The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, edited by Andrew Louth (OUP, £195 (Church Times SPECIAL OFFER PRICE £155); 978-0-19-964246-5). New edition.
“Authoritative and wide-ranging in its scope, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church is the indispensable reference work on all aspects of the Christian Church. It contains more than 6500 cross-referenced A-Z entries, and offers unrivalled coverage of all aspects of this vast and often complex subject, from theology, churches and denominations, patristic scholarship, and the bible to the church calendar and its organisation, popes, archbishops, other church leaders, saints and mystics. In this new edition, great efforts have been made to increase and strengthen coverage of non-Anglican denominations (for example non-Western European Christianity), as well as broadening the focus on Christianity and the history of churches in areas beyond Western Europe. In particular, there have been extensive additions with regards to the Christian Church in Asia, Africa, Latin America, North America, and Australasia. Significant updates have also been included on topics such as liturgy, Canon Law, recent international developments, non-Anglican missionary activity, and the increasingly important area of moral and pastoral theology, among many others. Since its first appearance in 1957, the ODCC has established itself as an essential resource for ordinands, clergy, and members of religious orders, and an invaluable tool for academics, teachers, and students of church history and theology, as well as for the general reader.”
Young, Woke and Christian: Words from a missing generation, edited by Victoria Turner (SCM Press, £16.99 (Church Times SPECIAL OFFER PRICE £14.99); 978-0-334-06153-3).
“Young people are often referred to as the church’s ‘missing generation’. But perhaps it is not them that are missing from God's mission, but the church itself. Young, Woke and Christian brings together young church leaders and theologians who argue that the church needs to become increasingly awake to injustices in British society. It steers away from the capitalistic marketing ideas of how to attract young people into Christian fellowship and proclaims that the church’s role in society is to serve society, give voice to the marginalised and stand up to damaging, dominating power structures. Covering themes including climate change, racial inclusivity, sexual purity, homelessness, food poverty, sexuality, trans identity, feminism, peace-making, interfaith relations and disability justice, the collection is a cry for the reform of the church to not ally with ‘woke’ issues because they are popular with youth, but because they are gospel issues.”
Deliverance: Everyday investigations into the supernatural by Jason Bray (Coronet, £10.99 (£9.89); 978-1-529-33628-3). New in paperback.
“Jason is a deliverance minister, and this is a story of oppression and possession, of ghosts, poltergeists and other paranormal phenomena, and how to deal with them. He is the first Anglican deliverance minister to write a book about this ministry for the general reader. A warm, sympathetic and humorous character who sees it as his mission to serve the community and help families in distress, each true-life adventure is like a detective story. At times, it’s a case of mental illness. At others, an energy or memory that has latched itself onto a place or property. Sometimes, he’s even encountered fraud!”
Selected by Frank Nugent, of the Church House Bookshop, which operates the Church Times Bookshop.