A guide to Biblical stories that have become enmeshed in popular culture

In an increasingly secularized society, the average person is unlikely to have a working knowledge of the Bible, yet a great deal of our culture is built on stories or ideas that come from the Bible. Literature, art, music, language, and even the fabric of our society--such as our justice system--are built on Christian concepts and biblical references. This book provides a fascinating introduction to the Bible's best-known, and most influential, stories. Each chapter gives the full text of a story from the Bible and explains its original significance, then shows how this story has become enmeshed in Western culture. Adam and Eve, the 10 plagues of Egypt, The Prodigal Son, and Mary Magdalene are all included, along with how the Bible has influenced everyone from Shakespeare to Ian McEwan, and The Beatles to Monty Python. Opening up not just the Bible but also much of popular culture, this book is for the everyday reader as well as the churchgoer.

Pilgrimage has been an important practice in Christianity since the fourth century, but most people's notion of pilgrimage is one of travelling to the site of an apparition, in search of inspiration or miracles. THE ACCIDENTAL PILGRIM shows that pilgrimage is not just a relic of Catholic history, but can remain a significant practice for twenty-first century Christians today.THE ACCIDENTAL PILGRIM gives a lively overview of the history of pilgrimage and the popular pilgrim routes, exploring the mix of spiritual and other motives that have inspired pilgrims both past and contemporary. It then explores how people both inside and outside the Church can rediscover pilgrimage within twenty-first century culture. Illustrated throughout, and written by one of the UK's most popular theologians, THE ACCIDENTAL PILGRIM is a compelling invitation to all on the journey of faith.

Reflections for Daily Prayer has nourished thousands of Christians for a decade with its inspiring and informed weekday Bible reflections. Now, in response to demand, Reflections for Sundays combines material from over the years with new writing to provide high-quality reflections on the Principal Readings for Sundays and major Holy Days. Contributors include some of the very best writers from across the Anglican tradition who have helped to establish it as one of the leading daily devotional volumes today. For each Sunday and major Holy Day in Year C, Reflections for Sundays offers: * full lectionary details for the Principle Service * a reflection on the Old Testament reading * a reflection on the Epistle * a reflection on the Gospel It also contains a substantial introduction to the Gospels of Luke, written by renowned Bible teacher Paula Gooder.