information from this section often corresponds directly with information from Paul’s letters, which makes

it even more interesting from a historical perspective.

So the churches were strengthened

in the faith and increased in numbers daily

ACTS 16:5

ROMANS 1 CORINTHIANS 2 CORINTHIANS GALATIANS EPHESIANS PHILIPPIANS COLOSSIANS >>MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

JAMES 1 PETER 2 PETER 1 JOHN 2 JOHN 3 JOHN JUDE REVELATION

NEW TESTAMENT

>> 1 THESSALONIANS 2 THESSALONIANS 1 TIMOTHY 2 TIMOTHY TITUS PHILEMON HEBREWS

Jerusalem, watercolour by Karl Friedrich Werner. Although Gentiles had already been admitted into the church, the meeting in Jerusalem discussed conditions that might apply to such admission, such as circumcision.

SPCK seasonal_spck atlas spread_june-dec2012.indd 2-3 27/6/12 09:42:0412677_SEASON_JULY_DEC_2012.indd 5 06/07/2012 14:59

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As a priest, married to a vicar, with four young children, Jane Maycock is familiar with the struggle not to be engulfed by busyness in the run-up to Christmas. Consequently, the reflections she has written for this lovely book are engagingly infused with real-life happenings, even as they invite us to stop and consider what Advent really means.

Underpinning Windows on a Hidden World is the conviction that we are bound up in an intimate relationship with a God of love. And as we take a little time out – from 1 to 25 December – to explore the Advent landscape in these daily readings, we will find much encouragement to respond to the wonder of God’s tender nearness with hope and joy.

The Revd Jane Maycock was Director of Ordinands in the Diocese of Carlisle from 2001 to 2007. She writes regularly for various Christian publishers.


Windows on a hidden WorldExploring the Advent landscapeJANE MAYCOCK

Related titles

978 0 281 06232 4£9.99


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Is science all we need to make moral decisions? Will there come a time when reason alone can tell us everything we need to know about human values? Is religion simply making its last stand in this debate?

In What Makes Us Moral?, a leading Christian ethicist directly engages the latest book by renowned ‘New Atheist’ Sam Harris, The Moral Landscape: How science can determine human values. Hovey shows that Harris’s views about human well-being owe an unacknowledged debt to Judaism and Christianity, while Harris’s vision of a purely rational moral progress is a fantasy. Ultimately, Hovey draws on Christian morality to describe a vision of human well-being that is not only more realistic but also more interesting and beautiful.

CraIg hovey is Assistant Professor of Religion at Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio. His recent books include Bearing True Witness: Truthfulness in Christian Practice (2011), Nietzsche and Theology (2008), and (as co-editor) An Eerdmans Reader in Contemporary Political Theology (2011). Dr Hovey holds a degree in biology from the University of California, San Diego, and a PhD in Christian theology and ethics from the University of Cambridge.

November 2012£9.99ISBN: 978 0 281 06898 2Paperback • 160 pp

Craig HoveyScience, religion, and the shaping

of the moral landscape

A Christian response to Sam HarriS

what makes uswhat makes us

MORAL?what makes uswhat makes uswhat makes uswhat makes uswhat makes uswhat makes uswhat makes uswhat makes us

MORAL?MORAL?MORAL?MORAL?

What Makes Us Moral?Science, religion and the shaping of the moral landscapeA Christian response to Sam HarrisCRAIG HOVEY

Related titles

978 0 281 05947 8 £10.99

978 0 281 05927 0 £7.99


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The Rule of Taizé was written by Brother Roger, its founder, during the winter of 1952–3. His intention was to express for the young men who had committed themselves to the group ‘for their whole life in celibacy and to a life together in great simplicity . . . the essential that makes the common life possible’. The community has since become one of the world’s most important sites of Christian pilgrimage. Over 100,000 young people from around the world travel there each year for prayer, Bible study, sharing, and communal work. Through the community’s ecumenical outlook, they are encouraged to live in the spirit of kindness, simplicity and reconciliation.

Brother roger, the charismatic founder and leader of the Taizé community, was attacked and killed while praying with more than 2,000 young people on 16 August 2005. His death came almost 65 years after he crossed the border from his native Switzerland into war-ravaged France. Settling in the tiny village of Taizé, he found himself called to establish a community in which reconciliation and peace would be made concrete day by day.

english editionOctober 2012£7.99ISBN: 978 0 281 06827 2French flaps • 80 pp

French and english October 2012£9.99ISBN: 978 0 281 06829 6French flaps • 144 pp

the rule of taizéIn French and EnglishBROTHER ROGER

For Everyone Bible study guidesTOM WRIGHT

• The final four guides in the series!

The guides in this series by Tom Wright can be used on their own or alongside his New Testament for Everyone commentaries. They are designed to help you understand the Bible in fresh ways under the guidance of one of the world’s leading New Testament scholars.

Formerly Bishop of Durham, TOM WRIGHT is now Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St Andrews and a regular broadcaster on radio and television. He is the author of over fifty books, including the bestselling How God Became King, Simply Jesus and the Lent for Everyone series.

9

£4.99 each

JamesJuly 2012978 0 281 06859 3Paperback • 64 pp

1 & 2 Peter and JudahJuly 2012978 0 281 06863 0Paperback • 64 pp

The Letters of JohnJuly 2012978 0 281 06861 6Paperback • 64 pp

RevelationSeptember 2012978 0 281 06865 4Paperback • 128 pp

For Everyone study guides

SPCK seasonal_for everyone study guides_july-dec2012.indd 1 06/07/2012 10:3412677_SEASON_JULY_DEC_2012.indd 8 06/07/2012 14:59

For Everyone Bible study guidesTOM WRIGHT

• The final four guides in the series!

The guides in this series by Tom Wright can be used on their own or alongside his New Testament for Everyone commentaries. They are designed to help you understand the Bible in fresh ways under the guidance of one of the world’s leading New Testament scholars.

Formerly Bishop of Durham, TOM WRIGHT is now Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St Andrews and a regular broadcaster on radio and television. He is the author of over fifty books, including the bestselling How God Became King, Simply Jesus and the Lent for Everyone series.

9

£4.99 each

JamesJuly 2012978 0 281 06859 3Paperback • 64 pp

1 & 2 Peter and JudahJuly 2012978 0 281 06863 0Paperback • 64 pp

The Letters of JohnJuly 2012978 0 281 06861 6Paperback • 64 pp

RevelationSeptember 2012978 0 281 06865 4Paperback • 128 pp

For Everyone study guides

SPCK seasonal_for everyone study guides_july-dec2012.indd 1 06/07/2012 10:3412677_SEASON_JULY_DEC_2012.indd 9 06/07/2012 14:59


10

October 2012£18.99ISBN: 978 0 281 06776 3Paperback • 224 pp

New Testament studies

the Words of Jesus a gospel of the sayings of our lordPHYLLIS TICKLE

‘Harsh. Testy. Uncompromising . . . aren’t words typically associated with Jesus, but Tickle says they often came to mind as she wrote her new book . . . [It] plucks Jesus’ words out of the Gospels and Acts, leaving them to stand alone without the context of his actions. “Readers will get a Jesus they never saw before,” says Tickle. He is . . . still the warm and compassionate man who said “Father, forgive them” . . . But when it comes to his mission, Jesus doesn’t mince words.‘

Newsweek

phyllIS tICkle, one of the most highly respected authorities on religion in America today, has written more than two dozen books. A lector and lay eucharistic minister in the Episcopal Church, she is a senior fellow of the Cathedral College of Washington National Cathedral.

thomas and the gospels the making of an apocryphal textMARK GOODACRE

The Gospel of Thomas is the most important source outside the New Testament for our understanding of the historical Jesus. In this brilliant, detailed and highly readable analysis, Mark Goodacre demonstrates decisively that the author of Thomas was directly infl uenced by the Synoptic Gospels, and drew on them for his portrayal of Jesus and his teachings. He argues that Thomas should be dated in the early to middle second century, when its author was looking for a means of lending the voice of his enigmatic Jesus with an authoritative, Synoptic-sounding legitimacy.

Mark goodaCre is Associate Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins, Department of Religion, Duke University, North Carolina, and general editor of T&T Clark’s Library of New Testament Studies. His most recent books include The Synoptic Problem: A way through the maze and The Case Against Q.


September 2012 £14.99ISBN: 978 0 281 06481 6Paperback • 176 pp


11

Old Testament studies

exploring the religion of ancient Israelprophet, priest, sage and peopleAARON CHALMERS

‘What did people such as priests and prophets do in Israel? How were they chosen and trained? How did ordinary people’s relationship with God work out? This volume is a fi ne user-friendly guide to what we can learn about such questions from the Bible, from archaeology, and from current scholarly theory.’

Professor John Goldingay, Fuller Theological Seminary

‘. . . a welcome companion to SPCK’s series on Exploring the Old Testament/New Testament. It helpfully enables the student to understand how the various leaders in Israel related to the world in which they worked.’

Professor Gordon McConville, University of Gloucestershire

aaron ChalMerS is Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies and Head of School, Tabor Adelaide – a multidenominational, evangelical college located in Adelaide, South Australia.

lost Sonsgod’s long search for humanityMICHAEL SADGROVE

Stories in the Books of Genesis and Exodus tell of fathers whose sons are ‘lost’ to them through ‘deaths’ of various kinds. One is murdered. Another is abandoned. A third is supplanted. A fourth is betrayed. A fi fth is taken for sacrifi ce. A sixth is forgotten about. A seventh is secreted away. Through these accounts we trace the theme with which the biblical narrative begins: God’s fi rst son Adam, by becoming ‘lost’ to his Creator, sets in train God’s long search for humanity . . .

MIChael Sadgrove is Dean of Durham. He was Vice-Principal of Salisbury and Wells Theological College before becoming Vice-Provost at Coventry Cathedral and subsequently Dean of Sheffi eld. He has written on a range of theological subjects, and is the author of The Eight Words of Jesus, Wisdom and Ministry and I Will Trust in You.


12



Lectionary resources

Journeying with luke lectionary year CJAMES WOODWARD, PAULA GOODER and MARK PRYCE

Following the successful Journeying with Mark, this book offers fresh insights for those who want to refl ect on Luke’s Gospel as it is read and preached.

Journeying with Luke gives background information on the Gospel and a springboard for the imagination, helping us to visualize the lives, times and culture of the people of the fi rst century and a guide to refl ection for those preparing to hear, or preach, the word of God.

the revd dr JaMeS Woodward is a Canon of Windsor.

dr paUla gooder is a writer and lecturer in biblical studies and Canon Theologian of Birmingham Cathedral.

the revd Canon Mark pryCe is Bishop’s Adviser for Clergy Continuing Ministerial Education in the Diocese of Birmingham.

twelve Months of Sundays: years a, B & CBiblical meditations on the Christian yearTOM WRIGHT

• Now available in one volume!

Tom Wright offers refl ections on the Sunday readings in the Revised Common Lectionary for Years A, B and C. This volume, which brings together his widely read columns in the Church Times, covers all the Sundays and major festivals. Scholarship, history and insights into the world and language of the Bible are woven together to give a deeper understanding of the Word of the Lord.

Twelve Months of Sundays will be invaluable to anyone who wants to gather their thoughts in preparation for Sunday worship, or for regular Bible study throughout the year.

toM WrIght was Bishop of Durham from 2003 to 2010 and is now Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St Andrews. A regular broadcaster on radio and television, he has written over fi fty books, including the For Everyone guides to the New Testament and the bestselling Simply Christian, Simply Jesus and How God became King.


13

Lent reading

The Resurrection of PeaceA Gospel journey to Easter and beyondMARY C. GREY

Drawing on all four Gospels, Mary Grey’s new book makes for challenging Lent reading and offers biblical inspiration for the search for peace and reconciliation in Israel/Palestine. Along the way she explores the core Christian concepts of redemption, atonement and resurrection from the perspective of justice-making in the real world, pursuing a spirituality of perseverance and steadfastness (sumud) deriving from her work with Middle Eastern Christians. With helpful group-discussion questions, this book is an action-provoking read for Lent, Easter and beyond.

MARY C. GREY is Emeritus Professor of Theology at the University of Wales, Lampeter, a fellow at Sarum College, Salisbury, and Visiting Professor at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham. Her other books include To Rwanda and Back: Liberation spirituality and reconciliation and The Advent of Peace.

Friends, Foes and FamiliesLenten meditations on Bible characters and relationshipsJUDITH DIMOND

Judith Dimond paints a series of vivid portraits of biblical characters whose stories exemplify a broad range of relationships, both good and bad. Each story refl ects common emotions, revealing our own predicaments in a clearer light. Interspersed throughout with beautifully crafted prayers by the author, these biblical meditations help us to address key moments of decision in our own lives, surprising us into fresh ways of understanding.

JUDITH DIMOND is a lay member of St Martin and St Paul’s parish, Canterbury. A published poet, she is the author of the acclaimed Gazing on the Gospels series.

Uncovering SinA gateway to healing and callingROSY FAIRHURST

This approachable Lent course invites us to view sin as something to be understood, rather than condemned. It argues that our darker traits must be coaxed into the light in order to manage them and work towards healing and renewal. An intriguing choice for both personal and group refl ection.

ROSY FAIRHURST trained at Wycliffe Hall; she was a curate in Hackney and Islington, then Director of Mission and Ministry at Ripon College, Cuddesdon. She now works for the Grubb Institute in London.



friends,foes andfamilies

Lenten meditationson Bible characters and relationships

Judith dimond



14

July 2012£8.99 ISBN: 978 0 281 06852 4Paperback • 128 pp


Spiritual reading

Falling Upwarda spirituality for the two halves of lifeRICHARD ROHR

Richard Rohr offers a new way of understanding one of life’s profound mysteries: how our failing can be the foundation for our ongoing spiritual growth. Drawing on wisdom from time-honoured myths, heroic poems, great thinkers and sacred texts, he reasons that the heartbreaks, disappointments and fi rst loves of life are actually stepping stones to the spiritual joys that the second half has in store for us.

‘This is classic Rohr – prophetic, wise and clear!’thegoodbookstall

‘Offers a simple but deeply helpful framework for seeing the whole spiritual life.’

Brian McLaren

Fr rIChard rohr is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province. He founded the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1986, where he currently serves as Founding Director. Fr Rohr is the author of more than twenty books, an internationally known speaker, and a regular contributing writer for Sojourners magazine.

living the gospel Stories todayJOHN PRITCHARD

In this exhilarating book, John Pritchard reclaims the narrative power of the Gospels by retelling well-known stories in vivid, imaginative language, and showing us how our own stories fi t into the Christian story and can be transformed by it.

He takes key narratives like the visit of Mary to Elizabeth, the parable of the rich fool, and the Last Supper, and helps us to be part of them. We are given the opportunity to see the people involved more clearly, not least of all Jesus himself – and so to consider whether we might live our own lives a little differently.

John prItChard is Bishop of Oxford and Chairman of the Church of England Board of Education. He has written many books for SPCK, including the bestselling Intercessions Handbook, How to Pray, Going to Church: A user’s guide, The Life and Work of a Priest and, most recently, Living Jesus and God Lost and Found.

reissued




15

Spiritual reading

Jesus and petergrowing in friendship with godMICHAEL PERHAM

Isn’t it a mind-blowing thought that God, the Creator of all that is, wants to be your friend?

Friendship means an intimacy and an understanding that few of us can associate with God. Michael Perham tells the beautiful story of how the friendship between Jesus and Simon Peter developed, and discusses what it might mean for us today to become more deeply and truly a friend of God.

MIChael perhaM, Bishop of Gloucester, is well known for his many refl ective and liturgical publications that have strengthened and nourished Christians on their spiritual journeys. He is the author of the popular SPCK titles To Tell Afresh, Glory in Our Midst, New Handbook of Pastoral Liturgy and, with Mary Gray Reeves, The Hospitality of God.

god in our Midstgospel stories and refl ectionsTREVOR DENNIS

This largely original collection of poetry and prose follows the pattern of the Christian year, with sections on ‘Advent, Christmas and Epiphany’, ‘Jesus’ Ministry’ and ‘Holy Week and Easter’.

‘Trevor Dennis is always an interesting and fruitful guide to the scriptures. His strength is in his deep involvement with the text as story, combined with an understated scholarship which means that his readings are never careless or indefensibly idiosyncratic. He ranges across the Old and New Testaments to make unexpected connections and shed new light on old tales.’

Baptist Times (on The Easter Stories)

Canon trevor dennIS taught Old Testament Studies at Salisbury and Wells Theological College before joining the staff of Chester Cathedral, where he was Vice Dean until his retirement in 2010. He is the author of many titles for SPCK, and of The Book of Books (Lion, 2003), a retelling of the story of God’s people for children.


16

Spiritual reading

places of enchantmentMeeting god in landscapesGRAHAM B. USHER

Many who have given up on church appreciate the spiritual benefi ts they gain from communing with nature. Drawing on material from biblical and church history traditions, as well as on scientifi c research and contemporary art, Graham Usher explores how experiencing God in the natural world supports our Christian pilgrimage and challenges our assumptions.

Canon grahaM B. USher is the Rector of Hexham in Northumberland. Prior to ordination he was an ecologist and now serves as a Secretary of State appointee on the Northumberland National Park Authority and chairs the North-East regional advisory committee of the Forestry Commission.

Words of Spiritualityexploring the inner lifeENZO BIANCHI

‘ . . . a really remarkable and lively dialogue between the depths of monastic tradition and the complex human reality of [today]. Succinct, accessible and searching . . .’

Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury

Enzo Bianchi has tried to be guided by the biblical and patristic tradition in Words of Spirituality, his response to the requests of those who ask him for ‘a reason for his hope’.

enZo BIanChI is founder and prior of the ecumenical monastic Bose Community in Italy, which receives thousands of visitors a year. His books have been translated into many languages.

Watching, Waiting, Walkinga prayer pattern and a discipleship path ANDY RIDER

In Gethsemane, Peter is told to ‘watch’ his life. On the Mount of Transfi guration, he is told to ‘wait’ for the Holy Spirit. And following Pentecost he ‘walks’ out to address the crowd.

Andy Rider believes this pattern can give shape to our prayers and help us understand where we are in the cycle of discipleship.

the revd andy rIder is Rector of Christ Church, Spitalfi elds in London’s East End. He is the author of Time, Space and God and Three Holy Habits That Will Change Your Life.


August 2012£9.99 ISBN: 978 0 281 06867 8Paperback • 128 pp


reissued




17

Church and ministry

Connecting like Jesuspractices for healing, teaching and preaching TONY CAMPOLO and MARY ALBERT DARLING

‘Tony Campolo is among our most able communicators today, and Mary Darling is known for her exceptional skill in soul care. Together they have crafted a book that can help us all be with [one another] in radically loving ways.’

Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline

‘Numerous opportunities for introspection, study, and practice in developing holy habits that foster Christ-like communication are presented in this well-organized and accessible guide . . . [Its] blend of kindly spiritual insights and practical wisdom may well appeal to those beyond the target Christian audience.’

Publishers Weekly

Acclaimed preacher and writer tony CaMpolo is professor emeritus of sociology at Eastern University, Philadelphia, noted author of many books, and a national media commentator on religion, society, and politics.

Mary alBert darlIng, associate professor of communication at Spring Arbor University, Michigan and co-author of The God of Intimacy and Action, is a frequent speaker at conferences and retreats.

gathering at god’s tablethe fi ve marks of mission in the feast of faithKATHARINE JEFFERTS SCHORI

Taking the framework of the ‘fi ve marks of mission’, the author leads the reader to refl ect on proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, teaching, baptizing and nurturing new believers, responding to human need, seeking to transform the unjust structures of society and sustaining and renewing the life of the earth.

katharIne JeFFertS SChorI is the Presiding Bishop of TEC, the Episcopal Church of the USA.


18

Church and ministry

the Underground Churchreclaiming the subversive way of JesusROBIN MEYERS

‘When was the last time you thought of going to church as dangerous? Once we challenged the status quo; now we mostly defend it. The Underground Church tells the story of how we forgot where we came from and why we must recover our subversive roots. Read it if you dare. Become part of the movement if you are daring.’

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

roBIn MeyerS is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC), tenured professor in the philosophy department at Oklahoma City University and an award-winning commentator for National Public Radio.

reimagining discipleshiploving the local communityROBERT COTTON

Reimagining Discipleship urges the Church to be more open in terms of its people and its resources. The anecdotal style will benefi t those who feel called to service, yet who struggle to persevere; those who see obstructions to the growth of their business or charity, and those who are prepared to focus less on personal leadership and more on a community of character.

Canon roBert Cotton is Rector of Holy Trinity and St Mary’s, Guildford, and an Honorary Canon of Guildford Cathedral. He is also Canon Theologian for the Diocese of the Highveld, South Africa.

a Clergy husband’s Survival guideMATTHEW CAMINER

Women now comprise almost half the newly ordained clergy serving in the Church of England. As a result, there are many male clergy spouses, like Matthew Caminer, who have had to come to terms with the seismic shift that occurs in family life when a wife embarks on the journey from exploration of vocation – through selection, training and formation – to ordination and a life of ministry.

This engaging guide, which covers lifestyle and family issues, aims to help clergy husbands work through what their new role might involve.

MattheW CaMIner is a management consultant with experience across industry, the public sector and the Church. His wife, Miriam, was ordained in 2011.





July 2012£12.99ISBN: 978 0 281 06383 3Paperback • 152 pp


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Church and ministry

Two brand new additions to this invaluable series!

resilient pastorsthe role of adversity in healing and growingJUSTINE ALLAIN-CHAPMAN

Pastors, including clergy, need to be able to provide the right kind of circumstances, teaching and care to enable people to face crisis and come through diffi culties stronger. They also need the quality of resilience to be involved in Christian ministry.

This guide draws on the experience and literature of the desert, as well as on resilience studies and on contemporary theology and applies them to theological understanding to the pastoral task.

dr JUStIne allaIn-ChapMan is Director of Mission and Pastoral Studies at the South East Institute for Theological Education, and was formerly a parish priest.

developing in Ministrya handbook for effective Christian learning and trainingNEIL EVANS

• Commended by Bishop Pete Broadbent, Paula Gooder, David Lyle and Martyn Percy.

In adopting an organic approach to ministry development, it is possible to make a real impact on people’s lives. This approach, based on the organics model proposed by James Hopewell, is backed by thorough research and wide reading. It keeps us in touch with what is happening at grass-roots level and is realistic, as well as hopeful, about what can be achieved.

the revd dr neIl evanS is Director of Ministry Development in the Diocese of London. He has been vicar of two parishes, and before his ordination was a Health Service manager.



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Church history/Theology

the essential history of Christianity MIRANDA THRELFALL-HOLMES

Based on a series of lectures given to the Newcastle Diocese Reader and Ordained Lay Ministry Training Course, this book will introduce the reader to church history in an accessible and relevant way, with an emphasis on key periods that have made the church what it is today, and on what we can learn from past experience for current mission and ministry. Useful as both a guide to group study and for individuals seeking to deepen their faith.

the revd dr MIranda threlFall-holMeS is Chaplain and Solway Fellow of University College, Durham. Her doctoral thesis about Durham Cathedral Priory was published by OUP. She has also contributed to the SPCK Library of Ministry series with Being a Chaplain (2011).

the evangelical Universalistthe biblical hope that god’s love will save us allSecond editionGREGORY MACDONALD

‘With this wonderful book, Gregory MacDonald joins the growing body of Evangelical Christians who now accept a doctrine of universal reconciliation. But I know of no one who has set forth an equally clear, thorough and compelling case for a universalist reading of the Bible.’

Professor Thomas Talbott, Willamette University

This second edition incorporates substantial new material, including: a response to critics of the fi rst edition; appendices on the doctrine of election and on belief in hell, moral formation and Calvinism; a discussion of Rob Bell’s universalism; and a study guide with group discussion starters.

The controversial arguments in this book resulted in the fi rst edition being released under the pseudonym of Gregory MacDonald. At that time, the author, roBIn parry, was Editorial Director of Paternoster. Robin is now an editor at Wipf and Stock Publishers. He is an author of books on Old Testament ethics, Trinitarian wor-ship, and a commentary on Lamentations.

new edition



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Resources for schools and churches

primary School assemblies for religious FestivalsEdited by RONNI LAMONT

• Includes a foreword by Bishop John Pritchard.

Through increasing knowledge of different faiths, we can grow together into more accepting and inclusive communities. This new collection of 37 fun and thoughtful assemblies is designed to help primary school teachers celebrate with all their children throughout the school year, no matter which faith they belong to. It features assemblies dedicated to the festivals of nine major world religions: the Baha’i Faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, and Zoroastrianism. Every assembly is ready to use or can serve as inspiration for experienced assembly leaders.

ronnI laMont was previously a secondary science and dance teacher, followed by many years as a parish priest. She now works freelance as a writer, trainer and consultant, as well as editing www.assemblies.org.uk. Her other books include, Understanding Children, Understanding God and SEAL Assemblies for Primary Schools, all published by SPCK, and Leaping the Vicarage Wall, published by Continuum.

• Now available in a darker slate grey.

This pocket diary for churchgoing people and church workers is laid out with one week to view, beginning with Sunday and including the whole of December and Advent. Titles of Sundays and dates of festivals correspond to the Common Worship Calendar and Lectionary and the Book of Common Prayer. There is space each week for personal notes and room at the back for personal memoranda, addresses and telephone numbers.

Also includes:

• complete Common Worship Calendar and Lectionary for 2012, with Sunday names for Common Worship and BCP schemes.

• information on every Anglican diocese in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and brief notes on the Anglican Communion worldwide.

• names and addresses of major Christian societies, charities and other organizations, including all mainstream denominations.

July 2012£8.99 inc. VATISBN: Black 978 0 281 06884 5 Blue 978 0 281 06885 2 Burgundy 978 0 281 06886 9 Red 978 0 281 06887 6 Grey 978 0 281 06888 3 Pink 978 0 281 06889 0 Soft case • 288 pp

Church pocket Book and diary 2013With lectionary

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Cover painting: Jerusalem in the Heart by Suleiman Mansour

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ISBN 978-0-281-06924-8

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Spck July Dec 2012

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