Book Corner

I would first like to make specific mention of the following book.

Bethlehem Speaks by Garth Hewitt.

Sixteen Christian witnesses articulate the degree of desperation felt by the people of Bethlehem, as they call on the world to wake up to what is happening to their little town. For Bethlehem is under siege, its economy strangled, 87% of its land taken by the wall, which swoops in and out of the West Bank, cutting people off from their fields and their livelihood. Something very special is being destroyed, but Garth Hewitt passionately believes that it is not too late for people of all faiths to speak up and call for justice in this situation: to reaffirm, in the birthplace of Jesus, the dignity, rights and value of each human being made, ‘in the image of God’. £8.99

With the season of Lent just around the corner, here are three suggestions to begin with.

Jesus, the Final Days by Craig A Evans and Tom Wright (edited by Troy Miller). What do history and archaeology have to say about Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection? In this superb book for the general reader, two of the world’s most celebrated writers on the historical Jesus share their greatest findings. Together, Craig A Evans and Tom Wright concisely and compellingly convey the drama and the world-shattering significance of Jesus’ final days on earth. £7.99

Reconciling One and All. God’s Gift to the World by Brian Castle. This is a Lent book that will encourage readers to reflect on their own journeys towards reconciliation, as they engage with the journeys of others. There are four ingredients, which are essential to reconciliation, whether it is political, social, personal, intra-personal or theological: they are Memory, Forgiveness (not Mercy), Involvement with the other, and Victimhood (or not). All forms of reconciliation are inter-related, and reconciliation is an exercise in bringing about the Kingdom of God. £9.99

The Things He Carried by Stephen Cottrell. The narrative of Holy Week is powerful and painful, and because we know how the story ends it’s easy to gloss over the difficult details, and stay in the comfort zone of our understanding. Stephen Cottrell brings home, vividly and poignantly, the physical reality of the passion story. This is a book to stimulate thought, provoke discussion and create space for contemplation. £6.99

The featured four books are taken from the SPCK New Titles June-December catalogue. www.spck.org.uk Or by telephone Marston (Distributor) 01235 465500.

Lynn Winter