Fresh Expressions of Church are key aspect of mission strategy for many denominations in the UK and beyond. Here, a stellar line-up of writers explores the central question of how Fresh Expressions turn from mission projects into authentic forms of church, developing a sacramental life of their own. Chapters include: * Lucy Moore on Messy Church and Holy Communion * Graham Cray on the sacraments for the unchurched * Jonathan Clark on baptism and mission * John Drane on seeing the world as sacramental * Sue Wallace on the sacramentality of sacred space * Reagan Humber (pastor at Nadia-Bolz Weber's church) on liturgy and evangelism * Adrian Chatfield on healing

Diese kurze aber gr ndliche Beschreibung der Taufe verdeutlicht ihre radikale Bedeutung im Licht der Botschaft vom Reich Gottes, wie der Herr Jesus es gepredigt hat. Die Taufe ist die Antwort m ndiger und entschlossener Menschen auf dieses Evangelium. Rund 600 Millionen Christen weltweit geh ren Kirchen an, die eine solche Glaubens- bzw. Erwachsenentaufe praktizieren; und auch in unseren Breiten wird die Taufe von Kindern mehr und mehr infage gestellt.

The Preached God' speaks directly to preachers, calling them to deliver the truths of forgiveness, life, and salvation through both word and sacrament to all who listen.

We Welcome You is a three-part baptism preparation course to help parishes prepare families for their child's baptism and to discover the joyful start of a lifelong journey of faith. Drawing on extensive research with families, the course helps parishes to engage families with practical tips on welcome and on helping children and families prepare well for this significant spiritual moment. We Welcome You can be used with small groups or with individual families, but there are also options for using the material in a single session and even at a home visit. Containing all the resources necessary, it covers every aspect of this vital ministry and aims to enrich pastoral practice and, importantly, the experience of families. Session 1 helps families to reflect on why they want their child baptized, the importance of godparents, and the deeper meaning of baptism. Session 2 looks at the baptism service itself and the promises made at it, and explores the key symbols and their significance. Session 3 encourages families to continue on their spiritual journey, with ideas for praying with their child, reading Bible stories together and becoming part of a local church community. Informal and participative, the course offers a wide range of approaches including icebreaker activities and discussion starters, storytelling, reflection and discussion, crafts, quizzes and games. All handouts are photocopiable.

Embodied Liturgy marks a "return to the body" in thinking about Christian liturgy and sacramental practice. Rooted in phenomenology and incarnational theology, the book gives primary focus to the body as it considers the prayer offices and the liturgical calendar, sacrifices and sacraments, initiation and vestments, ritual theory and play, word and meal, fasting and feasting, penance and celebration, rites of passage, cultural perspectives, and the role of art, music, dance, and drama in worship. The author invites readers to return to the experience of their own body through guided yogic exercises. As a text for students and liturgical practitioners, the volume gives fresh voice to the experience and practice of worship as bodily acts. Embodied Liturgy is a dynamic, accessible new resource in liturgical and sacramental theology from one of the premiere scholars in the field. Frank C. Senn distills an established legacy of expertise in an innovative and inviting perspective on bodily acts of worship.

A primer or refresher on the sacrament of Baptism for new parents, new members, and godparents. This book is about preparing for Christian baptism in the Episcopal Church. While we may hear people say, "I was baptized a Methodist," or "I was baptized Catholic, or "I was baptized Episcopalian," people are not baptized into a denomination; they are baptized into the Christian faith. While various Christian denominations differ both their theology of baptism as it is understood and practiced in the Episcopal Church following the rite found in the Book of Common Prayer 1979. "This short book is full of helpful information, solid history, sound theology, and thoughtful reflection. It is the perfect book to give to adults or to parents of young children seeking baptism through the Episcopal Church. I am happy that I will be able to offer this book to my students for their future use when guiding baptismal candidates. A truly welcome resource."-The Reverend Dr. Nathan Jennings, associate professor of liturgics and Anglican studies, Seminary of the Southwest

The call to care for creation is a central part of our discipleship as followers of Jesus Christ. However, language and imagery of the earth is often absent in our worship services. This book helps reconnect our commitment to creation care with our life of discipleship. The process includes helping congregational members name ways that they are involved in caring for creation and encourage them to see ways that these practices are related to Christian faith. Nurturing the life of our communities is a vital way to fostering our identity as those who care for the earth. At the heart of this process is the importance of discovering and developing biblical imagery and language that will support and foster our care of creation and shape our prayers. As our actions are more closely connected to the language of our prayers, praying and acting will inform each other. In addition, the book includes liturgies that highlight earth care prepared for the major festivals of the church year.

The call to care for creation is a central part of our discipleship as followers of Jesus Christ. However, language and imagery of the earth is often absent in our worship services. This book helps reconnect our commitment to creation care with our life of discipleship. The process includes helping congregational members name ways that they are involved in caring for creation and encourage them to see ways that these practices are related to Christian faith. Nurturing the life of our communities is a vital way to fostering our identity as those who care for the earth. At the heart of this process is the importance of discovering and developing biblical imagery and language that will support and foster our care of creation and shape our prayers. As our actions are more closely connected to the language of our prayers, praying and acting will inform each other. In addition, the book includes liturgies that highlight earth care prepared for the major festivals of the church year.

This is a new edition of the 1963 classic which gave Christological thought a new direction. As far back as his first major book Schillebeeckx propounded an anthropological approach to the sacraments. In " Christ the Sacrament of the Encounter with God," he draws on theologically fruitful work by phenomenological anthropologists like Merleau-Ponty, Buytendijk and Binswanger. That makes Schillebeeckx's distinctive idiom and modern approach appealing even today. He rediscovers, as it were from within, the notions forged by scholastic theology, and thus restores to us a theology of the sacraments rooted in the biblical and patristic soil from which they first sprang. Schillebeeckx's speculative synthesis of this quest still has a fresh ring to it. He describes Christ as the primordial sacrament in a reflection on his public ministry, death and resurrection inspired by the universal human search for such a 'sacrament'. He concludes that the church's sacraments have to be an earthly extension of the liberation brought by Christ's story. Schillebeeckx ends by describing sacraments as grace made visible that gives crowning moments in Christian life a mystical quality. "Edward Schillebeeckx Collected Works" bring together the most important and influential works of the Dutch Dominican and theologian Edward Schillebeeckx (1914-2009) in a reliable edition. All translations have been carefully checked or revised, some texts are presented in English for the first time. The page numbers of earlier editions are included. Each volume carries a foreword by an internationally renowned Schillebeeckx expert. This edition makes Schillebeeckx available for a new generation of scholars and students.

O "Livro das Confissoes" foi terminado em 1316 por Martin Perez, um clerigo castelhano de grande cultura canonica e teologica. E uma extensa obra de cariz pastoral dedicada aos clerigos minguados de ciencia e aos que se acham brutos e minguados e buscam das migalhas que caem das mesas dos que sao ricos de letras, como o proprio autor indica no Prologo. Foi uma das obras que, dentro do genero, mais circulou entre o clero e os intelectuais ibericos durante o seculo XIV e a primeira metade do seculo XV. Foi traduzida para portugues em 1399 por monges do Mosteiro de Alcobaca. O "Livro das Confissoes" e um testemunho autentico e raro da sociedade medieval peninsular e e um documento indispensavel para a compreensao historica, cultural e social desse periodo historico.

O "Sacramental" de Clemente Sanchez de Vercial, obra pastoral redigida entre 1420 e 1423 em lingua castelhana, depois dos livros destinados ao oficio religioso, foi o livro mais impresso na Peninsula Iberica, desde a introducao da imprensa ate meados do seculo XVI. Conhecem-se treze edicoes em castelhano, uma em catalao e quatro em portugues. Das edicoes em portugues, duas foram impressas no seculo XV (Chaves, 1488; e Braga (?), ca. 1494-1500) e duas no seculo XVI (Lisboa, 1502; e Braga, 1539). Considerado o primeiro livro impresso em lingua portuguesa, o "Sacramental" e um verdadeiro depositario da forma de viver do homem medieval em todos os periodos da sua vida e em todos os momentos do ano, abarcando temas como a alimentacao, as relacoes familiares, as relacoes sociais, a relacao com Deus e o sagrado, o trabalho, o descanso, a saude, a doenca e a sexualidade, o que faz dele um documento indispensavel para o estudo da sociedade medieval.

As an element in the Churchs mission to proclaim the unchanging gospel, and on the eve of the new millennium, the House of Bishops considers it right to reaffirm the Church of Englands teaching on marriage by restating that lifelong marriage should be one of the bedrocks of a rapidly changing society. This document seeks to relate this teaching to the pastoral needs of people in our communities today, so that they might approach marriage with confidence. It is intended that this document be used as a stimulus to commend marriage to all people in society, and as a basis for teaching in churches. It carries the full authority of the House of Bishops, one of the most senior bodies of the Church of England. Please note this is the 1999 edition.

The sacrament of baptism welcomes a child into the family of God in a special way. In the course of its celebration those present will experience a rich tapestry of symbols, actions, gestures, prayers and the Word of God. This booklet is intended to explain such symbolism and the meanings behind the various parts of the baptism ceremony so that all may fully experience the deep meaning of baptism for the child, the family and the wider Christian community. Full of helpful reminders and practical tips, this book will be an invaluable aid to parents, godparents and the whole family as they prepare for this important day in the life of the new baby.

This book is a comprehensive historiographical survey on Christian penance and confession from the early sixteenth century to the end of the twentieth century. The author charts the change from medieval practices of penance to the modern rites of penance. The book's title refers to the latin phrase medici et medicamenta, or, "spiritual doctors and medicines," to indicate a unifying theme of this study.

This easy-to-read book reveals the What, Why and How of the Traditional Latin Mass - which Pope Benedict XVI has now called the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Catholics of all ages will find that the Mass - and the entire Catholic Faith - has been opened up to them by The Latin Mass Explained. Section One gives an excellent explanation of the nature of Sacrifice, the Old Testament Law, the Sacrifice of the Cross, the Sacrifice of the Mass and the relationship between the Cross and Mass. Section Two thoroughly describes the visible and audible aspects of the Mass. Explains the use of Latin, the position of the Altar in relation to the people, the vestments, the sacred vessels and more. Section Three is a step-by-step explanation of the historicity, symbolism and meaning of every action and prayer contained in the Latin Mass. This section is invaluable to any who would understand this august form of Divine Worship.

Existing books on Christian ritual and the sacraments tend to presuppose a good acquaintance with Roman Catholic thought and practice. Today, however, even at Catholic institutions students tend to lack even a basic knowledge of Christian ritual. Moreover, for many modern people the word "ritual" carries negative connotations of rigidity and boredom. In this accessibly-written book two noted authors offer an engaging introduction to this important topic. Their goal is first to demonstrate that celebration, ritual and symbol are already central to the readers' lives, even though most do not see their actions as symbolic or ritualistic. Once this point has been made, the book connects central Christian symbols to the symbols and rituals already present in the readers' lives. The Christian theology of symbol, ritual, and sacrament is thus placed in the context of everyday life. The authors go on to discuss such questions as how rituals establish and maintain power relationships, how "official" rituals are different from other "popular" Christian rituals and devotions, and how Christian rituals function in the process of human "salvation." Their lively yet solidly grounded work will appeal to intelligent lay readers and discussion groups, as well as being useful for courses in ritual and the sacraments at the undergraduate and seminary level.

An all-encompassing account of Christian attitudes and sources of attitudes to marriage, traced through Near Eastern, Classical and Biblical histories, suitable for the student or lay trainer wishing to know more than an Alpha course. It covers all aspects of marriage- including the on going debate surrounding same sex unions. Peter Coleman, was the author of 'Christian attitudes to Homosexuality', 'A christian attitude towards televsion', and 'experiments with prayer'. Following his tragic death in 2001, when this work was left incomplete, 'Christian attitudes to marriage', is brought to us by the hard work of his family and close friends, particularly Dr Michael Langfor

Before the advent of printing, the preaching of the friars was the mass medium of the middle ages. This edition of marriage sermons reveals what a number of famous preachers actually taught about marriage. David D'Avray teases out the close connection between marriage symbolism and social, cultural, and legal realities in the thirteenth century; and assesses the impact of this preaching.

For most Christians, marriage is considered a sacrament, created and uniquely blessed by God. Yet, the theology of marriage rarely matches the actual experience. Marriage is too often a violent, loveless institution-and it is increasingly delayed, avoided, or terminated.

Marriage After Modernity offers new hope for Christian marriage at a time of unprecedented social and theological change. It provides an unreserved commendation of Christian marriage, reaffirming its status as a sacrament and institution of mutual self-giving. At the same time, it breaks new ground. It draws on earlier traditions of betrothal and informal marriage to accept some forms of pre-marital cohabitation and provides a new defense of the link between marriage and procreation by sketching a theology of liberation for children. Chapters shed new light on divorce and legitimate theological grounds for 'the parting of the ways, ' contraception, and the question of whether marriage is a heterosexual institution. Particular attention is paid throughout the book to overcoming the androcentric bias of much Christian thought and the distorting effect it has had on marriage.

Marriage After Modernity argues for a vision of marriage which does not abandon its history, and which draws upon its premodern roots to grapple with our current social, cultural, and intellectual upheavals.