Books -reviews and synopses

The Wild Gospel -Bringing Truth to Life by Alison Morgan Monarch Books £8.99

How to share my joy and excitement in reading this beautiful book? Alison searched for absolute truth and finds it incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ; the living force of reality, the power of God in the Universe. She shows how Jesus lived free from the culturally imposed norms which restrict our understanding of truth and speaking truth into the culture of His day turned it upside down. His followers too often have become part of the dominant culture rather than challenging it and experiencing the living reality of God.. She suggests that ‘vibrant periods in the life of the church have come when the truth has been spoken perceptively into a particular culture; and that conversely, atrophy has come when the gospel has been allowed to degenerate into formulae and practices which fail to connect with the common currency of the time’ So ‘if the church cannot learn to speak creatively into the post-modern story it will be left behind by the tides of change.

The book has three parts ‘The Ministry of Jesus’, ‘What works and what doesn’t’ and ‘A gospel for our times’. It is the last section which is prophetic and inspiring. Where she deals with Changing individuals, Renewing the Church, and Relating to the World by living in the Truth, Power and Love of God, drawing on experience and knowledge of what is happening here and around the world.

This book is deeply thoughtful, spiritually aware and scholarly and the responses of reviewers -theologians and Bishops-sound positively excited:-, exciting and moving , beautiful, inspiring, splendid, holistic, amazing and prophetic –are some of the responses of eminent readers. What can I add? Please do read it!

Rev. Dr Alison Morgan is Associate Priest at Holy Trinity, Leicester.

 

Changing World, Changing Church-New forms of church, out-of-pew Thinking, Initiatives that work.

Michael Moynagh.

As the church in the west continues to shrink, Moynagh explores the forces of change -globalisation, post-modern values, demographics and technology-which will accelerate the arrival of the ‘it-must-fit-me’ world.. People look increasingly for new experiences and ways to make themselves feel better. ‘Church isn’t the same as it used to be (it doesn’t fit me exactly any more) Time to move on’ ‘My marriage doesn’t feel the same anymore (she no longer fits me exactly). Time to separate’ Moynagh explores the different approaches needed by the church exploring ways to become more ‘people-shaped’.
The book is in 3 sections:-
1 New forms of church,
2 Uut-of-pew thinking,
3 Initiatives that work
Michael  teaches a course on ‘Future Church’ at St John’s Theological College, Nottingham. With Richard Worsley he co-Directs The Tomorrow Project an independent charity funded by ESRC which undertakes a programme of research, consultation and communication about peoples lives in Britain in the next 20 years. This is a major sociological reearch project looking at future trends which should inform our thinking and planning.