Book Reviews | James Woodward

Not for Profit – what kind of education will equip us for the future ?

Posted on 7 May 2018 by James Woodward

Looking backwards and wondering ‘what if’ is an exercise that requires care and some measure of wisdom. However, we need to engage in the ‘what if’ questions to nurture reflexivity and so challenge ourselves to be energised by the possibilities of change. So here is

Holiday reading (1) Gordon Brown My life, Our Times Bodley Head 2017.

Posted on 6 January 2018 by James Woodward

Having successfully downsized my living and therefore 'storage' arrangements I think twice about buying a book! I was, however, immediately drawn to this political autobiography, not least because on the two occasions I met Gordon Brown I found

Bradbury on Practical theology and Pierre-Andre Liege : Book Review

Posted on 4 January 20183 January 2018 by James Woodward

Practical theology and Pierre-Andre Liege : Radical Dominican and Vatican II Pioneer Nicholas Bradbury AshGate 2015 £65.00 ISBN 9781472418708 This is giant of a text from the priest with long experience of ministry, learning, leadership and reflective practice.

Conundrums in Practical Theology : Book Review

Posted on 2 January 2018 by James Woodward

Conundrums in Practical Theology. By Joyce Ann Mercer and Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore, Boston: Brill, 2016. 320 pages. $76. (PBK). ISBN 978-90-04-32423-7. Reviewed by: James Woodward, Principal of Sarum College, Salisbury and Visiting Professor of Theology, t

The Moral Heart of Public Service

Posted on 10 September 2017 by James Woodward

The Moral Heart of Public Service - Edited by Claire Foster Gilbert Jessica Kingsley Publishers (2017) ISBN 9781785922558 £18.99 Westminster Abbey takes its location to serve our national life with utmost seriousness. As well as attracting visitors from across the world the

Posted on 14 June 2017 by James Woodward

Confused Angry Anxious? Why working with older people in care can be really difficult and what to do about it Bo Hejlskov Elven, Charlotte Agger and Iben Ljungmann Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2017 192pp ISBN: 9781785922152 Positive Communication Activities to reduce is

God Curious & the Importance of Theology

Posted on 6 June 2017 by James Woodward

God Curious: Exploring Eternal Questions Stephen Cherry JKP 2017 Over 30 years ago I trained for Ministry alongside Stephen at Westcott House in Cambridge. There were three particular things that I remember about Stephen. The first was his reflective intelligence. The

A Cry of Absence ?

Posted on 22 May 2017 by James Woodward

A Cry of Absence Reflections for the winter of the Heart Martin E. Marty W IPF 1983 This narrative emerges out of a particular experience, that of the death of the author’s wife, Elsa, from cancer. Marty narrates the life changing trauma at t

Embracing our Mortality ?

Posted on 24 April 2017 by James Woodward

Marion Carter Helping children and adolescents think about death, dying and bereavement Jessica Kingsley publishers 2016 £16.99 ISBN 9781785920110 Carlo Leget Art of Living, Art of Dying Jessica Kingsley publishers 2017 £14.99 ISBN 978178592

Positive Psychology Approaches to Dementia

Posted on 29 January 2017 by James Woodward

Positive Psychology Approaches to Dementia Edited by Chris Clarke and Emma Wolverson. Paperback 2016, 288pp ISBN: 978-1-84905-610-6 £24.99 This is a surprising book in so far as it, at first glance, appears to be a technical collection of essays written by expert

Sarum Centre for Formation in Ministry (Reviewing Becoming a Reverend)

Posted on 7 January 2017 by James Woodward

There persists a certain curiosity about clergy with some fixed stereotypes about what kind of people we are or should be. The language, structure and culture of ‘Church’ remains persistently inaccessible and sometimes just incomprehensible. Matt Woodcock is a wise, h

Bishop Michael Perham

Posted on 15 December 201621 December 2016 by James Woodward

It will be a great privilege to welcome guests to the Sarum College Bookshop for the launch of Michael Perham’s latest book, The Way of Christ-Likeness. This practical and theological companion to Lent, Holy Week and Easter offers advice on creatively using the church’s mo

Better Disagreement? Public Debate and Dialogue

Posted on 11 December 201621 December 2016 by James Woodward

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Towards Better Disagreement: Religion and Atheism Paul Hedges JKP 2016 I happen just to have returned from the Swindon office of BBC Wiltshire where I was tasked to review the Sunday papers. I turn now to catching up on some pieces of writing but especially book reviews that

Understanding Dementia (Jessica Kingsley Publishers)

Posted on 10 December 201621 December 2016 by James Woodward

I am gathering together a small collection of books all published by Jessica Kingsley who is certainly one of the most innovative and ground-breaking publishers working in this field. Their list covering a range of books on dementia is well worth examining. These first two

Amazing Love : Theology for understanding Discipleship, Sexuality and Mission

Posted on 10 December 201623 December 2016 by James Woodward

Amazing Love: Theology for understanding Discipleship, Sexuality and Mission Andrew Davison, DLT 2016, 114pp pbk This book has been with me over the past few weeks and my reading of it has been shaped by a number of events and experiences. First I attended a celebration of 35

Blessed are the Poor? By Laurie Green

Posted on 29 November 2016 by James Woodward

It has taken me some time to digest this book and so commend it to others for both reflection and action. Laurie Green has established a well-deserved reputation for his ministry amongst the poor and voiceless but also for his ability to think theologically. The book took me b

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