Based on a decade's experience of preparing ministry students to become preachers and his own experience as one of today's most gifted preachers, Doug Gay offers an imaginative, practical and inspiring guide for all who are privileged with the task of preaching. 40 short, pithy and often humorous reflections consider different aspects of the nature and practice of preaching and aim to fire the imagination, build confidence and develop creativity. It draws on a wide range of range of writers and theologians on preaching and the creative arts and incorporates voices as diverse as Stanley Hauerwas, Sam Wells and Miles Davis. Arranged in four parts, What is Preaching?, Learning to Read, Learning to Speak, Living and Preaching it includes topics such as: * Finding your voice * Naming the presence of God * Knowing your people * Preaching as nourishment * Wrestling your own blessing from the text * Choosing the best words

Reforming the Kirk is essential reading for anyone who cares about the future of the Church of Scotland or who wants to understand the deep challenges facing it in contemporary Scotland. The Church of Scotland has had a profound social and cultural influence on all aspects of Scottish life for over 450 years. Yet many feel that times now are harder for the Church than ever before - and that spirits are low. People are asking what has happened to the Church that they have loved, served and belonged to for so long and how the Church can have a strong, vibrant future. The Church's motto, semper reformanda, means 'always to be reformed,' but what kind of reformation is needed now to bring about the future for which so many so long? Doug Gay's analysis brings a rich blend of historical, theological and cultural understanding to bear on analysing patterns of decline within the context of a secularising Scotland and proposing bold and creative ways for the Kirk to respond. Based on the 2017 Chalmers Lectures.

Doug Gay explores the ethics of nationalism, recognising that for many Christians, churches and theologians, nationalism has often been seen as intrinsically unethical due to a presumption that at best it involves privileging one nation's interests over anothers and at worst it amounts to a form of ethnocentrism or even racism. Gay argues that there is another tradition of thinking nationalism, which can be related to state formation in early modern and modern Europe and North America, decolonisation in the 20th C and the reshaping of Central and Eastern Europe post 1989. This tradition represents a political response to various forms of `empire' and an assertion of a desire for self-determination in opposition to domination by an imperial or colonial power. This trajectory has not yet been adequately recognised within political theology and Christian ethics, which remains suspicious of the language of nationalism, while quietly acquiescing in its acceptance of the political legitimacy of most existing nation-states. The book offers a clear challenge to this approach, suggesting it lacks self-awareness and moral authority and proposes a critical rehabilitation of the discourse of nationalism, as necessary and helpful in relation to creating an honest and transparent discourse about the legitimacy of state boundaries. What makes any nationalism - whether regnant or aspiring - `ethical' for Christian theology?

The Emerging Church movement is a key part of the current landscape of Christianity.The term 'emerging church' is not without its critics. It is used both by those who participate in new worship communities such as those represented at Greenbelt and by those who are suspicious of the claim that the emerging church presents something radically new. Doug Gay attempts to look beyond such polarization and to articulate a hermeneutical process of audit, retrieval, unbundling and remixing of key elements of traditional Christian practice.Remixing the Church has the potential to become a standard work on contemporary ecclesiology.

'Take a look behind the scenes of contemporary Christian worship, in the company of historians, musicians, theologians and pastors. This book vibrates with a passion for offering a better understanding of worship and liturgy. It uncovers fault lines for today's worshipper as well as posing challenges for tomorrow. It's a very good read.' Alison Eliot, former Moderator, Church of Scotland 'Through a series of historical and contemporary snapshots, leading academics and clergy provide some fascinating insights into the cultural context that has formed Scotland's theological and ecclesiastical heritage. Presbyterianism dominates, but Roman Catholic and Episcopalian contributions also feature in a story stretching from the Reformation to the present day. If you've ever wondered how the faith of Calvin and John Knox could inspire the Iona Community, and even the emerging church, then this is a key resource.'John Drane, University of Aberdeen 'The essays in this volume probe the complex and often competing trends in the practice of Christian corporate worship in Scotland. They also point us to fundamental lessons for all practical theology: attend deeply to cultural contexts, listen to voices from quite different perspectives, and probe at each turn how both our worship and our writing about worship might reflect the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.'John D. Witvliet, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary 'A significant reminder of what has too readily been forgotten. An important articulation of what has been untold. Weaving doctrinal reflection, historical discussion and social analysis, this volume brightly illuminates Christian worship in Scotland as a practice with deep roots. The diversity of contributors mirrors the Scottish context, offering a rich resource for further conversation. An essential text for anyone pondering Christian worship within, and well beyond, the Scottish border.'Dr Eric Stoddart, University of St Andrews. "Worship and Liturgy in Context" shows how Christian worship in its many and changing forms interacts in significant and interesting ways with its varying contexts - cultural, social, political, economic. Worship, even in a secular age, shapes ethics and behaviour, and often challenges received wisdom and commonly accepted theologies. It gives special attention to Scotland, but it is challengingly relevant in other contexts today. It makes a distinctive and important contribution to the lively debate about the relation of worship, theology and ethics. It also challenges the Churches and believers to renewal of the worship of God in spirit and in truth. It is suitable for use on liturgy and worship courses, courses on church history, cultural history, practical and pastoral theology.