Spck – författare

This publication is a useful confirmation register for use in churches around the UK.

A selection of work by Hildegard of Bingen, the 12th-century mystic. Though best known for the accounts of her visionary experiences, she also wrote theological works, poetry, music, a play and a book of natural history. The introduction places her work in its social and historical context.

This updated edition of Coggan's approach to preaching covers such subjects as dialogue and silence, as well as the biblical background. It is dedicated to preachers and "those in the pew who co-operate with them", in the hope of a renewed understanding about this vital part of Christian life.

A treatment of thinking about the "mystical way" in spirituality. Drawing on academic research, Melvyn Matthews looks for a balanced view of the spiritual life which is open to everyone, not just a contemplative elite or those who have had particularly extraordinary experiences or visions of God. The study is based on the Bible, as well as on popular figures such as Thomas Merton and Teresa of Avila.

A collection of prayers providing words of intercession, confession and praise for a wide variety of family occasions. There are prayers ranging from meal-time graces and a blessing for a new house, to pleas for safety for car drivers and thanks for holidays abroad.

Provides an analysis from an orthodox Christian view of the black, dread-locked Jesus taken from Christianity by the teachings of Rastafari, and an assessment of its significance for global Christianity. Is Rastafari simply a bizarre Christian cult, designed to fade if the Emperor never reappears?

This volume is a reflection on the different stages of life, from the innocence of the new-born child to the passion and wisdom of later years. The author draws on the life and teachings of Jesus, ending each chapter with a meditation exercise.

A guide to the concepts and language used by contemporary theologians, designed for students for whom English is a foreign language. There is an outline and introduction to each topic covered, followed by a reading section, exercises, self-tests and discussion questions.

This church service register is a Landscape view.Each page is subdivided into 11 columns, giving you space to record the time, day, and date of each service held.You can enter the name of the officiant, communicants and attendance under and over 16.There is a column for the name of the preacher and of course the amounts of the collections, with additional room for notes and comments with page space for 20 services per page.Revised and redesigned 1999, case bound in blue, horizontal double, size 210x300mm.The service register has the following column headings:DateDayHourServiceOfficiantAttendance (sub-divided into 'Under 16 and '16 and over')CommunicantsPreacherSubjectNotesCollections

This text is based on research with those who have left churches but are nethertheless pursuing a journey of faith. Most of the church leavers interviewed for this text had been in their churches for over 15 years; most had held key leadership positions, and 40 per cent had been in full time theological study of church work. The text outlines how churches can help leavers and suggests a conversion between post-church groups and churches.

A practical approach to spirituality, Peter Ball's guide explains how the practice of spiritual direction involves a slowly growing relationship that usually works gently and gradually. It can open the way into quite new discoveries in the life of prayer and faith.

Laurie Green presents an overview of the history of urban ministry and notes what radical change has occurred in recent years. He then reflects on past and present urban development and ministry, in the light of the Gospels.

Collected from around the UK, the prayers in this book are written mostly by young people for their contemporaries. The simple and direct language is chosen to remind readers of what real prayer is: open and honest conversation with God.

Michael Perham explores advent by reflecting on the major biblical events of the season. An exploration of the key themes of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany and Candlemas, using the bible stories, other passages from scripture, and prayers. As "Signs of Your Kingdom" reflected on the events of Lent and Easter in the context of the Eucharist, this book will set the themes of the season within the liturgical context. The book will form part of our Advent strand, following John Polkinghorne's "Living with Hope".

Aimed principally at all those involved in parish leadership, The Parish Survival Guide is based on the premise that by carrying out careful foundational work, many of the problems threatening the life of the Church, and of individual clergy, can be prevented. It falls into three sections: 1. Preventing things going wrong, including risk management; 2. Management when things are going wrong; 3. Damage limitation when things have gone wrong.

This book assumes that everyone has a basic religious impulse, but that in England the Church has 'lost the hearts' of the English people. This did not happen suddenly and this book will examine what happened, and how the natural human response to religion can be rekindled. Questions and issues to be covered include: why religion still appears to be a natural response within certain parts of Europe; how did the English Reformation affect the religious sensibilities of the population; the Methodist revival of the 18th Century Evangelical and Tractarian revivals of the 19th Century Secularisation; and, how does one re-awaken a sacred view of the world.

Jesus' "Summary of the Law", "The Lord's Prayer", "The Apostles' Creed" and "The Beatitudes" have been recommended as the basic necessary material for those exploring their Christian discipleship in courses such as Alpha or Emmaus, and Baptism and Confirmation preparation. These passages are the foundation for all Christian teaching, and have been specifically recommended by the Church of England. Bishop Oliver gives a readable commentary on each passage, with useful quotations and questions for discussion.

As part of the research around the Faith and Life commission of the Church of England (which is a long term follow up to Faith in the City) people have been getting together to look at worship in an urban context. There are many people responsible for leading worship in urban contexts and few resources for this. In urban situations big questions arise and there is a growing awareness of the essential value of religious and spiritual capital. Contributors cover a wide range of church backgrounds and involvements in the urban church.

In this engaging series of Advent meditations, David Rhodes uses stories and experiences from the streets of the inner city to help us rediscover the startling message of the gospel. Sometimes humorous, often moving, the book makes adventurous reading. If we run the risk of loving, we soon learn the meaning of vulnerability. Mary knew from the beginning that life with the Christ-child was not going to be easy. Perhaps we should expect it to be no less challenging to live as Christ?s disciples today.

Fundamentalism is a significant topic for our times. Islamic extremism has been blamed for the tragic events of September 11th 2001, and for the more recent bombings in London. In "Fundamentalism, Terrorism and the Future of Humanity", Leonardo Boff seeks to understand and explain the phenomenon of fundamentalism, and to identify its causes and possible solutions. He concentrates not only on Islamic extremism, but the other forms of fundamentalism found in the 21st Century: Protestant and Roman Catholic fundamentalisms, and neo-liberal and technical-scientific fundamentalisms. His argument has an ethical and political dimension, and also looks at the new threat: the globalization of the enemy.

"Awake to God" attempts to bring together the different themes of self emptying and participation, which postmodern theologians have brought back into the conversation about God. It relates these themes to the Christian tradition and combines them with the insights of some of the great thinkers of the past - Meister Eckhart, Julian of Norwich, Thomas Traherne, Etty Hillesum and Paul Celan - in order to suggest a style of being and seeing for the contemporary Christian...An answer to the question 'How can I be a Christian?'

An important part of the pastoral ministry for many clergy is conducting funerals for families who have had little or no contact with the church, sometimes in circumstances involving suicide, death of a baby or child, or even murder. This book has been written with the aim of drawing the bereaved family as far as possible into the preparation of the funeral, and contains services for various occasions combined with resource material of readings, prayers and suggestions of appropriate music.

Levels and patterns of consumption and production in the West have reached a level that cannot be maintained. The way we live, and in particular the way we produce and use energy, is no longer environmentally sustainable: it is already threatening the health and well-being of both planet and people. An estimated 150,000 people per year die as a direct result of anthropogenic climate change, and they are disproportionately in the low-income countries. Our activities and the policies that shape them need to change. This book, which is the first serious Christian engagement with the emerging issue of Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP), analyses the scientific, sociological, economic and theological thinking that makes a Christian response to these trends imperative, before moving on to a practical conclusion that explores what Christians, church fellowships and the Church can do and campaign about.

The Church of England is one of the great institutions of the nation: closely enmeshed in its history, its politics and, above all, its religious beliefs. Could this precious resource be in decline? Falling numbers, particularly since the 1960s has made this become an urgent question. Accepting this, the Church has embarked upon extensive reforms to try to stem the loss of members.

For every Sunday in the three-year Sunday Lectionary cycle, this book offers little reflections and stimuli to prayer for either one, two or three of the readings set. These can be used by people preparing sermons or intercessions, by individuals preparing for communion or added to the notice sheet each week.

Covers the background and context of the Orthodox faith and churches, the traditional beliefs, the liturgy and prayer, and the awareness of ecological issues.

Each of the gospels has its unique insights into the meaning of passion; each paints its own distinctive portrait of the man on the cross. We are used to meditating on the last seven words from the cross, drawn from all four gospels, but the gospels also record several sayings of Jesus on the way to the cross: words spoken to the crowd, to Peter, to the high priest, to Pilate, to his mother and his best friend. In John, these words seem imbued with a kind of universal significance beyond the immediate story itself. The meditations help us reflect on an evangelist whose story speaks of the coming into the world of the Word made flesh, for whom words and signs are linked throughout his gospel.