In Accordance with the Scriptures: The shape of Christian theology by John Behr (Cascade Books, £22 (£19.80); 979-8-3852-3081-5).

“Drawing upon writings, iconography, and the liturgical life of the church in the early centuries, John Behr shows how the mystery of Christ includes not only the head, the Lord Jesus Christ, but also the whole body of Christ, the church, born in the womb of the Virgin Mother. He also reveals how the scriptural arc from Adam to Christ is recapitulated in our own growth, as human, from passively coming-into-being in mortality to our birth into life through death and deification.”

Catholic Life in the Church of England: Good News for every body, edited by Simon Cuff (Canterbury Press, £19.99 (£15.99); 978-1-78622-672-3).

“First presented as a series of study days held at St Peter de Beauvoir Town, North London, the contributions in this book explore the richness and diversity of the Anglo-Catholic tradition. Chapters reflect on how the tradition can speak into all aspects of life, from community to prayer, worship to marriage, celibacy to justice. With essays from Rowan Williams, Morwenna Ludlow, Michael Leyden, Ben Kerridge, Mitzi James, Jack Noble, Sally Jones, and Charlie Bell, and homilies from Peter Groves, Joanne Grenfell and Nicolas Stebbing.”

The Lyric Voice in English Theology by Elizabeth S. Dodd (T & T Clark, £28.99 (£26.09); 978-0-567-71313-1). New in paperback

“In this book, Elizabeth S. Dodd traces the contours of a lyric theology through the lens of English lyric tradition. She addresses the dominance of narrative and drama in contemporary theological aesthetics by drawing on recent developments in lyric theory. Informed by the work of critics such as Jonathan Culler, Dodd explores the significance of lyric for theological discourse.”


Selected by Frank Nugent, of the Church House Bookshop, which operates the Church Times Bookshop.