John B. Thomson is Bishop of Selby in the Diocese of York. He has been Director of Ministry in the Diocese of Sheffield, vicar of an inner urban parish, a theological educator in England and South Africa and a youth chaplain in a suburban parish. He has lived and worked in central and southern Africa and in South Yorkshire, England. Published works include The Ecclesiology of Stanley Hauerwas: A Christian Theology of Liberation (2003), Church on Edge? Practising Christian Ministry Today (2004), DOXA: A Discipleship Course (2007) and Living Holiness: Stanley Hauerwas and the Church (2010). He has also written a number of articles on church, ministry and mission most recently ’Sharing Friendship: God’s Love in Ordinary Church Life’ in Jeff Astley and Leslie J Francis, eds., Exploring Ordinary Theology - Dimensions of Everyday Christian Existence and the Life of the Church (2013) and 'Let us cook you your tea, vicar!' Church, hermeneutics and postmodernity in the work of Anthony Thiselton and Stanley Hauerwas’ in Stanley E. Porter and Matthew Malcolm, eds., Hermeneutics, Paul and Theology: A Festschrift in Honor of Anthony C. Thiselton (2013).

’Drawing on an extraordinary range of sources, Thomson develops an account of friendship to help us better understand how to be church in the world in which we find ourselves. I am humbled by Thomson’s use of my work for shaping the argument of this book. But then, that is what friends do, that is, shape one another. I am so fortunate that Thomson claims me as a friend.’ Stanley Hauerwas, Professor Emeritus, Duke Divinity School, USA ’Thomson touches with distaste on the modern celebrity culture, but recognises that it is a culture at least offering conversation points with those of Christian conviction. Fresh Friendship entitles a discussion of the Fresh Expressions Movement. Thomson’s appraisal of this movement is cool, patient, and measured.’ Church Times

• Part I Practice; Chapter 1 Friendship as Character; Chapter 2 Friendship as Love; Chapter 3 Friendship as Discipleship; Chapter 4 Friendship as Worship; Chapter 5 Friendship as Church; Part II Reflection; Chapter 6 Radical Friendship; Chapter 7 Gospel Friendship; Chapter 8 Graceful Friendship; Chapter 9 Listening Friendship; Chapter 10 Wise Friendship; Part III Challenge; Chapter 11 Social Friendship; Chapter 12 Fresh Friendship; Chapter 101 Conclusion;

John B. Thomson is Bishop of Selby in the Diocese of York. He has been Director of Ministry in the Diocese of Sheffield, vicar of an inner urban parish, a theological educator in England and South Africa and a youth chaplain in a suburban parish. He has lived and worked in central and southern Africa and in South Yorkshire, England. Published works include The Ecclesiology of Stanley Hauerwas: A Christian Theology of Liberation (2003), Church on Edge? Practising Christian Ministry Today (2004), DOXA: A Discipleship Course (2007) and Living Holiness: Stanley Hauerwas and the Church (2010). He has also written a number of articles on church, ministry and mission most recently ’Sharing Friendship: God’s Love in Ordinary Church Life’ in Jeff Astley and Leslie J Francis, eds., Exploring Ordinary Theology - Dimensions of Everyday Christian Existence and the Life of the Church (2013) and 'Let us cook you your tea, vicar!' Church, hermeneutics and postmodernity in the work of Anthony Thiselton and Stanley Hauerwas’ in Stanley E. Porter and Matthew Malcolm, eds., Hermeneutics, Paul and Theology: A Festschrift in Honor of Anthony C. Thiselton (2013).

’Drawing on an extraordinary range of sources, Thomson develops an account of friendship to help us better understand how to be church in the world in which we find ourselves. I am humbled by Thomson’s use of my work for shaping the argument of this book. But then, that is what friends do, that is, shape one another. I am so fortunate that Thomson claims me as a friend.’ Stanley Hauerwas, Professor Emeritus, Duke Divinity School, USA ’Thomson touches with distaste on the modern celebrity culture, but recognises that it is a culture at least offering conversation points with those of Christian conviction. Fresh Friendship entitles a discussion of the Fresh Expressions Movement. Thomson’s appraisal of this movement is cool, patient, and measured.’ Church Times

• Part I Practice; Chapter 1 Friendship as Character; Chapter 2 Friendship as Love; Chapter 3 Friendship as Discipleship; Chapter 4 Friendship as Worship; Chapter 5 Friendship as Church; Part II Reflection; Chapter 6 Radical Friendship; Chapter 7 Gospel Friendship; Chapter 8 Graceful Friendship; Chapter 9 Listening Friendship; Chapter 10 Wise Friendship; Part III Challenge; Chapter 11 Social Friendship; Chapter 12 Fresh Friendship; Chapter 101 Conclusion;

John B. Thomson is Bishop of Selby in the Diocese of York. He has been Director of Ministry in the Diocese of Sheffield, vicar of an inner urban parish, a theological educator in England and South Africa and a youth chaplain in a suburban parish. He has lived and worked in central and southern Africa and in South Yorkshire, England. Published works include The Ecclesiology of Stanley Hauerwas: A Christian Theology of Liberation (2003), Church on Edge? Practising Christian Ministry Today (2004), DOXA: A Discipleship Course (2007) and Living Holiness: Stanley Hauerwas and the Church (2010). He has also written a number of articles on church, ministry and mission most recently ’Sharing Friendship: God’s Love in Ordinary Church Life’ in Jeff Astley and Leslie J Francis, eds., Exploring Ordinary Theology - Dimensions of Everyday Christian Existence and the Life of the Church (2013) and 'Let us cook you your tea, vicar!' Church, hermeneutics and postmodernity in the work of Anthony Thiselton and Stanley Hauerwas’ in Stanley E. Porter and Matthew Malcolm, eds., Hermeneutics, Paul and Theology: A Festschrift in Honor of Anthony C. Thiselton (2013).

’Drawing on an extraordinary range of sources, Thomson develops an account of friendship to help us better understand how to be church in the world in which we find ourselves. I am humbled by Thomson’s use of my work for shaping the argument of this book. But then, that is what friends do, that is, shape one another. I am so fortunate that Thomson claims me as a friend.’ Stanley Hauerwas, Professor Emeritus, Duke Divinity School, USA ’Thomson touches with distaste on the modern celebrity culture, but recognises that it is a culture at least offering conversation points with those of Christian conviction. Fresh Friendship entitles a discussion of the Fresh Expressions Movement. Thomson’s appraisal of this movement is cool, patient, and measured.’ Church Times

• Part I Practice; Chapter 1 Friendship as Character; Chapter 2 Friendship as Love; Chapter 3 Friendship as Discipleship; Chapter 4 Friendship as Worship; Chapter 5 Friendship as Church; Part II Reflection; Chapter 6 Radical Friendship; Chapter 7 Gospel Friendship; Chapter 8 Graceful Friendship; Chapter 9 Listening Friendship; Chapter 10 Wise Friendship; Part III Challenge; Chapter 11 Social Friendship; Chapter 12 Fresh Friendship; Chapter 101 Conclusion;