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.

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.

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.

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.

Peter Toon was a Yorkshireman, an Anglican clergyman, theologian, and church historian. Former librarian of Latimer House in Oxford, curate of St Ebbe's, and later a tutor at Oak Hill, after a brief spell in County Durham he moved to America and served churches in the United States until almost the end of his life. He was President of the Prayer Book Society in the United States, but eventually returned to England to serve as Priest-in-Charge of a Staffordshire village church. He was widely in demand as a speaker throughout the Commonwealth, Europe, and Asia. The inaugural Peter Toon Lecture, established in his memory, was delivered by Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali on the subject of what the Thirty-nine Articles call the "most wholesome doctrine" of justification by faith. His thoughtful presentation ranges widely from Genesis 15 and Galatians 3, to Augustine, the Reformers, the Council of Trent, Tom Wright, John Piper, and Benedict XVI. 'In a tour-de-force, Bishop Michael tackles the vital subject of being right with God exegetically, historically, theologically, and pastorally. It is stretching, though intelligible for the ordinary lay Christian, and demonstrates good evidence of keeping up with contemporary scholarship on this subject, which is of course vast.' (Lee Gatiss, Director of Church Society) Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali was formerly bishop of Rochester. A personal friend of Peter and Vita Toon, Dr. Nazir-Ali's latest book Triple Jeopardy for the West examines the very hot topics of aggressive secularism, radical Islam, and multiculturalism. He is currently the President of the Oxford Centre for Training, Research, Advocacy, and Dialogue.

This report is the result of a study and consultation of the House of Bishops, asking how firmly grounded is the Church of England's inherited tradition that the person who presides at the Eucharist must be an ordained priest. It discusses the ministry of the whole people of God, the distinctive ministry of the ordained, the place of the Eucharist in the life of the Church, and the role of the person who presides at it.

Contains all the advice, guidance and resources a church needs to discuss admitting children to Holy Communion before confirmation Includes a ready-to-use preparation course for the whole family Also includes answers to the most common objections from parishes and an outline admission service Authors have many years' experience of advising and resourcing parishes on this issue

Charles Gore (1853-1932) is a towering figure in Anglicanism. His independence of mind and prophetic spirit model a way of doing theology with rigour of thought, clarity, deep devotion and practical pastoral concern. An influential leader in the Anglo-Catholic movement, his writings and lectures on the incarnation, the doctrine of God, revelation, faith and reason, the nature of the church and sacraments, ecumenism, authority and biblical inspiration, shaped theological discussion for decades. Today, they still offer a comprehensive vision of the Christian faith in dialogue with modern thought, and provide a platform for exploring key contemporary issues in social and economic justice. The first Bishop of Birmingham, he founded the Community of the Resurrection (now at Mirfield) and actively supported the emerging trade union movement. His writings on the responsibilities of employers have a biting relevance today. This collection of his writings draws on his published and unpublished works, letters and archive material held at Mirfield.

Calling All God's People offers a theological starting point to reflect on your calling and the calling of all God's people. It shows that whoever we are, whether young or old, wherever we are from, we are all invited to join in with God's life-affirming and transforming work. Calling All God's People explores three key themes from the Christian tradition - calling, discipleship and ministry - and includes real-life stories to help you imagine what calling looks like for different people in different contexts, as well as questions to ponder individually or in groups. It aims to broaden your imagination and help you ask how God might involve you in a transforming vision for the whole of life.

In periods of recession, churches frequently respond to social need in practical ways. These responses are often driven by pastoral concern rather than a theology of church and society. But without theological roots, such social action can be vulnerable and episodic. This volume, commissioned by a group of Bishops in hard-hit dioceses, looks to develop strong theological foundations for local social action initiatives by churches, especially for activists who are not familiar with the Church of England's tradition of social theology, developed by William Temple and others a century ago. In exploring what a renewed Anglican social theology might look like, this also draws on the impact of Catholic Social Teaching and focuses on the core topics of multiculturalism, economics, family patterns, ecology and other key issues.