Experiences of dependence and of waiting are becoming increasingly frequent and widespread in contemporary life and yet we evade, repudiate or resent them. Vanstone's book, a modern classic of the Anglican spiritual tradition, looks at our attitudes to illness, to being out of work, to not 'doing' anything. He draws on the story of the passion in John's Gospel to transform our understanding of these experiences, by presenting Jesus as a figure who, in his waiting, discloses the deepest dimension of the glory of God.

In The Stature of Waiting, W. H. Vanstone - award-winning writer and Canon Emeritus of Chester Cathedral - reflects on the majesty of Jesus as he 'waits' before those who accuse, taunt and crucify him. For us today, such times of passivity and passion are as important as times of action and taking charge. The Pocket Library of Spiritual Wisdom comprises some of the very best Christian writing published by Darton, Longman and Todd since its foundation in 1959.

This rich resource of ready to use liturgies and reflections for the richest seasons of the Christian year sold out within a year. Its timeless qualities found a ready and eager readership among all looking for fresh inspiration for these annual celebrations. This new edition includes extra seasonal reflections from Rowan Williams and Martyn Percy, and a new liturgy for Maundy Thursday from Jim Cotter. In addition it offers: probing reflections by outstanding thinkers to inspire preaching and personal devotion, complete liturgies for a Christmas Eve vigil, Maundy Thursday foot washing and watch, a Good Friday devotional service, an Easter Eve vigil, a dawn celebration of the Resurrection, a set of meditations on the Stations of the Cross and the Seven Words from the Cross, and seven Good Friday addresses by WH Vanstone. Jim Cotter writes strikingly beautiful liturgies and was publisher of the successful Cairns Publications. Martyn Percy is the Principal of Ripon College Cuddesdon.Sylvia Sands is a writer who lives in the heart of Belfast.W H Vanstone wrote the spiritual classic Love's Endeavour Love's Expense. He died in 1999. Rowan Williams is the Archbishop of Canterbury.

We set great store by activity and busy-ness. We want to be 'in control'. We value what we 'do' more than who we are. So when we become ill, or retire from work, or suffer an enforced period of inactivity, our self-esteem is threatened. We evade, repudiate, or resent experiences of passivity, of waiting.

This classic of spiritual writing transforms our understanding of the experiences of illness, or of being out of work, or feeling inactive and powerless. W. H. Vanstone shows us the unquestioned and impressive majesty of Jesus as he 'waits' before those who accuse him, waits before those who taunt him and, finally, waits before even those who crucify him. It is in his passivity and 'passion', when we have things done to us instead of doing things, the times when we simply wait, are as important as the times of action and taking charge.