Our Lay Reader, John Fenton, reviews Rowan Williams’ latest book – published in July 2016.
This is Rowan Williams at his consummate best. A book distilled from a huge intellect, deep humility and a passion for Jesus and the things of God.
Drawn together from a series of public sermons given across the world from Britain to New Zealand, the six chapters are just 82 pages in length. They include Being disciples; faith, hope and love; holiness; forgiveness; faith in the public realm and life in the Spirit.
Clarity, wisdom and insight flow off every page. Not a stale or predictable sentence can be found. Williams draws on the New Testament, the Early Church fathers, medieval mystics, Welsh poets and Christian literary figures to build his arguments.
‘Discipleship’ says Williams ‘is a state of being and abiding’. It’s not what we do on an occasional basis, usually Sunday, it’s what and who we are when we have decided to follow Jesus.
Williams writes with a gentle encouragement, a serious grasp of modern life, candour about the limits and possibilities of a committed life in the 21st century and a graciousness that has earned the book praise from Methodists, the Vineyard church movement, Catholics and The Church Times who speak of ’82 pages of gold dust’!
Definitely one for dark evenings and to be ‘dipped into’ often.
John Fenton, Lay Reader
Published by SPCK, available on the web for £8.99 or less.