New Books : June 2010
Large numbers of books are regularly added
to the Bishop John Colenso Library at
Campbelltown. Most can be freely borrowed.
FOR MOST RECENT BOOKS, see churchofaustralia.blogspot.com
SEE SEPARATE SECTION FOR BOOKS BOUGHT OR ORDERED
EARLY IN OCTOBER 2008. Earlier books are listed below.
Paul Avis, THE IDENTITY OF ANGLICANISM : Essentials of Anglican Ecclesiology - some will not agree with everything here but there are many valuable insights and ideas
Kenneth Stevenson, ed., A FALLIBLE CHURCH : Lambeth Essays (contributors include David Stancliffe and Mark Chapman)
Mary Reath, ROME AND CANTERBURY : The Elusive Search for Unity, with forewords by the late Revd Dr John Macquarrie, RC Archbishop Bathersby, and Bishop Peter Carnley
Aidan Nichols O.P., The Realm : An Unfashionable Essay on the Conversion of England - unfashionable ? certainly rather controversial, by a Roman Catholic calling for a profound change in English culture - comprehensive and worth reading
Marcus J.Bord, THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY : Discovering A Life of Faith
- written by well-known former Lutheran, now Episcopalian, this is "progressive
Christianity" at its best ; one may not agree with everything in this book (one would
like more on the historic Jesus), and some parts may not "speak" to everyone,
yet it is much of value, for this commentator, for example, its simple analysis
of the ways in which the early Christians understood the death of Jesus, or
what it says on Sin and Salvation : transforming the heart.
John Pridmore, The Inner-City of God : The diary of an East End parson
- a delightful and sobering book, sad at times and often very funny
and highly recommended, not least for church bureaucrats
Sir Cliff Richard & Brian Sibley, 50 Favourite Bible Stories -
children's book plus CDs, typically fine Lion Book publication
(Cliff Richard : the bachelor boy, by Steve Turner, has just been published.)
John Polkinghorne, From Physicist to Priest, an Autobiography
(of a distinguished scientist and theologian)
W.M.Jacob, The Clerical Profession in the Long 18th Century
Paul Collins, Believers : Does Australian Catholicism have a Future ;
by well-known Roman Catholic author and former priest
Kenneth Fincham & Nicholas Tyacke, ALTARS RESTORED (ie in Jacobean and Caroline days in England)
Peter Hinchliff, Frederick Temple : Archbishop of Canterbury
the standard life- added to more than 350 biographies in the library
The Faith of the One God, an important facsimile reprint of the works published by London layman, businesman, philanthropist, and unitarian Anglican, Thomas Firmin, including the works of John Bidle, gaoled for his beliefs (and who died in gaol), and the "Unitarian tracts" attributed to the unitarian Rector, Stephen Nye, &c.
Open for Youth : The Church, the Visitor and the Gospel, by Paul Bond
- every church will find something useful here in a book which should
encourage churches to greatly lift their game in regard to visitors.
I Desire Justice : Daily Reflections from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day
- mostly written (very intelligently and helpfully) by students of
the Evangelical (but very Anglican) Ridley Hall, Cambridge -
an encouraging sign of some promising ordinands for the future Church.
Walter Brueggemann, Mandate to Difference : An Invitation to the Contemporary
Church - a collection of profound and original addresses by this great
Old Testament scholar
Leslie Francis & Philip Richter, GONE FOR GOOD ? Church-Leaving and Returning in the 21st Century - research relevant for Australia as for England, better than uneducated guesses!
Geza Vermes, THE RESURRECTION : History & Myth, follows this Jewish scholar's earlier short works on the Nativity and the Passion. (He was for a time a Roman Catholic priest.) This really add nothing new but his earlier works are important, especially those on the Dead Sea Scrolls, and especially on the Jewish Jesus and the development of the Gospels.
Tim Dowley, THE CHRISTIANS : AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY
- a typically fine production from Lion, a general introduction,
well-illustrated (though not a great deal about Anglicans!)
Richard Turnbull, ANGLICAN AND EVANGELICAL ? - by the principal of the very troubled Wycliffe Hall, a book deserving the very adverse review it received recently in the Tablet. One would buy or borrow instead far better Evangelical Anglican writing in :
Peter G.Bolt & Mark D.Thompson, ed., DONALD ROBINSON : COLLECTED WORKS.
So far the Library has Volumes 1 and 2 which should be read by every parson and every Anglican leader in Sydney Diocese and elsewhere) : beautifully produced, and more important, beautifully written by the former Archbishop of Sydney. Vol 3 is also available - with a collection of appreciations by various scholars. Other volumes of Bishop Robinson's work (addresses, articles, papers &c) are planned.
Moyra Dooley, NO PLACE FOR GOD : The Denial of the Transcendent in Modern Church Architecture - very timely (though too late in too many cases!)
The 1865 edition of the Book of Common Prayer of King's Chapel Boston (new facsimile)- the Colenso Library has original copies of all the many versions except the first two.
R.S.Sugirtharajah, THE BIBLE AND EMPIRE : Postcolonial Exploration (including a chapter on James Long of Bengal and Bishop Colenso of Natal, noting the neglect of his very important 4 volumes of Natal Sermons, greatly in need of re-publishing)
G.M.Ditchfield, THE LETTERS OF THEOPHILUS LINDSEY, I, 1747-1788, Lindsey being a priest who left the Church of England to found what became England's first unitarian Christian Church with its revised version of the Book of Common Prayer
Samuel Clarke, The Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity, &c - a large facsimile edition of a rare 18th century work by an eminent but unorthodox (Arian) theologian of the Church of England
William Sykes, ed., THE CANTERBURY BOOK OF SPIRITUAL QUOTATIONS,
2007, a very large anthology and probably the best for a very long time
Simon Jones, ed., THE SACRAMENTAL LIFE : Gregory Dix and his Writings
- a selection of extracts from books and articles by this notable Anglican Benedictine
and liturgical scholars, very readable, sometimes dated, evidence for an
scholarly, conservative Anglo-Catholicism now very hard to find.
David M.Chapman, BORN IN SONG : Methodist Worship in Britain,
Church in the Market Place Publications, 2006 - comprehensive
Alan Bartless, A PASSIONATE BALANCE : The Anglican Tradition,
DLT 2007 - well worth reading yet some of the author's opinions and
occasionally his style will irritate some.
Tom Frame, ANGLICANS IN AUSTRALIA, UNSW Press, 2007,
by the young bishop who now heads S.Mark's, Canberra, and
as one might expect, a very important book for anyone concerned for
the Church of Australia.
David L.Edwards, YES : A POSITIVE FAITH, DLT, 2006
This will be the last of more than 20 books from a priest
who has served the Church so well. Highly recommended.
Alan Langdon, MINISTRY WITH SENIORS, 2007
available from Youthworks, St Andrew's House, Sydney -
a small guide that every bishop and priest and keen
parishioner should read.
Peter J.Gomes, STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY :
Biblical Wisdom for Daily Living - HarperSanFrancisco, 2003,
more sermons from the great preacher, minister of
Harvard Memorial Chapel & author of The Good Book
Kelvin Randall, EVANGELICALS ETCETERA : Conflict and Conviction in the Church of England's Parties, Ashgate 2005 - a good clear analysis
John Marks Templeton, DISCOVERING THE LAWS OF LIFE
Continuum, 1994 - Forward by Norman Vincent Peale -
a very positive collection of sane daily readings by
this notable benefactor
Robert Alter, THE BOOK OF PSALMS :
A Translation with a Commentary. WW Norton, 2007
Commentary is brief but very reliable ; translation is outstanding.
Like his earlier "Five Books of Moses" this will no doubt
be published later in paperback.
Israel Finkelstein & Neil Asher Silberman, DAVID AND SOLOMON :
In Search of the Bible's Sacred Kings
and the Roots of the Western Tradition,
Free Press, 2006 - an authoritative study, based on archaeology, of
the origins and development of Old Testament stories that, however,
"unhistorical", remain of deep value and significance.
Eric James, THE VOICE OF THIS CALLING, Continuum, 2005 -
more excellent sermons including one for a Gallipoli Memorial Service
Nicholas Lash, SEEING IN THE DARK, DLT 2005
noted RC scholar preaching in noted C.of E. chapels !
Karen Armstrong, ON THE BIBLE, Allen & Unwin, 2007
- one of quite a number of books of this kind, worth reading
Bishop Geoffrey Robinson, CONFRONTING POWER AND SEX
IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH : RECLAIMING THE SPIRIT OF JESUS
-retired Sydney RC bishop, his book already a best seller
(in the Anglican Diocese, any criticism is damned as "disloyal" ! ) ;
much here is relevant not only to our Church of Australia but
to the problems at present being faced by the Anglican Communion.
Timothy Dudley-Smith, JOHN STOTT : THE MAKING OF A LEADER,
IVP 1999. Dr Stott in his final public address (at Keswick this year)
said that in the end all that counts is a Christ-like character - which is
a challenge to us as individuals but also, one suggests, to the Church
William Hague, WILLIAM WILBERFORCE :
The Life of the Great Anti-Slavery Campaigner
Harper Press, 25 pounds (probably cheaper from abebooks)
reviewed very favourably in the Church Times of July 27th
Reginald Box SSF, MAKING MUSIC TO OUR GOD :
How We Sing the Psalms SPCK 1996 - a very good study
Margaret Thornton, I HEARD HIM CALL :
The Story of Neville Langford-Smith, Acorn Press, 2007
The author was a CMS missionary in Kenya for 31 years and
among other things secretary to the Bishop of Nakuru
Ian Robinson, WHO KILLED THE BIBLE :
last words on translating the Holy Scriptures, Edgeways, 2006
- a well known English scholar is highly critical of modern translations
seen as untrue to the originals, and shows how the AV can be truer.
Chapter 2 is difficult but all that follows is of much interest.
Arthur Kirsch, AUDEN AND CHRISTIANITY, Yale Univ.Press, 2005 -
a highly praised, authoritative study
Harold G.Koenig, SPIRITUALITY IN PATIENT CARE,
Templeton Foundation, 2007, revised & expanded 2nd edition-
by professor of psychiatry & behavioural sciences, and
associate professor of medicine at Duke University -
recommended for physicians, nurses, medical students, chaplains
but a solid read.
Alister & Joanna McGrath, THE DAWKINS DELUSION :
Atheist fundamentalism and the denial of the divine,
SPCK 2007, a short (78pp) but useful response to
"The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins.
Larry Witham, THE MEASURE OF GOD :
Our Century-Long Struggle to Reconcile Science and Religion :
The Story of the Gifford Lectures, Harper San Francisco, 2005
Joseph A.Fitzmeyer, SJ, THE ONE WHO IS TO COME, Eerdmans, 2007 -
a detailed study of the idea of "messiah" in Jewish and Christian works
Robert Morgan, ed., IN SEARCH OF HUMANITY AND DEITY :
A Celebration of John Macquarrie's Theology, SCM 2006
-an important collection of essays about one of our Church's
greatest modern theologians
Mrs Horace Porter, MARY SUMNER : HER LIFE AND WORK
MU 1950 - among other things this proved Mrs Sumner died on
August 11th (the feast of S.Clare) not on August 9th as in
many modern calendars
Clive Pearson, Allan Davidson, Peter Lineham,
SCHOLARSHIP AND FIERCE SINCERITY ;
HENRY MAJOR : THE FACE OF ANGLICAN MODERNISM,
Polygraphia, NZ, 2006 - a fine account of a leading liberal
who grew up in New Zealand
Mark Mortimer, LATINISED HYMNS, Newton Publishing, 2005
-more than 300 new Latin versions of well-known hymns !
Rather eccentric scholarship survives in the C.of E.
Peter G.Bolt, THOMAS MOORE OF LIVERPOOL ;
One of our Oldest Colonists : Essays & Addresses to
Celebrate 150 years of Moore College,
Bolt Publishing, 2007 - good scholarship and recommended
Brian Porter, FRANK WOODS : Archbishop of Melbourne 1957-77
Trinity College, Melbourne, 2007
A comprehensive, honest, encouraging account of a great Australian bishop
A bunch of 4 fairly radical books
Michael Ingham (Bishop of New Westminster), MANSIONS OF THE SPIRIT :
THE GOSPEL IN A MULTI-FAITH WORLD - a better buy (or borrowing),
commended by Hans Kung, the late Abp Runcie, Rabbi Plaut, & the Dalai Lama!
(Anglican Book Centre, Toronto, 1997)
Richard Holloway, How To Read THE BIBLE - the best of the recent books by the former Bishop of Edinburgh, short, helpful, thought-provoking (after a bit of a slow start). (Granta Books, 2006)
Bart D.Ehrman, PETER, PAUL, AND MARY MAGDALENE : The Followers of Jesus
in History and Legend - a interesting but not ground-breaking work but with an explanation of S.Paul's understanding of Jesus which is the first I have come across that I can understand !
(Oxford University Press, 2006)
Mark Vernon, SCIENCE, RELIGION AND THE MEANING OF LIFE, by a former Anglican priest, a defence of a positive and even Christian agnosticism ; a very thoughtful, finely written, and accessible work of philosophy (Palgrave Macmillan 2007)
_______
Note on the Evangelical side, Alister McGrath, Atheist Fundamentalism
and the Denial of the Divine, Redemptorist Publications,
and on the moderate centre, the Pauline Press book on the Pastoral Epistles by our own Sydney priest and scholar, Dr Mark Harding, which may become the standard commentary.
_________________________
Graham Parry, THE ARTS OF THE ANGLICAN
COUNTER-REFORMATION : GLORY,LAUD AND HONOUR
Boydell, 2006 (forgive the small pun in the title)
This excellent books deals with the classical High Church period in
the history of the Church of England - worship, ceremonies,
churches, chapels, furnishings, devotional prose and poetry,
church music &c. Black and white illustrations.
Alan Mould, THE ENGLISH CHORISTER : A History
a story that will be interesting to all choristers and
other singers in church ; black & white illustrations
Bp John Selby Spong, Jesus for the Non-Religious
This is NOT recommended. Nothing very new,
unnecessarily negative, and not really engaging with NT scholarship
Eric Metaxas, AMAZING GRACE : William Wilberforce
and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery
- described by many as "sparkling", accompanying the
film "Amazing Grace" and one of a number of new books this
relating to Britain's ending of slave trading :
a fine tribute to a great Evangelical.
Colin Craston, EVANGELICAL AND EVOLVING
- an account of Anglican Christianity as seen by a leading
"open" Evangelical and former Chairman of the
Anglican Consultative Council
Gary Best, CHARLES WESLEY
- the first major biography since the 19th century,
300 years after the birth of this great Anglican
Giles Fraser, CHRISTIANITY WITH ATTITUDE
- "occasional" contributions to newspapers, including the
Church Times, and to the BBC's "Thought for the Day",
always readable but perhaps not worth making into a book.
Stuart Piggin, ed., SHAPING THE GOOD SOCIETY
IN AUSTRALIA : Papers read at the first Australia's
Christian Heritage National Forum at Parliament House,
Canberra in August 2006. One of the best chapters is
one by Dr Piggin telling the story of some Australian
Christians - including Joseph Furphy, R.M.Williams,
a brave but little known chaplain and corporal,
and Flo Trotter and other nursing POWs.
Donald Kraus, CHOOSING A BIBLE - for Worship,
Teaching, Study, Preaching, and Prayer
balanced and reliable
Ian Bradley, BELIEVING IN BRITAIN :
The Spiritual Identity of Britishness
- like all of Bradley's many books, very readable,
relevant in this year commemorating the Union,
the author half English and half Scot.
Imaginative, not politically correct, provocative,
and, among other things, supportive of
Establishment, and of sane, middle of the road
broadchurchmanship in the Churches of England and Scotland
David Hay, SOMETHING THERE : THE BIOLOGY OF
THE HUMAN SPIRIT, a recommended study of
religious experience by scientist, Christian, former
colleague of biologist, the late Sir Alister Hardy
James P.Mackey, CHRISTIANITY AND CREATION,
a major work by a distinguished but radical RC theologian
James Livingston, RELIGIOUS THOUGHT IN
THE VICTORIAN AGE - a fresh study
Jimmy Carter, PALESTINE : PEACE NOT APARTHEID
A (controversial) plea for justice for the Palestinian people by
the great Christian American president
Marianne Dorman, LANCELOT ANDREWES :
Mentor of Reformed Catholicism in the
Post-Reformation English Church : reliable
A MIXED BAG -
Christopher Dobb, Freddy Temple : A Portrait
(nephew of the Abp - long but quite interesting)
Hyam Maccoby, Antisemitism and Modernity
Sydney Carter, Rock of Doubt (a welcome re-print)
Timothy Radcliffe, What is the Point of Being a Christian
William Gibson, The Church of England 1688-1832
A.H.Pearson, translator, The Sarum Missal (re-print)
Eric Kemp, Shy but not retiring (ex Bp of Chichester)
Richard Chartres, Tree of Knowledge Tree of Life
Geoffrey Rowell, In this Sign Conquer (Society of the Holy Cross)
Colin Buchanan, Historical Dictionary of Anglicanism
(a large, expensive one author book - too many errors!)
Robert Ellsberg, Blessed Among Women
Trevor Beeson, The Canons
Jim Wallis, THE CALL TO CONVERSION,
new, revised edition of this small challenging book by
prophetic evangelical author of GOD'S POLITICS
HarperSanFranciso
*
Gordon Oliver, HOLY BIBLE, HUMAN BIBLE
- a thoughtful, helpful book bridging the gap between
evangelicals and critical scholarship
DLT
*
Caroline Chartres, ed., WHY I AM STILL AN ANGLICAN
- a delightful book, with contributors including
John Stott, P.D.James, Lucy Winkett and Rupert Sheldrake !
Continuum
*
Lynda Barley,
CHRISTIAN ROOTS, CONTEMPORARY SPIRITUALITY
a practical book for parsons and all concerned with mission.
The author is Head of Research and Statistics for the C of E,
but her work sparkles! Church House Publishing
*
Martyn Percy & Ian Markham,
WHY LIBERAL CHURCHES ARE GROWING
-rather, which ones are growing and why :
(eg those with the right clergy - committed, passionate,
generous and open to conservatives,
deeply devout, welcoming, and those with the right theology
- committed to justice, engaged, not lax and undemanding,
not - like eg Don Cupitt -impoverished) T & T Clark
*
Mike Booker & Mark Ireland,
EVANGELISM - WHICH WAY NOW ? :
An evaluation of Alpha, Emmaus, Cell church and
other contemporary strategies for evangelism.
Forward : David Hope Church House Publishing
*
Simon Barrow & Jonathan Bartley, ed.,
CONSUMING PASSION : Why the killing of Jesus
really matters. DLT
The (evangelical) c0ntributors opposed to the idea of
a "substitutionary atonement" include J.Denny Weaver,
author of THE NON-VIOLENT ATONEMENT
Eerdmans and Steve Chalke who is co-author
with Alan Mann of THE LOST MESSAGE OF JESUS
commended by Bishop Tom Wright. Zondervan
FOR BOOKS BEING BOUGHT IN AUSTRALIA,
THE RIDLEY COLLEGE BOOKSHIP in Melbourne is recommended
and also the bookshops at S.Peter's, Eastern Hill, Melbourne
and the small bookshop at S.James's, King Street, Sydney.
Church House Bookshop is a recommended English bookseller
(now owned by the charity, Hymns Ancient and Modern).
For new copies of the Book of Common Prayer and the
(1944) Shorter Prayer Book, published by Cambridge,
contact John Bunyan.
to the Bishop John Colenso Library at
Campbelltown. Most can be freely borrowed.
FOR MOST RECENT BOOKS, see churchofaustralia.blogspot.com
SEE SEPARATE SECTION FOR BOOKS BOUGHT OR ORDERED
EARLY IN OCTOBER 2008. Earlier books are listed below.
Paul Avis, THE IDENTITY OF ANGLICANISM : Essentials of Anglican Ecclesiology - some will not agree with everything here but there are many valuable insights and ideas
Kenneth Stevenson, ed., A FALLIBLE CHURCH : Lambeth Essays (contributors include David Stancliffe and Mark Chapman)
Mary Reath, ROME AND CANTERBURY : The Elusive Search for Unity, with forewords by the late Revd Dr John Macquarrie, RC Archbishop Bathersby, and Bishop Peter Carnley
Aidan Nichols O.P., The Realm : An Unfashionable Essay on the Conversion of England - unfashionable ? certainly rather controversial, by a Roman Catholic calling for a profound change in English culture - comprehensive and worth reading
Marcus J.Bord, THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY : Discovering A Life of Faith
- written by well-known former Lutheran, now Episcopalian, this is "progressive
Christianity" at its best ; one may not agree with everything in this book (one would
like more on the historic Jesus), and some parts may not "speak" to everyone,
yet it is much of value, for this commentator, for example, its simple analysis
of the ways in which the early Christians understood the death of Jesus, or
what it says on Sin and Salvation : transforming the heart.
John Pridmore, The Inner-City of God : The diary of an East End parson
- a delightful and sobering book, sad at times and often very funny
and highly recommended, not least for church bureaucrats
Sir Cliff Richard & Brian Sibley, 50 Favourite Bible Stories -
children's book plus CDs, typically fine Lion Book publication
(Cliff Richard : the bachelor boy, by Steve Turner, has just been published.)
John Polkinghorne, From Physicist to Priest, an Autobiography
(of a distinguished scientist and theologian)
W.M.Jacob, The Clerical Profession in the Long 18th Century
Paul Collins, Believers : Does Australian Catholicism have a Future ;
by well-known Roman Catholic author and former priest
Kenneth Fincham & Nicholas Tyacke, ALTARS RESTORED (ie in Jacobean and Caroline days in England)
Peter Hinchliff, Frederick Temple : Archbishop of Canterbury
the standard life- added to more than 350 biographies in the library
The Faith of the One God, an important facsimile reprint of the works published by London layman, businesman, philanthropist, and unitarian Anglican, Thomas Firmin, including the works of John Bidle, gaoled for his beliefs (and who died in gaol), and the "Unitarian tracts" attributed to the unitarian Rector, Stephen Nye, &c.
Open for Youth : The Church, the Visitor and the Gospel, by Paul Bond
- every church will find something useful here in a book which should
encourage churches to greatly lift their game in regard to visitors.
I Desire Justice : Daily Reflections from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day
- mostly written (very intelligently and helpfully) by students of
the Evangelical (but very Anglican) Ridley Hall, Cambridge -
an encouraging sign of some promising ordinands for the future Church.
Walter Brueggemann, Mandate to Difference : An Invitation to the Contemporary
Church - a collection of profound and original addresses by this great
Old Testament scholar
Leslie Francis & Philip Richter, GONE FOR GOOD ? Church-Leaving and Returning in the 21st Century - research relevant for Australia as for England, better than uneducated guesses!
Geza Vermes, THE RESURRECTION : History & Myth, follows this Jewish scholar's earlier short works on the Nativity and the Passion. (He was for a time a Roman Catholic priest.) This really add nothing new but his earlier works are important, especially those on the Dead Sea Scrolls, and especially on the Jewish Jesus and the development of the Gospels.
Tim Dowley, THE CHRISTIANS : AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY
- a typically fine production from Lion, a general introduction,
well-illustrated (though not a great deal about Anglicans!)
Richard Turnbull, ANGLICAN AND EVANGELICAL ? - by the principal of the very troubled Wycliffe Hall, a book deserving the very adverse review it received recently in the Tablet. One would buy or borrow instead far better Evangelical Anglican writing in :
Peter G.Bolt & Mark D.Thompson, ed., DONALD ROBINSON : COLLECTED WORKS.
So far the Library has Volumes 1 and 2 which should be read by every parson and every Anglican leader in Sydney Diocese and elsewhere) : beautifully produced, and more important, beautifully written by the former Archbishop of Sydney. Vol 3 is also available - with a collection of appreciations by various scholars. Other volumes of Bishop Robinson's work (addresses, articles, papers &c) are planned.
Moyra Dooley, NO PLACE FOR GOD : The Denial of the Transcendent in Modern Church Architecture - very timely (though too late in too many cases!)
The 1865 edition of the Book of Common Prayer of King's Chapel Boston (new facsimile)- the Colenso Library has original copies of all the many versions except the first two.
R.S.Sugirtharajah, THE BIBLE AND EMPIRE : Postcolonial Exploration (including a chapter on James Long of Bengal and Bishop Colenso of Natal, noting the neglect of his very important 4 volumes of Natal Sermons, greatly in need of re-publishing)
G.M.Ditchfield, THE LETTERS OF THEOPHILUS LINDSEY, I, 1747-1788, Lindsey being a priest who left the Church of England to found what became England's first unitarian Christian Church with its revised version of the Book of Common Prayer
Samuel Clarke, The Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity, &c - a large facsimile edition of a rare 18th century work by an eminent but unorthodox (Arian) theologian of the Church of England
William Sykes, ed., THE CANTERBURY BOOK OF SPIRITUAL QUOTATIONS,
2007, a very large anthology and probably the best for a very long time
Simon Jones, ed., THE SACRAMENTAL LIFE : Gregory Dix and his Writings
- a selection of extracts from books and articles by this notable Anglican Benedictine
and liturgical scholars, very readable, sometimes dated, evidence for an
scholarly, conservative Anglo-Catholicism now very hard to find.
David M.Chapman, BORN IN SONG : Methodist Worship in Britain,
Church in the Market Place Publications, 2006 - comprehensive
Alan Bartless, A PASSIONATE BALANCE : The Anglican Tradition,
DLT 2007 - well worth reading yet some of the author's opinions and
occasionally his style will irritate some.
Tom Frame, ANGLICANS IN AUSTRALIA, UNSW Press, 2007,
by the young bishop who now heads S.Mark's, Canberra, and
as one might expect, a very important book for anyone concerned for
the Church of Australia.
David L.Edwards, YES : A POSITIVE FAITH, DLT, 2006
This will be the last of more than 20 books from a priest
who has served the Church so well. Highly recommended.
Alan Langdon, MINISTRY WITH SENIORS, 2007
available from Youthworks, St Andrew's House, Sydney -
a small guide that every bishop and priest and keen
parishioner should read.
Peter J.Gomes, STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY :
Biblical Wisdom for Daily Living - HarperSanFrancisco, 2003,
more sermons from the great preacher, minister of
Harvard Memorial Chapel & author of The Good Book
Kelvin Randall, EVANGELICALS ETCETERA : Conflict and Conviction in the Church of England's Parties, Ashgate 2005 - a good clear analysis
John Marks Templeton, DISCOVERING THE LAWS OF LIFE
Continuum, 1994 - Forward by Norman Vincent Peale -
a very positive collection of sane daily readings by
this notable benefactor
Robert Alter, THE BOOK OF PSALMS :
A Translation with a Commentary. WW Norton, 2007
Commentary is brief but very reliable ; translation is outstanding.
Like his earlier "Five Books of Moses" this will no doubt
be published later in paperback.
Israel Finkelstein & Neil Asher Silberman, DAVID AND SOLOMON :
In Search of the Bible's Sacred Kings
and the Roots of the Western Tradition,
Free Press, 2006 - an authoritative study, based on archaeology, of
the origins and development of Old Testament stories that, however,
"unhistorical", remain of deep value and significance.
Eric James, THE VOICE OF THIS CALLING, Continuum, 2005 -
more excellent sermons including one for a Gallipoli Memorial Service
Nicholas Lash, SEEING IN THE DARK, DLT 2005
noted RC scholar preaching in noted C.of E. chapels !
Karen Armstrong, ON THE BIBLE, Allen & Unwin, 2007
- one of quite a number of books of this kind, worth reading
Bishop Geoffrey Robinson, CONFRONTING POWER AND SEX
IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH : RECLAIMING THE SPIRIT OF JESUS
-retired Sydney RC bishop, his book already a best seller
(in the Anglican Diocese, any criticism is damned as "disloyal" ! ) ;
much here is relevant not only to our Church of Australia but
to the problems at present being faced by the Anglican Communion.
Timothy Dudley-Smith, JOHN STOTT : THE MAKING OF A LEADER,
IVP 1999. Dr Stott in his final public address (at Keswick this year)
said that in the end all that counts is a Christ-like character - which is
a challenge to us as individuals but also, one suggests, to the Church
William Hague, WILLIAM WILBERFORCE :
The Life of the Great Anti-Slavery Campaigner
Harper Press, 25 pounds (probably cheaper from abebooks)
reviewed very favourably in the Church Times of July 27th
Reginald Box SSF, MAKING MUSIC TO OUR GOD :
How We Sing the Psalms SPCK 1996 - a very good study
Margaret Thornton, I HEARD HIM CALL :
The Story of Neville Langford-Smith, Acorn Press, 2007
The author was a CMS missionary in Kenya for 31 years and
among other things secretary to the Bishop of Nakuru
Ian Robinson, WHO KILLED THE BIBLE :
last words on translating the Holy Scriptures, Edgeways, 2006
- a well known English scholar is highly critical of modern translations
seen as untrue to the originals, and shows how the AV can be truer.
Chapter 2 is difficult but all that follows is of much interest.
Arthur Kirsch, AUDEN AND CHRISTIANITY, Yale Univ.Press, 2005 -
a highly praised, authoritative study
Harold G.Koenig, SPIRITUALITY IN PATIENT CARE,
Templeton Foundation, 2007, revised & expanded 2nd edition-
by professor of psychiatry & behavioural sciences, and
associate professor of medicine at Duke University -
recommended for physicians, nurses, medical students, chaplains
but a solid read.
Alister & Joanna McGrath, THE DAWKINS DELUSION :
Atheist fundamentalism and the denial of the divine,
SPCK 2007, a short (78pp) but useful response to
"The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins.
Larry Witham, THE MEASURE OF GOD :
Our Century-Long Struggle to Reconcile Science and Religion :
The Story of the Gifford Lectures, Harper San Francisco, 2005
Joseph A.Fitzmeyer, SJ, THE ONE WHO IS TO COME, Eerdmans, 2007 -
a detailed study of the idea of "messiah" in Jewish and Christian works
Robert Morgan, ed., IN SEARCH OF HUMANITY AND DEITY :
A Celebration of John Macquarrie's Theology, SCM 2006
-an important collection of essays about one of our Church's
greatest modern theologians
Mrs Horace Porter, MARY SUMNER : HER LIFE AND WORK
MU 1950 - among other things this proved Mrs Sumner died on
August 11th (the feast of S.Clare) not on August 9th as in
many modern calendars
Clive Pearson, Allan Davidson, Peter Lineham,
SCHOLARSHIP AND FIERCE SINCERITY ;
HENRY MAJOR : THE FACE OF ANGLICAN MODERNISM,
Polygraphia, NZ, 2006 - a fine account of a leading liberal
who grew up in New Zealand
Mark Mortimer, LATINISED HYMNS, Newton Publishing, 2005
-more than 300 new Latin versions of well-known hymns !
Rather eccentric scholarship survives in the C.of E.
Peter G.Bolt, THOMAS MOORE OF LIVERPOOL ;
One of our Oldest Colonists : Essays & Addresses to
Celebrate 150 years of Moore College,
Bolt Publishing, 2007 - good scholarship and recommended
Brian Porter, FRANK WOODS : Archbishop of Melbourne 1957-77
Trinity College, Melbourne, 2007
A comprehensive, honest, encouraging account of a great Australian bishop
A bunch of 4 fairly radical books
Michael Ingham (Bishop of New Westminster), MANSIONS OF THE SPIRIT :
THE GOSPEL IN A MULTI-FAITH WORLD - a better buy (or borrowing),
commended by Hans Kung, the late Abp Runcie, Rabbi Plaut, & the Dalai Lama!
(Anglican Book Centre, Toronto, 1997)
Richard Holloway, How To Read THE BIBLE - the best of the recent books by the former Bishop of Edinburgh, short, helpful, thought-provoking (after a bit of a slow start). (Granta Books, 2006)
Bart D.Ehrman, PETER, PAUL, AND MARY MAGDALENE : The Followers of Jesus
in History and Legend - a interesting but not ground-breaking work but with an explanation of S.Paul's understanding of Jesus which is the first I have come across that I can understand !
(Oxford University Press, 2006)
Mark Vernon, SCIENCE, RELIGION AND THE MEANING OF LIFE, by a former Anglican priest, a defence of a positive and even Christian agnosticism ; a very thoughtful, finely written, and accessible work of philosophy (Palgrave Macmillan 2007)
_______
Note on the Evangelical side, Alister McGrath, Atheist Fundamentalism
and the Denial of the Divine, Redemptorist Publications,
and on the moderate centre, the Pauline Press book on the Pastoral Epistles by our own Sydney priest and scholar, Dr Mark Harding, which may become the standard commentary.
_________________________
Graham Parry, THE ARTS OF THE ANGLICAN
COUNTER-REFORMATION : GLORY,LAUD AND HONOUR
Boydell, 2006 (forgive the small pun in the title)
This excellent books deals with the classical High Church period in
the history of the Church of England - worship, ceremonies,
churches, chapels, furnishings, devotional prose and poetry,
church music &c. Black and white illustrations.
Alan Mould, THE ENGLISH CHORISTER : A History
a story that will be interesting to all choristers and
other singers in church ; black & white illustrations
Bp John Selby Spong, Jesus for the Non-Religious
This is NOT recommended. Nothing very new,
unnecessarily negative, and not really engaging with NT scholarship
Eric Metaxas, AMAZING GRACE : William Wilberforce
and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery
- described by many as "sparkling", accompanying the
film "Amazing Grace" and one of a number of new books this
relating to Britain's ending of slave trading :
a fine tribute to a great Evangelical.
Colin Craston, EVANGELICAL AND EVOLVING
- an account of Anglican Christianity as seen by a leading
"open" Evangelical and former Chairman of the
Anglican Consultative Council
Gary Best, CHARLES WESLEY
- the first major biography since the 19th century,
300 years after the birth of this great Anglican
Giles Fraser, CHRISTIANITY WITH ATTITUDE
- "occasional" contributions to newspapers, including the
Church Times, and to the BBC's "Thought for the Day",
always readable but perhaps not worth making into a book.
Stuart Piggin, ed., SHAPING THE GOOD SOCIETY
IN AUSTRALIA : Papers read at the first Australia's
Christian Heritage National Forum at Parliament House,
Canberra in August 2006. One of the best chapters is
one by Dr Piggin telling the story of some Australian
Christians - including Joseph Furphy, R.M.Williams,
a brave but little known chaplain and corporal,
and Flo Trotter and other nursing POWs.
Donald Kraus, CHOOSING A BIBLE - for Worship,
Teaching, Study, Preaching, and Prayer
balanced and reliable
Ian Bradley, BELIEVING IN BRITAIN :
The Spiritual Identity of Britishness
- like all of Bradley's many books, very readable,
relevant in this year commemorating the Union,
the author half English and half Scot.
Imaginative, not politically correct, provocative,
and, among other things, supportive of
Establishment, and of sane, middle of the road
broadchurchmanship in the Churches of England and Scotland
David Hay, SOMETHING THERE : THE BIOLOGY OF
THE HUMAN SPIRIT, a recommended study of
religious experience by scientist, Christian, former
colleague of biologist, the late Sir Alister Hardy
James P.Mackey, CHRISTIANITY AND CREATION,
a major work by a distinguished but radical RC theologian
James Livingston, RELIGIOUS THOUGHT IN
THE VICTORIAN AGE - a fresh study
Jimmy Carter, PALESTINE : PEACE NOT APARTHEID
A (controversial) plea for justice for the Palestinian people by
the great Christian American president
Marianne Dorman, LANCELOT ANDREWES :
Mentor of Reformed Catholicism in the
Post-Reformation English Church : reliable
A MIXED BAG -
Christopher Dobb, Freddy Temple : A Portrait
(nephew of the Abp - long but quite interesting)
Hyam Maccoby, Antisemitism and Modernity
Sydney Carter, Rock of Doubt (a welcome re-print)
Timothy Radcliffe, What is the Point of Being a Christian
William Gibson, The Church of England 1688-1832
A.H.Pearson, translator, The Sarum Missal (re-print)
Eric Kemp, Shy but not retiring (ex Bp of Chichester)
Richard Chartres, Tree of Knowledge Tree of Life
Geoffrey Rowell, In this Sign Conquer (Society of the Holy Cross)
Colin Buchanan, Historical Dictionary of Anglicanism
(a large, expensive one author book - too many errors!)
Robert Ellsberg, Blessed Among Women
Trevor Beeson, The Canons
Jim Wallis, THE CALL TO CONVERSION,
new, revised edition of this small challenging book by
prophetic evangelical author of GOD'S POLITICS
HarperSanFranciso
*
Gordon Oliver, HOLY BIBLE, HUMAN BIBLE
- a thoughtful, helpful book bridging the gap between
evangelicals and critical scholarship
DLT
*
Caroline Chartres, ed., WHY I AM STILL AN ANGLICAN
- a delightful book, with contributors including
John Stott, P.D.James, Lucy Winkett and Rupert Sheldrake !
Continuum
*
Lynda Barley,
CHRISTIAN ROOTS, CONTEMPORARY SPIRITUALITY
a practical book for parsons and all concerned with mission.
The author is Head of Research and Statistics for the C of E,
but her work sparkles! Church House Publishing
*
Martyn Percy & Ian Markham,
WHY LIBERAL CHURCHES ARE GROWING
-rather, which ones are growing and why :
(eg those with the right clergy - committed, passionate,
generous and open to conservatives,
deeply devout, welcoming, and those with the right theology
- committed to justice, engaged, not lax and undemanding,
not - like eg Don Cupitt -impoverished) T & T Clark
*
Mike Booker & Mark Ireland,
EVANGELISM - WHICH WAY NOW ? :
An evaluation of Alpha, Emmaus, Cell church and
other contemporary strategies for evangelism.
Forward : David Hope Church House Publishing
*
Simon Barrow & Jonathan Bartley, ed.,
CONSUMING PASSION : Why the killing of Jesus
really matters. DLT
The (evangelical) c0ntributors opposed to the idea of
a "substitutionary atonement" include J.Denny Weaver,
author of THE NON-VIOLENT ATONEMENT
Eerdmans and Steve Chalke who is co-author
with Alan Mann of THE LOST MESSAGE OF JESUS
commended by Bishop Tom Wright. Zondervan
FOR BOOKS BEING BOUGHT IN AUSTRALIA,
THE RIDLEY COLLEGE BOOKSHIP in Melbourne is recommended
and also the bookshops at S.Peter's, Eastern Hill, Melbourne
and the small bookshop at S.James's, King Street, Sydney.
Church House Bookshop is a recommended English bookseller
(now owned by the charity, Hymns Ancient and Modern).
For new copies of the Book of Common Prayer and the
(1944) Shorter Prayer Book, published by Cambridge,
contact John Bunyan.
posted by John Bunyan at 11:59 PM
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