This balanced, thoughtful book is based on a series of lectures Archbishop Ramsey gave over a week at the Oxford University in 1961. I began reading the library copy thinking things have changed since then. The book fell apart as I turned the pages. One for the bin, I thought. But the more I read,…

I found this book thought provoking and uplifting. Rob Bell tackles the once universal belief that God will punish sinners and unbelievers with eternal torment in hell. To quote from the preface, Bell writes “First, I believe that Jesus’s story is first and foremost about the love of God for every single one of us.…

This interpretation of the writings of Julian of Norwich demonstrates how relevant her thoughts and ideas are in our world today. She insists God is mother as well as father. She lived through a pandemic and encourages us to face the darkness of ours and remain confident of God’s goodness. For her, as it should…

As a teenager, the author became passionate about our need to care for the earth. She became involved with groups and individuals who tried to step sideways out of the prevailing culture of exploitation. This book chronicles a kind of pilgrimage looking for answers from a wide range of people who are dedicated to repairing…

The sub-title of this worthwhile book is “A spirituality for the rough edges of daily life.” It is very down to earth and particularly addresses the issues that get in the way of leading a Christ-like life. To quote from the blurb “the book is a how-to manual about loving yourself, others, the world around…

NEW BOOK IN RESOURCE CENTRE A couple of months ago ABC journalist, Louise Milligan published “Cardinal” an investigation into the sad-and-sorry story of child abuse by some Catholic clergy. Particularly it focuses on the figure of Cardinal George Pell, once a priest in Ballarat, then Archbishop of Melbourne and later Sydney. I have placed the book in…

Dear friends in Christ, The Gospel of John was once described as a waterhole that elephants can swim in, and paddling pool for little children. During Lent the gospel readings are drawn from John’s Gospel, mostly encounters of Jesus with people – religious, outsiders, maimed, stinking of death – and vivid, striking metaphors about the Spirit of God. In the…

This is the very personal account of a time of difficulty and struggle in Nouwen’s life. Each short passage is thought provoking and suggests to the reader a way of relating to God in times of pain and sorrow. I found it worth reading because of the way Nouwen describes his feelings and his longings…

David suggested last Sunday that we might enjoy reading C.S.Lewis’s ‘Screwtape Letters’ (which are in the Church library). I first heard this read aloud at a Fellowship Group in Bristol England, and I was so delighted that I bought a copy. But that was over 65 years ago and I wondered how it would stand up today. Our…

 This book is sub-titled “Journey into meditative prayer”. Foster writes of his own experiences and of some possible techniques for praying using Christian mediation – silence, solitude and a desire for closer intimacy with God.