LITMIR.BIZ

As the Church continues to try to clarify the meaning of baptism, well-known liturgical scholar Kenneth Stevenson provides important insights into the historical issues with which we still wrestle. Is baptism a private or a public act? Is the symbolism of the rite still appropriate? Does the language of the baptismal service remain meaningful in a secular age?
In order to answer these and other pressing questions, we must understand the thinking of those who have come before us. Stevenson does just that by looking at the writings of the 17th century Anglican divines such as Lancelot Andrewes, George Herbert, Richard Hooker, Richard Baxter, Jeremy Taylor and others, all of whom have a vital and prophetic significance for our understanding and practice of baptism today.
Dr. Kenneth Stevenson is the Bishop of Portsmouth and a leading Anglican scholar. A member of the Doctrine Commission of the Church of England, he is the author of numerous books, including Covenant of Grace Renewed and The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Anglican Tradition, which is available from Morehouse Publishing, and Abba, Father.

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"The first thing to say in our exploration of priesthood is this: priesthood is a fundamental and inescapable part of being human. All human beings, knowingly or not, minister as priests to one another. All of us, knowingly or not, receive priestly ministrations from one another. Unless we begin here, we are not likely to understand the confusions and uncertainties and opportunities we have been encountering in the life of the church itself in recent years. We shall be in danger, in fact, of creating makeshift solutions to half-understood problems, easy answers to misleading questions, temporary bandages for institutions that need to be healed from the ground up." – L. William Countryman


There is a lot of tension in churches today about whose ministry is primary-that of the laity or of the clergy. L. William Countryman argues that we can only resolve that problem by seeing that we are all priests simply by virtue of being human and living, as we all do, on the mysterious and uncertain border with the Holy. Living on the Border of the Holy offers a way of understanding the priesthood of the whole people of God and the priesthood of the ordained in complementary ways by showing how both are rooted in the fundamental priestly nature of human life. After an exploration of the ministry of both laity and ordained, Countryman concludes by examining the implications of this view of priesthood for churches and for educating those studying for ordination.


"What a blessing to have at hand William Countryman's book, which, by disentangling ordination from real ministry, does an extraordinary job of clarifying what we mean when we speak of the church, of religion, and of God. I wish every self-identified 'person of faith' could read this remarkable, thought-provoking book." -Bruce Bawer, author of Stealing Jesus: How Fundamentalism Betrays Christianity


L. William Countryman is an Episcopal priest, professor of New Testament at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California, and author of Forgiven and Forgiving, The Language of Ordination, Biblical Authority or Biblical Tyranny? and other titles.

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This practical handbook for homes and church communities helps to enrich the Christian celebration of Advent through the creation and use of an Advent calendar. Written for people of all skill levels, Baumgarten provides instructions for a calendar made of paper or junk mail, a no-sew felt version, and a fabric version for more advanced sewers.
Teach Us To Number Our Days, however, is more than a simple crafts book. Baumgarten provides readers with a brief history of the development of Advent in the Christian calendar, as well as detailed explanations of the various Christian symbols that can be used during the season. Paying attention to both the Old and New Testament symbols, as well as the Sundays of Advent and the Great ‘O’ Antiphons from December 17-23, this book is a complete guide to Advent for individuals, families, and churches.

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The term «Protestant spirituality» is sometimes considered to be an oxymoron. Spirituality has traditionally been seen as the domain of the Catholic faith, and not of the Protestant reformation and its offshoots. That perspective is in error, as Dr. Joseph Driskill demonstrates in Protestant Spiritual Exercises, a book that introduces readers to the spirituality that evolved from Calvin, Luther, and many other Reformers.
This book, geared to use by seminary students and clergy and lay leaders within Protestant congregations, helps readers discover their rich spiritual heritage through an examination of its history and practice and the theological affirmations that undergird it. For use either as a textbook for training future clergy, or within the congregation itself to further develop the spiritual life of the parish, this book is practical on many levels. Actual practices (the Prayer of Examen, Luther's Four-Stranded Garland and others) can be used in spiritual formation of individuals and groups. Driskill also helps leaders learn how to use the exercises, making them become aware of gender and age issues, the role of the setting in which they are used, and good leadership skill.

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There are many powerful women in the Bible, but their descriptions are almost always tantalizingly brief. If they had the chance to tell their own stories in their own voices, what would they have said? Basing her interpretation of these women on extensive research, Katerina Whitley puts herself in their shoes, giving today’s listeners a fuller understanding of each of their stories.
The women explored, some well-known and others less familiar, include the Virgin Mary, Miriam, Mary Magdalene, Elizabeth, the Syrophoenician or Canaanite woman, Lydia, Ruth, Martha, Gomer, Michal, Tamar, and Peter’s wife. Each woman speaks for herself in these monologues, in a way that brings the biblical issues and questions into contemporary focus. An introduction to each woman and study questions at the end of each piece make this an ideal book for individuals and groups.

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These simple and inviting reflections on the Rule of St. Benedict take as their starting point our search for wholeness in a world that is fragmented and increasingly polarized. Many people today struggle to balance the demands of professional and personal lives, and find little satisfaction or peacefulness in either. Yet the ancient wisdom of St. Benedict offers a clear and helpful pathway that leads directly to healing, transformation and new life.
Written in de Waal's inimitable style, this book is for old friends of the Rule of St. Benedict and novices alike. Holding up segments of the Rule, de Waal's meditations on Benedict's words illuminate the wisdom of the Rule not only for those of Benedict's time, but for all of us today as well.

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Every Friday in Jerusalem, Franciscan monks take groups of pilgrims down the Via Dolorosa, the road Christ may have walked on his way to the cross. Stopping at each of fourteen locations that mark events in the final days of Christ’s life, the pilgrims recall the Passion story and offer prayers for the world.
In A Walk in Jerusalem, The Rev. Canon John L. Peterson, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, brings new life to this centuries-old ritual known as the Stations of the Cross. Illustrated with a map, 14 black-and-white photographs, and 14 pen-and-ink drawings, this helpful guide provides the appropriate episode of the Passion story along with a meditation and brief liturgy that apply that story to today’s world.
Designed for use on Good Friday or general devotions, A Walk in Jerusalem offers new insight into the Passion Narratives and encouragement to live as Christ taught.

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"Only the strong can forgive. God, who is strongest, forgives best," writes Dr. L. William Countryman in this fresh look at forgiveness. Unlike most books on the subject, Forgiven and Forgiving is not about a step-by-step process. Rather, it is about conversion. Once we truly understand the depths of God's love for us and know deep-down that we are forgiven, we begin to see the world anew through God's eyes. Only when we are able to accept God's forgiveness for ourselves can we offer forgiveness to others. Biblically based with sound academic research, yet written in a conversational style, Forgiven and Forgiving offers valuable insights for clergy, laity, and church study groups.

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Help couples make informed decisions and plan for their marriage service with this practical workbook. Includes a tear-out worksheet to help clergy and couples with their planning. Includes possible readings for wedding service.

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This guide for clergy, parish musicians, lay readers, and congregational representatives covers all the stages of organizing worship services for the entire year. Using The Book of Common Prayer and Hymnal 1982 as primary resources, it explores the rich variety of options—both time-honored traditions and accepted innovations.
Times and seasons covered in depth include Advent, the Twelve Days of Christmas, Lent and Holy Week, Easter and the Great Fifty Days, and the Sundays after Epiphany and Pentecost. Planning the Church Year explains the preparations that make for meaningful holy days and special occasions, such as Lesser Feasts, Thanksgiving Day, Vigils, Michaelmas, All Saints’ Day, the bishop’s visitation, the Patronal and Dedication Festivals.
Even summer Sundays can become “liturgical opportunities.” Details such as liturgical colors, music, and church decorations for each season and occasion make this the most complete handbook for those called to be at the heart of parish life and worship.

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