With August firmly here, the Chaplaincy team have a few book recommendations to keep you entertained over the holidays.
Navigating by the Son: Finding our way in an unfamiliar landscape
By Stephen Cox, Troubador Publishing, £11.99
Revd Nigel recommends Navigating by the Son by Stephen Cox. This book is an exploration of how Christians can live with deep disagreements. Bishop Joe Bailey Wells (Dorking) writes: “With great courage, determined honesty and a disarming humility, Steve Cox explores way to handle the issues of the day that threaten the Unity of our church.”
Rediscovering Scripture’s Vision for Women
by Lucy Peppiatt, InterVarsity Press, 2019, £9.15
Chaplain Karen Turner’s top pic for the summer is Lucy Peppiatt’s Rediscovering Scripture’s Vision for Women. She says: “This year we had a Greek ‘word of the week’ in the Chaplaincy which always was a great stimulus for conversation as we tried to unpack meaning from words and phrases written thousands of years ago and translated many times into our English New Testament (Thanks, Adam Bell!). This month I’m looking forward to re-reading Rediscovering Scripture’s Vision for Women; a book that I’ve returned to several times. In it, principal of Westminster Theological Centre, Lucy Peppiatt, explores some Bible passages, which might not be as straightforward as they first appear, about women’s leadership, gifts and calling. It turns out that translation matters, as does understanding a bit about context and culture. If you enjoy digging into things a bit deeper and wondering how we’ve arrived where we are, you can’t help but like this life-giving and vista-opening introduction to the subject.”
Prodigal Summer
by Barbara Kingsolver, Faber & Faber, £9.99
Mother Sarah says: "For summer reading I would suggest "Prodigal Summer" by Barbara Kingsolver. Generally I would recommend anything by Kingsolver. As well as being a superb novelist, she always has something incisive to say about contemporary issues. This novel interweaves three stories of love and loss and has significant ecological themes running all through the book. Trained as a biologist, Kingsolver will broaden your understanding of the natural world alongside giving you a really good story."
Stardust
by Trevor Stubbs, The Listening People, £10.99
Chaplain David Pattie introduces a local author! He comments: “I would like to introduce you to the work of Trevor Stubbs. Trevor is a local resident and an Anglican Priest. After fruitful ministries in England and much further afield, including South Sudan, in his ‘official’ retirement Trevor, has turned author. He writes primarily, although not exclusively, for the ‘young-adult’ market. Trevor’s books are popular and all profits from his writing are donated to a charity working to assist girls living in poverty and danger in Juba, South Sudan. Trevor remains a very busy man. He writes, speaks, and leads worship. He is also part of the chaplaincy team at the University of Bath Spa.”
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