Canterbury Press Norwich – förlag

For many, the tales of Arthur and his knights are the stuff of bedtime stories or children's cartoons. But the origin of these tales goes back more than a thousand years, part of a Europe-wide storytelling tradition. In the past century, much of the Christian bedrock of these stories has been stripped away, losing their foundational themes, deeper character motivations, and the potency of the tales themselves. Now, bestselling poet Malcolm Guite re-enchants the legend of King Arthur for a new generation, restoring its original power and mystery in a sweeping four-volume series that blends myth, theology, and lyric mastery. Drawing on a lifetime of poetic craft and spiritual reflection, he offers a rich, immersive journey through Britain’s mythic and moral landscape.In this first volume, Galahad and the Grail, we join the prophesied youth Sir Galahad as he sets out from Camelot to achieve the Holy Grail. This tale of adventure in ballad form plumbs the depths of the human soul, carries readers through the Wasteland, and sets us upon the numinous shores of Faerie in all its mystery and meaning. This is not an epic poem destined to be sequestered in the halls of academia, but a tale to be read by young and old alike, to be read aloud among friends, to be read and cherished for generations to come.Published in a beautiful hardback edition with woodcut illustrations by Stephen Crotts, this is a book to treasure and delight in. Take up the tale with us on March 23, 2026.

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek has continued to change people's lives for over thirty years. A passionate and poetic reflection on the mystery of creation with its beauty on the one hand and cruelty on the other, it has become a modern American literary classic in the tradition of Thoreau. Living in solitude in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Roanoke, Virginia, and observing the changing seasons, the flora and fauna, the author reflects on the nature of creation and of the God who set it in motion. Whether the images are cruel or lovely, the language is memorably beautiful and poetic, and insistently celebratory. Just pay attention, Dillard urges throughout, and you will find yourself 'sailing headlong and breathless under the gale force of the spirit'.

Christianity has often been suspicious of the human imagination, equating it with what is imaginary or merely made-up, while in the secular world the arts are often seen as little more than a source of entertainment. In Lifting the Veil, Malcolm Guite explores the vision from which all his writing springs – that there is a radiant reality at the heart of things which our dulled sight misses, and that the imagination is an aspect of the image of God in us that can awaken us to the presence and truth of God shimmering through all creation.He considers how Jesus appealed to the imagination in his use of stories, parables and everyday metaphors, often startling people into a fresh awareness of the kingdom of God, and explores how poets and artists such as Blake and Coleridge sought to remove the dull ‘film of familiarity’ that lies over our senses and reawaken a sense of wonder.Malcolm argues that renewing our artistic imaginations strengthens our moral and prophetic imaginations, making Lifting the Veil an inspiring manifesto for all who seek to embody the kingdom of God.Nominated for The Michael Ramsey Prize 2023.

The Lord’s Prayer unites Christians of all traditions. It is the first and perhaps only prayer that people learn by heart. However, its patriarchal and kingdom imagery do not resonate universally today. How do we pray the prayer Jesus taught us in ways which are authentic and life-giving? This volume, emerging from years of praying the Lord’s Prayer, offers a series of prayers and poems written in response to it. They wrestle with its central images and bring our own stories and relationships into dialogue with it. Each prayer uses the address Abba or Amma: Aramaic terms of intimate address to God as father or mother which reflect Jesus’ usage, drawing on the abbas and ammas of the Desert Tradition as well as our own parental relationships. It aims to integrate our whole human journey into the vocation of being a follower of Jesus. An extended introduction explores why praying the Lord’s Prayer is significant, how it is problematic, and how contemporary theological reinterpretations offer fresh perspective on it.

Raw, intimate, and timely, Nadia Bolz-Weber's latest book offers a full-blown overhaul of our harmful and antiquated ideas about sex, gender, and our bodies.Christians are obsessed with sex. But not in a good way. For nearly two thousand years, this obsession has often turned destructive, inflicting pain, suffering, and guilt on countless people of all persuasions and backgrounds. In Shameless, Bolz-Weber calls for a reformation. To make her case, she offers experiences from her own life and stories from her parishoners alongside biblical theology to explore what the church has taught, and the harm those teachings have caused. Along the way, she re-examines patriarchy, sex, and power with candour but also with hope, because in her heart she believes the "Gospel is powerful enough, transgressive enough, and beautiful enough to heal not only the ones who have been hurt but also those who have done the hurting." This is by far Bolz-Weber's most personal book yet, revealing intimate and emotional details about her life while offering a reading experience that is as entertaining and affirming as it is intellectually robust and liberating. For anyone who has been harmed by the shaming sexual messages so prevalent in religion, this book is for you.

Covering the liturgical year outside Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter, this collection of reflections, readings, poems and prayers focuses on the life and ministry of Jesus – the rich subject matter of the lectionary readings during Ordinary Time. In addition it includes meditations by Rowan Williams and others for the major feasts of Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity, Transfiguration, Holy Cross Day and other special occasions in the calendar. This richly varied resource will be welcomed by all seeking fresh inspiration for preaching, leading worship – formal or informal, conducting retreats or quiet days. Containing around a hundred short and extended items by the very best of today’s theological and spiritual writers, it also provides rich fare for personal devotional reading.

Rowan Williams applies his knowledge and imagination in reflecting on four classic Eastern Orthodox icons of Christ: the Transfiguration, the Resurrection, the Hospitality of Abraham (an icon which depicts the Trinity) and the Pantocrator, or Christ in glory. Icons have been called "theology in line and colour" and in these images we find eternal truths and life-changing challenges. Icons have become increasingly popular as aids to devotion, but with an expert guide such as Rowan Williams, their many layers of meaning emerge more clearly.

In the spirit of the popular poem 'Desiderata', world-renowned ethicist, theologian and preacher Samuel Wells offers eight exhortations in this extended meditation on being alive in the world and making our way through life. Each exhortation is simple and direct - be humble, be grateful, be your own size, be gentle, be a person of praise, be faithful, be one body, be a blessing - and accompanied by thought-provoking comments that speak to our deepest needs for meaning and for belonging.Grounded in perceptive observations of contemporary life and reflecting a deep knowledge of philosophical and religious wisdom, Walk Humbly will inspire you to stop, wonder, reflect, and understand more clearly your life in the world.

In The Vanishing Song, poet Jay Hulme goes in search of what is all but lost in contemporary faith, the ‘beautiful and holy and wild’ way of the saints, and the alluring, perplexing mystery of the places they chose for themselves – forests, caves, rocky outcrops in the sea. Here death and resurrection are so intertwined that the borders between life and death become meaningless and decay becomes another kind of life, familiar and forgotten saints speak, forests overtake the churches, and ancient bones rise from the earth.Revelling in the untamed nature of creation and the holiness that is to be found there, these poems are a call to an older, stranger, form of faith; full of creeping greenery and roaring seas, where death is the only certainty, and the conquering of death through resurrection is the only promised victory.

In Safer Faiths, Safer Followers, Tom Wilson draws on extensive, interfaith research—including interviews, focus groups, and real-life case studies—to reveal how power dynamics and unchecked authority can harm vulnerable individuals. Blending sociological insights with theological reflection, this essential resource equips clergy and safeguarding professionals with practical strategies and actionable tools—from sample sermons to community awareness sessions—to foster safer, more accountable religious environments.Whether you’re leading a congregation or working within statutory agencies, Tom Wilson offers a vital roadmap to transform safeguarding practices and rebuild trust in spiritual leadership.

This collection of exquisite meditations is vintage Michael Mayne. Originally given as a series of retreat addresses, it focuses on timeless aspects of spiritual experience and means of growth: •Discovering the gifts of silence •Redemption at work in human life•Seeing with the heart•Cultivating a true and proper self-regard All who enjoy Michael Mayne’s writing will delight in these previously unpublished reflections.

Responding to the Light draws together a collection of profound and beautiful seasonal reflections from the beginning of Advent to the end of Epiphany, by one of the finest voices in Anglican spirituality.Michael Mayne was one of Anglicanism’s most compelling and attractive voices, a gifted preacher and writer whose works have remained popular. These unpublished writings come from a large archive and are offered as an inspirational resource for preaching at a time of the year when many preachers seek fresh ways of opening up familiar texts. They are also suitable for individual devotional reading. Mark Oakley provides a forward to the collection.

Inspired by a vivid account of St Francis – where he didn’t merely pray but became prayer – Becoming Prayer introduces readers to the heart of Franciscan spirituality. Drawing on the enduring wisdom of Francis, Clare and generations of Franciscans, including voices like Richard Rohr and Ilia Delio, it offers a rich and accessible introduction to prayer as a way of life.From moments of thanksgiving and praise to silent contemplation, readers will learn how Franciscans aim to pray not just in church, but in every moment. Simon Cocksedge and Nicholas Alan Worssam explore communal practices such as the Daily Office and Eucharist, and delve into prayer rooted in Scripture – through the Passion, the Stations of the Cross, and the Rosary. They also embrace the stillness of solitude: night time reflection, silence and the Jesus Prayer.Rooted in a tradition that speaks powerfully to today’s world, and published in a milestone year for Franciscans globally, this is an invitation to an ancient yet ever-renewing journey of prayer.

In this follow-up to Incarnational Ministry: Being with the Church, Samuel Wells explores what it means for Christians and churches to engage with the world. Drawing on the Gospels, Acts, and personal insights gleaned from more than two decades in ministry, he shows how ‘being with’ others includes experiences of presence, attention, mystery, delight, participation, partnership, enjoyment and glory. His vivid narratives and wise reflections will help Christian readers better understand how to be with all kinds of people outside the church, including:• Being with Seekers • Being with Those of Other Faiths • Being with the Hostile • Being with Neighbours • Being with Government • Being with the Excluded

The bestselling writer and popular broadcaster Sam Wells reflects theologically and practically on the essence of discipleship and Christian ministry today. Those in ministry, like Jesus, are called to the task of ‘being with’: with God, with the church, with the created world and those who live in it.Incarnational Ministry explores the concept of ‘being with’ in eight dimensions: presence, attention, mystery, delight, participation, partnership, enjoyment and glory. It challenges readers to deeper discipleship and more vital ministry as they explore what it means to be with the troubled, the hurt, the afflicted and the dying – and all who are embraced by the Church’s incarnational ministry.

Poet's Corner is Malcolm Guite's delectable column that appears on the back page of the Church Times each week. This second collection brings together more than seventy columns created from little glimpses and reflections from all corners of the country, the musings of a poet's mind, and the corners and alleyways of our literary heritage.Malcolm's lucid, perceptive and imaginative columns follow a similar pattern to the sonnets for which he is so renowned, with a sense of development, of a turn or volta part way through, and a sense that the end revisits and re-reads the opening.They draw together everyday events and encounters, landscape, journeys, poetry, stories, memory and a sense of the sacred, fusing them to create richly satisfying portraits of the familiar that at the same time open a doorway into a new and enchanted world.

Franciscan spirituality, with its characteristic simplicity, joy, openness and welcome to all, compassionate action and love for creation - all undergirded by prayer and study, offers as compelling a vision for today’s world as when Francis of Assisi first responded to God’s call over 800 years ago. For all seeking inspiration for living the Franciscan charism today, this lively and informed guide introduces its key figures and essential writings. The author, an Anglican Franciscan friar and theologian, draws out the movement’s core teachings from its founding figures and its earliest texts: · Francis and the essence of prayer and reconciliation with all created things; · Clare of Assisi and contemplative practice; · Giles of Assisi, solitude, storytelling and spiritual direction; · Bonaventure, study and spiritual wisdom · Angela of Foligno and mystical experience; · Jacapone da Todi and praise in poetry and song. Intended as an introduction to living the Franciscan charism today, this also includes a reader’s guide with questions for personal or group discussion.

In this second book of Malcolm Guite's acclaimed Merlin's Isle: An Arthuriad, travel back to craggy Tintagel to discover how it all began. Raised by Sir Ector and tutored by the wizard Merlin, young Arthur must grow into his destiny as the foretold king. He will need the aid of the perilous elves, wisdom beyond his years, and a host of virtuous knights to weather the storms to come.In Guite's follow-up to Galahad and the Grail, the poet loses none of his mastery of the tale. And even while exploring well-trodden paths of the Arthurian legend, he mines his sources for fresh insight and uncovers deep corners of lore that have lain dormant for a century or more. Add to this Guite's natural facility with the form and his allusions and nods to poets and storytellers past, and the reader is left with nothing less than a royal feast of story and song.

CHRISTOLOGY AFTER CHALCEDON CHRISTOLOGY AFTER CHALCEDON provides a translation and theological introduction to the Letters between Severus of Antioch and Sergius the Grammarian. The Letters were originally written in Greek, but are now preserved in a difficult sixth-century Syriac translation. This is the first, and only, English translation of them. Severus was a follower of Cyril of Alexandria, and these Letters, as the introduction shows, take one into the heart of the Post-Chalcedonian Christological debate. Severus was a 'Monophysite': he taught that there was one nature of God the Word Incarnate. Severus' clash, then, with the Chalcedonians is evident: he regarded them as Dyophysites and virtually Nestorians. What is more interesting is how he managed to distance himself from the extreme Monophysites of a Eutychian sort. It is here that we see the unravelling of his own position, and this text is central for understanding that. The aim of the introduction is to penetrate Severus' argument, making it as clear as possible, while showing his theological power and subtlety. The Letters are not solely of historical interest, as they involve real theological issues in the Christology of Cyril of Alexandria and Severus, and they are relevant to the dialogue between the Greek Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.

The 17th century writer Thomas Traherne is increasingly being recognised and studied as a theologian as well as a poet. The discovery, in 1997, announced by the author of this volume, of five new prose works and a poetic work has given huge impetus to the study of Traherne in literature and theology. This affordable, concise introduction to Traherne's life and work concerns Traherne primarily as a theologian and places him in an historical and intellectual context he has thus far lacked. It demonstrates his distinctive contribution to Anglican theology. Consisting of a 10,000 word introductory essay and biography it is followed by extracts from Traherne's work under the following headings: Creatures and Powers, Holiness and Happiness, Sin and Salvation, Christian Liberty, Advice on Ministry, and Prayers.

Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community draws on the spiritual practices of Northern Ireland's longest established peace and reconciliation organisation. For over fifty years, it has been bringing fractured communities together and resourcing others in the work of healing conflict.At the heart of its life is a simple pattern of daily worship. This prayer book captures the essence of the Corrymeela prayer experience to help you incorporate its spirituality into your practice of prayer. Structured over 31 days, it offers a daily Bible reading with accompanying prayer by Pádraig Ó Tuama. as well as an introduction to the spirituality that sustains Corrymeela’s remarkable work.

This major new poetry collection from bestselling poet and priest Malcolm Guite features more than seventy new and previously unpublished works.At the heart of this collection is a sequence of twenty seven sonnets written in response to George Herbert’s exquisite sonnet 'Prayer', each one describing prayer in an arresting metaphor such as ‘the church's banquet’, ‘reversed thunder’, ‘the Milky Way’, ‘the bird of paradise’ and ‘something understood’. In conversation with each of these, Malcolm’s sonnets offer profound insights into the nature of communion with God in all circumstances and conditions. Recognising that all poetry is a pursuit of prayer, After Prayer also includes forty five more widely ranging new poems, including a sonnet sequence on the seven heavens.

No loss is more difficult to comprehend than suicide. Its devastation extends far beyond immediate family and friends, touching entire communities and leaving deep emotional and spiritual wounds. Those left behind often struggle to find support, and the questions suicide raises - about faith, suffering, and meaning - can remain heartbreakingly unanswered.Bringing together voices from pastoral care, lived experience, and theology, Life Beyond Suicide offers a compassionate, practical resource for all affected by suicide, and for those who support them.•Part One explores suicide through three lenses: pastoral responses, the lived reality of suicide, and theological reflection on its complexities.•Part Two shares deeply personal testimonies - from those bereaved by suicide and from survivors - alongside reflections by Samuel Wells.•Part Three offers liturgies, prayers, and resources. Grounded in honesty, empathy, and hope, Life Beyond Suicide is a vital companion for anyone seeking understanding, healing, and a path toward life beyond loss.Life Beyond Suicide is published in association with Olly’s Future, a suicide awareness charity founded by Ann Feloy in memory of her son who died by suicide aged 22. A portion of the proceeds from sales of this book will be donated to the suicide prevention charity, Olly's Future.

The bestselling poet Malcolm Guite chooses forty poems from across the centuries that express the universal experience of loss and reflects on them in order to draw out the comfort, understanding and hope they offer. Some of the poems will be familiar, many will be new, but together they provide a sure companion for the journey across difficult terrain. Some of Malcolm’s own poetry is included, written out of his work as a priest with the dying and the bereaved and giving to the volume a powerful authenticity. The choice of forty poems is significant and reflects an ancient practice still observed in some European and Middle Eastern societies of taking extra-special care of a bereaved person in the forty days following a death – our word quarantine come from this. They explore the nature and the risk of love, the pain of letting go and look toward glimpses of resurrection.

The Revised English Hymnal stands in a tradition of musical and liturgical excellence reaching back for over 100 years. Building on the fine reputation established by Ralph Vaughan Williams and Percy Dearmer, the editors of the landmark English Hymnal published in 1906, the main principle governing this new collection is that it is intended first and foremost as a usable resource for congregations today, so each item included is suited to use in worship throughout the Christian year. It includes general hymns; hymns for feasts, seasons and saints' days; office hymns for the liturgical year; an enlarged eucharistic section; responsorial psalms; and a new English folk mass setting. In addition a new Appendix will provide cross references across the whole collection of hymns that are suitable for use on occasions or in ways outside the structured sections of the book.Offering some 700 carefully selected hymns and liturgical texts, the Revised English Hymnal is •classically Anglican (a treasury, not a museum)•liturgically focused and organized•theologically informed and doctrinally and consensual•musically and poetically intelligent and energetic•culturally adventurous (internationally and chronologically diverse)•educative and formational•a joy to handle.This is the two-volume organ edition.

Esther de Waal draws on the ancient traditions of Celtic and monastic spirituality to explore thresholds between people, between cultures, between the human and the divine. Ancient spiritual wisdom teaches that thresholds are sacred places and Esther encourages readers to become more receptive to their surroundings and to learn to pause, reflect and meet God at the places of encounter and change in our lives.

Hymns A&M was first published in 1861. The new standard edition was introduced in 1983 containing 533 hymns including 333 from the 1950 Revised Edition plus 100 Hymns for Today and More Hymns for Today.

Hymns A&M' was first published in 1861. The new standard edition was introduced in 1983 containing 533 hymns including 333 from the 1950 Revised Edition plus 100 Hymns for Today and More Hymns for Today.

In life he was larger than life. He made an immediate and memorable impact on those he met and with whom he worked. He was incredibly industrious in all his teaching, speaking, lecturing, composing, and above all in his writing. In the time others would take to think through the possibility of authoring a book, Erik would have gone to his longsuffering and slightly dyslexic typewriter and completed the manuscript. Gathering with his family at Westminster Abbey for his memorial service, the idea of a random collection of essays or a series of personal anecdotes was discarded by the editors. To appropriately honour this substantial life, something more systematic was required. Thus the idea for this volume was born. Each of the contributors, who has benefited in some way from his friendship, teaching and writing, has examined an area or a subject in which Erik Routley has made his mark. Significantly, it has taken seventeen authors to cover some of the ground where his footprints are still fresh and the clarity of his voice still rings.