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Books > Christianity > Protestantism & Protestant Churches > Anglican & Episcopalian Churches
Faithful and effective church leadership requires preparation in
prayer, theological reflection and a wide range of pastoral,
prophetic and practical skills in order to ensure that what the
Church discerns as necessary the Church does. Faithful
Improvisation? is both a contribution to a current and sometimes
vigorous debate on how the Church trains its leaders and also a
practical and theological resource for discerning what the Spirit
is saying and then acting upon it in local church contexts. Part
One includes the full text of the Senior Church Leadership report
from the Faith and Order Commission. Part Two offers reflections by
Cally Hammond, Thomas Seville, Charlotte Methuen, Jeremy Morris and
David Hilborn, on practices, models and theologies of leadership in
different periods of church history which informed the FAOC report.
Part Three opens up a broader discussion about present and future
leadership within the Church of England. Mike Higton sketches out a
dialogue between Senior Church Leadership and Lord Green's report,
Talent Management for Future Leaders; Tim Harle offers a personal
reflection from the perspective of the community of leadership
practitioners; and Rachel Treweek concludes with an exploration of
the essentially relational character of leadership.
The classical Anglican understanding of a bishop is expressed in
the Canons of the Church of England with the phrase 'father in God'
- wording that remains unchanged by the decision to ordain women as
bishops. This volume sets out, in a non-polemic way, the
understanding of priestly and episcopal ministry from the biblical,
historical and theological viewpoints of those who defend a
traditional view of priesthood as male, while being fully a part of
the Church of England. It incorporates elements of the landmark
book Consecrated Women? and brings the discussion fully up to date
in light of the General Synod's decision to ordain women to the
episcopate in 2014. Leading figures explore the topic from a range
of perspectives, including Martin Warner, the Bishop of Chichester;
on living in love and charity with your neighbour; Jonathan Baker,
the Bishop of Fulham, on consecrated women; Emma Forward, a member
of General Synod, on feminism in a post-feminist age; Geoffrey
Rowell, formerly Bishop of Europe, on mission, scripture, tradition
and church unity; and Aidan Nicholls OP, a Dominican priest and
academic, offers a Roman Catholic perspective.
Fresh From the Word gathers together Rosalind Brown's acclaimed
reflections on the Sunday Lectionary readings which appeared in the
Church Times every week for three years. Now expanded and arranged
for use in any liturgical year, and with an additional section for
saints' days and festivals, this comprehensive preaching companion
provides an inspiring resource for worship throughout the year.
Noted for their insightful, distilled wisdom and practical focus,
these scripture reflections draw on the breadth of the Christian
spiritual tradition to illuminate the Lectionary readings and open
up their meaning for Christian living today, offering a trusted
guide for all who share in the ministry of the word.
It was to George Bell, an English bishop, that Dietrich Bonhoeffer
sent his last words before he was executed at the Flossenburg
concentration camp in April 1945. Why he did so becomes clear from
Andrew Chandler's new biography of George Kennedy Allen Bell
(1883-1958). As he traces the arc of Bell's life, Chandler shows
how his story reshapes our perspective on Bonhoeffer's life and
times. In addition to serving as Bishop of Chichester, Bell was an
internationalist and ecumenical leader, one of the great Christian
humanists of the twentieth century, a tenacious critic of the
obliteration bombing of enemy cities during World War II, and a key
ally of those who struggled for years to resist Hitler in Germany
itself. This inspiring biography raises important questions that
still haunt the moral imagination today: When should the word of
protest be spoken? When should nations go to war, and how should
they fight? What are our obligations to the victims of dictators
and international conflict?
Can simply bringing a young man to church incur the wrath of Satan?
Although she believes in God, Joanna Sutton refuses to admit Satan
exists until she begins to experience things he seems to be doing.
Ball lightning hits her house, a demon appears at her doorstep, she
falls asleep while driving and a benevolent ghost encourages her to
open a small unused building behind the house she is renting. When
the ghost disappears and she realizes that he not just a friendly
neighbor, she calls Father Michael, the priest at her church. He
helps her open the building and they find a tiny human skeleton
inside. Father Michael and Joanna have a long talk, and she finally
realizes that Satan is at work in her town and will try to destroy
her and those she loves. Together they make plans to fight back.
What is Anglicanism? How is it different from other forms of
Christianity, and how did it come to have so many different
versions throughout the world? Although originally united by
location and a common belief, Anglicanism has gradually lost its
pre-eminence as the English state church due to increasing
pluralisation and secularisation. While there are distinctive
themes and emphases which emerge from its early history and
theology, there is little sense of unity in Anglicanism today. In
Anglicanism: A Very Short Introduction, Mark Chapman highlights the
diversity of contemporary Anglicanism by exploring its fascinating
history, theology, and structures. Putting the history and
development of the religion into context, Chapman reveals what it
is that holds Anglicanism together despite the recent crises that
threaten to tear it apart. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short
Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds
of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books
are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our
expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and
enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly
readable.
Based on his consultancy experience with churches and dioceses over
the last three years and further research on the causes of church
growth, Bob Jackson's new book shows how the Church at parish,
diocesan and national level can overturn its old cycle of decline
and begin a new cycle of growth. At its heart this book is about
how local churches can thrive and grow in the early twenty-first
century. Part 1 outlines the current context, offering a sharp
analysis behind the reasons for church growth and decline. Part 2
describes churches which are already experiencing growth both in
numerical and ministry strength. It looks at lessons learnt and
what is at the heart of a resurgent, thriving Church. Parts 3 and 4
set out workable strategies and unpacks ways in which human and
financial resources can be deployed to support and sustain the
growth of the local church. This is not about glib, short-term
solutions promising quick results. The goal of this book is to help
transform fragile signs of hope for the Church into a solid road to
growth.
This Is A New Release Of The Original 1896 Edition.
William Temple was one of the towering figures in the Church of
England in the twentieth century. He was a philosopher, theologian,
social reformer, bishop and archbishop. As Archbishop of Canterbury
he guided a nation at war and helped pave the way of the new
post-war society, coining the term 'the welfare state' and building
support in the Church of England for radical social reforms. This
comprehensive volume draws on Temple's extensive publications,
broadcasts, public speeches, sermons and private letters and
reflects the broad range of his concerns: * The case for Christian
belief * The interface of theology and philosophy * Spiritual
formation of the faithful * Christian social principles and
political thought * Guiding a nation at war and envisaging a new
society Prefaced by an extensive introduction to Temple's life and
times and an overview of the key aspects of his legacy, Stephen
Spencer provides students with an authoritative guide to one of
Anglicanism's most influential figures.
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