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  • Consecrated Celibacy
    Consecrated Celibacy
    £14.99

    Consecrated Celibacy: a fresh look at an ancient calling

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    Christians who want to remain unmarried often face the challenge of identifying, naming and responding to their vocation, both within and outside church life. Reflecting on her own journey and encounters with others, Christine Barnabas takes a fresh look at consecrated celibacy, a calling which, she believes, experiences a new lease of life on the edge of the institutional church. Consecrated Celibacy  is a resource for all who are trying to discern their calling  to a committed and meaningful life before God and for those who accompany them on the journey of exploring this ancient charism God continues to give to the body of Christ.  
    £14.99
    £14.99
  • £10.99

    Seven Sacred Spaces

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    Too often people's understanding of and engagement with 'church' is reduced to corporate worship, when it is so much more. George Lings identifies seven characteristic elements in Christian communities through the ages, which when held in balance enable a richer expression of discipleship, mission and community. In the monastic tradition these elements have distinctive locations: cell (being alone with God), chapel (corporate public worship), chapter (making decisions), cloister (planned and surprising meetings), garden (the place of work), refectory (food and hospitality) and scriptorium (study and passing on knowledge). Through this lens George Lings explores how these seven elements relate to our individual and communal walk with God, hold good for church and family life, and appear in wider society.
    £10.99
    £10.99
  • £15.99

    Desert Dangers and Delights: Stories, Teachings, and Sources

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    The spirituality and lives of the desert fathers and mothers are often seen as the beginning and end of Christian monastic life. Their stories and messages inspire not only the most devout Christians but also the "nones" and the "dones." In Desert Dangers and Delights John Michael Talbot reflects on his experience as a spiritual father and a populariser of Catholic Christian spirituality through his music and teaching. He uses his own stories, Scripture, and the stories and sayings of the desert fathers and mothers to show a radically alternative way of living and thinking in Christ. With questions for reflection at the end of each chapter, this book will aid all readers, from experienced monastics to those just beginning a spiritual journey with Christ.
    £15.99
    £15.99
  • £13.99

    Hineni : In Imitation of Abraham

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    How do you encounter the mystery of the other? This is the central question at the heart of spiritual direction and central to the human quest. Hineni presence is not an answer to the mystery but a response to the challenge. At a time when people on the edges of religion increasingly seek out spiritual direction as a way of confronting life's unanswerable questions, hineni indicates a fundamental reality beyond labels. And in an age that seems to suffer from disconnection, hineni indicates a way in. A helpful resource for anyone interested in spirituality beyond easy answers or (in)convenient labels, Hineni: In Imitation of Abraham is a stark exploration of what it truly means to be present to yourself, to the one before you, and to the one we call God.
    £13.99
    £13.99
  • £17.99

    The Monkhood of All Believers : The Monastic Foundation of Christian Spirituality

    Although the institution of monasticism has existed in the Christian church since the first century, it is often misunderstood. Greg Peters, an expert in monastic studies, reintroduces historic monasticism to the Protestant church, articulating a monastic spirituality for all believers. As Peters explains, what we have known as monasticism for the past 1,500 years is actually a modified version of the earliest monastic life, which was not necessarily characterized by poverty, chastity, and obedience but rather by one's single-minded focus on God--a single-mindedness rooted in one's baptismal vows and the priesthood of all believers. Peters argues that all monks are Christians, but all Christians are also monks. To be a monk, one must first and foremost be singled-minded toward God. This book presents a theology of monasticism for the whole church, offering a vision of Christian spirituality that brings together important elements of history and practice. The author connects monasticism to movements in contemporary spiritual formation, helping readers understand how monastic practices can be a resource for exploring a robust spiritual life.
    £17.99
    £17.99
  • £4.50

    The Heart Alone with God

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    Celtic and Desert spirituality was essentially monastic, and praying was learned in the context of cell (alone) and community (together). There was no separation of praying and living; one flowed from the other. For us too, life is prayer and prayer is life. Making inner space to cultivate the God-life within is at the centre of the contemplative experience, which is entering into the self to be with God. This interior life is also a journey through the darkness and dangers of ‘the world, the flesh and the devil’. This booklet explores how we can thwart even the most ‘devious’ of attacks of the enemy and find inner peace as we understand the full meaning and significance of ‘The Heart Alone with God’. 
    £4.50
    £4.50
  • £19.99

    For Peace and For Good : A History of the Community of St Francis

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    Wolfgang Bader offers a fresh translation of 55 of St. Francis of Assisi's most beautiful prayers including Poverty: My Only Riches, Like the Tax Collector in the Temple, Greatness of the Little Ones, Canticle of the Creatures, and Dear Brother Fire. This graceful translation of a spiritual classic belongs in the devotional library of anyone who seeks to deepen his or her own prayer life. Editorial commentaries place each prayer in its historical context allowing the reader to experience it from the saint's own perspective.
    £19.99
    £19.99
  • £3.95

    Francis of Assisi: living prayer today

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    Francis of Assisi was very much a man of his time; and yet his influence continues today in a surprising range of ways. This study briefly outlines his life journey, before considering Francis' attitude to prayer, and then exploring the ways in which the Franciscan approach to life relates to a wide range of contemporary concerns.
    £3.95
    £3.95
  • £6.99

    A Month With St Francis

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    This short book contains 62 prayers and readings (one each morning and evening for a month). It will help the reader to steep him- or herself in the writings and thoughts of this favourite saint, and the introduction will introduce St Francis's particular appeal. The special angle unique to this series of books is the way they accompany the reader on a month-long journey with a favourite saint or writer.
    £6.99
    £6.99
  • £8.99

    A Franciscan Way of Life : Brother Ramon’s quest for holiness

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    Be inspired by one man's unflinching faith in God. This is the first biography of Brother Ramon. It tells of his life's pilgrimage, his quest for holiness as a Franciscan friar, his inner journey of discovery and transformation, his love of God and his influence on others. The selection from his writings which concludes the book illustrates his spiritual journey. It will be an inspiration to readers to live lives fully for Jesus Christ.
    £8.99
    £8.99
  • £16.00

    Inhabiting the Church : Biblical Wisdom for a New Monasticism

    If the church is more than just a building, what could it mean to live in it-to inhabit it as a way of life? From their location in new monastic communities, Otto, Stock, and Wilson-Hartgrove ask what the church can learn from St. Benedict's vows of conversion, obedience, and stability about how to live as the people of God in the world. In storytelling and serious engagement with Scripture, old wisdom breathes life into a new monasticism. But, like all monastic wisdom, these reflections are not just for monks. They speak directly to the challenge of being the church in America today and the good news Christ offers for the whole world.
    £16.00
    £16.00
  • £14.00

    School(s) for Conversion: 12 marks of a new monasticism

    Throughout the history of the church, monastic movements have emerged to explore new ways of life in the abandoned places of society. School(s) for Conversion is a communal attempt to discern the marks of a new monasticism in the inner-cities and forgotten landscapes of the Empire that is called America.
    £14.00
    £14.00
  • £16.99

    Dietrich Bonhoeffer : An Introduction to His Thought

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    In this refreshing new book on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, author Sabine Dramm examines the twentieth century's bestknown German pastor and theologian. Dietrich Bonhoeffer's passionate life and dramatic death are well known. Here, his life and the death he accepted in resistance to Hitler are examined in the context of his faith and thought, as found in his own writings. This is a book about Bonhoeffer's vibrant Christian faith and his profound yet very practical theological thinking. Dramm explores Bonhoeffer's sermons, letters, articles, and books. She offers her readers an outstanding introduction to the breadth of his writing and the depth of his theological thinking. She also shows how Bonhoeffer's beliefs and understandings led him to active resistance to the Nazi regime: to the establishment of alternative church groups, to espionage, and ultimately to conspiracy to overthrow the government by assassinating Hitler.
    £16.99
    £16.99
  • £10.99

    The Genesee Diary: report from a Trappist monastery

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    This touching observation is central to the probing spiritual journal of Henri Nouwen recorded during his seven-month stay in a Trappist monastery. During this period he had a unique opportunity to explore crucial issues of the spiritual life and discover 'a quiet stream underneath the fluctuating affirmations and rejections of our little world'. Henri Nouwen participated fully in the daily life and routine of the Abbey of the Genesee in upstate New York - in work and in prayer. He relates here the typical human experiences and questions that had somehow prevented Christ from being the centre of his existence. From the early weeks in the abbey - dominated by conflicting desires and concerns - to the final days of Advent, when he has found a new sense of calm expectation, Henri Nouwen never loses his critical honesty. Insightful, compassionate, often humorous, always realistic, The Genesee Diary is both an inspiration and a challenge to those who are in search of themselves.  
    £10.99
    £10.99
  • £9.00

    Walking in Valleys of Darkness : A Benedictine Journey through Troubled Times

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    Trusting in the Lord and his benevolence is easy when life is going well - not so easy when life seems difficult. Yet, walking through what the author calls 'valleys of darkness' can bring us opportunities for insight and grace we might not experience when we are walking through good times. Benedictine monk Fr. Albert Holtz invites the reader to walk with him through five periods of pain and difficulty in his own life, including being diagnosed with cancer and dealing with the death of his brother. In a series of twenty-four meditations, the author shows how insights behind such New Testament words such as courage, compassion, and trust, became a source of practical help and spiritual strength for him during those difficult times. His down-to-earth reflections can do the same for anyone trying to understand how the mystery of Christ's passion, death and resurrection can help us cope with, and even profit from, life's inevitable struggles and sufferings.
    £9.00
    £9.00
  • £3.99

    Enfolded In Love

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    Enfolded in Love is a selection of readings from The Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich rendered in modern English. It can either be read straight through as a presentation of the great themes of a remarkable mystic, or taken page by page as a basis for daily prayer and meditation over a period of two months. First purblished in 1980, Enfolded in Love has sold more than 120,000 copies and has become an established classic as interest in Julian of Norwich has grown. Enfolded in Love is both a perfect introduction for newcomers to Julian and an ideal resource for her devotees. This book is part of the acclaimed Enfolded in Love series of books which presents selections from the spiritual classics in a form suitable for daily reading and meditation.
    £3.99
    £3.99
  • Sold out
    £3.99

    In Love Enclosed

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    Julian of Norwich has achieved an extraordinarily wide following amongst Christians. Some people respond to her acute and penetrating theology, some to the depth of her spirituality; whoever you are, it seems that Julian has something to say to you. Robert Llewelyn's first book of daily readings from Julian's `Revelations of Divine Love', Enfolded in Love, has sold more than 120,000 copies. This companion volume provides further readings of devotional richness and theological insight, again in a form suited for devotional use. This book is part of the acclaimed Enfolded in Love series of books which presents selections from the spiritual classics in a form suitable for daily reading and meditation.
    £3.99
    £3.99
  • £10.99

    Precious Thoughts: daily readings from Thomas Merton

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    Thomas Merton wrote to people of all faiths and none; he wrote to people who were searching, and those who were firmly established in religious orders; he wrote to students, peace activists and `ordinary' people who had read about him and were curious. Some are letters of spiritual direction, a sharing of spiritual insights and social concerns, some more personal. In this carefully selected collection, Merton scholar, Fiona Gardner, has focused on extracts that seem to speak to all who are searching. They have been chosen because they offer an opening into something other - to provide a way into both silence and contemplative prayer.
    £10.99
    £10.99
  • £9.95

    15 Days of Prayer with Saint Clare of Assisi

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    To enter into a relationship with Clare of Assisi for fifteen days is to race along carried by the momentum of a woman burning with love. What a paradox: the cloister of Saint Damian - closed in upon itself - opens to the infinite. Clare, a pilgrim of the interior adventure, always re-directs her readers onto the road towards the Lord. The loving kenosis of Christ captivates her and incites her to a Passover, brisk as a dance step, on the path of happiness. The love that fills Clare with life springs forth like a fountain in her heart. This is one of several books we stock in the "15 Days of Prayer" series,  providing direction from foundational spiritual figures. Each volume in the series contains: * A brief biography of the saint or spiritual leader introduced in that volume, a guide to creating a format for prayer and retreat, 15 meditations sessions with focus points and reflection guides.
    £9.95
    £9.95
  • £10.99

    Where Prayer Flourishes

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    Thomas Merton is one of the most influential spiritual figures of the twentieth century. A Trappist monk, he was also a bestselling writer whose works are regarded as spiritual classics. Originally published under the title The Climate of Monastic Prayer, Where Prayer Flourishes is his final work. It is full of accessible and practical teaching for anyone that wants to explore prayer to its full dimensions. Merton argues that prayer flourishes best in the desert. Here, he shows how to find the desert in the midst of the busy world. Where Prayer Flourishes will open a treasury of teaching about prayer to a wider audience.
    £10.99
    £10.99
  • £5.99

    To Live is To Pray: an introduction to Carmelite spirituality

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    Carmelite spirituality is a way of life that spells Freedom. Rooted in the experience of the desert mothers and fathers who sought God in solitude, it can accommodate many temperaments and approaches. The primary focus is on Finding the way of prayer that will bring you closest to God. This warm and engaging book introduces six great Carmelite Figures and their individual ways of prayer. Let Teresa of Avila, St John of the Cross, Brother Lawrence, Therese of Lisieux and others help you discover the pathway to authentic spiritual growth.
    £5.99
    £5.99
  • £10.99

    Evelyn Underhill’s Prayer Book

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    Such is the far-reaching influence of the modern mystic Evelyn Underhill that she is commemorated liturgically by the Church of England on 15 June. Her best-known book, Mysticism, was widely read in the first half of the twentieth century and her work continues to have great impact on the theology of contemporary spiritual writers, such as Richard Rohr. Between 1924 and 1938, Evelyn Underhill compiled two personal prayer books for use when conducting spiritual retreats at Pleshey (the retreat house for the diocese of Chelmsford). The prayers were carefully selected and include quotes from a variety of theologians and writers in Christian spirituality, as well as her own very rich, metaphorical and theologically deep prayers. This volume makes these collections available for the first time.
    £10.99
    £10.99
  • £13.50

    Course in Desert Spirituality: Fifteen Sessions with the Famous Trappist Monk

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    Thomas Merton's sessions with the young monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani showcase Merton's brilliant ability to survey the key figures and synthesize their writings, inspiring his listeners and readers with what it means for the spiritual life. Like its companion volume, A Course in Christian Mysticism, this book is a collection of fifteen lectures that get to the heart of Merton's belief that monastic wisdom and spirituality are applicable for everyone. This compact volume allows anyone to learn from one of the twentieth century's greatest Catholic spiritual teachers. The study materials at the back of the book, including additional primary source readings and thoughtful questions for reflection and discussion, make this an essential text for any student of Christian desert spirituality.
    £13.50
    £13.50
  • £10.99

    Making All Things Well: finding spiritual strength with Julian of Norwich

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    The writings of Julian of Norwich are more popular and relevant than the 14th century mystic could ever have dreamed they would become. Speaking with freshness, depth and poignancy, they offer timeless wisdom and understanding for present day concerns. For Isobel de Gruchy, Julian was a great support during many difficult years of ministry in South Africa's apartheid era, but it was when her son died tragically in an accident that she found unexpected reserves of spiritual insight and strength. Making All Things Well opens up Julian's central themes - such as the mystery of suffering, the promise that we shall overcome evil, prayer and contemplation, the faithfulness and love of God towards all he has made - and relates them to the many challenges we encounter today. Offering forty short reflections that demonstrate Julian's abiding influence, it is ideal for personal reading during Lent, or at any time of year, for a retreat, for group reflection and as a worship resource. Each contains a scripture reading, an excerpt from her Showings, a meditation, a prayer-poem and questions for reflection.
    £10.99
    £10.99
  • Sold out
    £12.99

    With Pity Not With Blame: contemplative praying with Julian of Norwich and the cloud of unknowing

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    Based on a series of retreat addresses to clergy, parishes and religious communities given over a period of five years, this is one of the most acclaimed guides to Christian contemplative prayer. First published 30 years ago, it is truly a modern spiritual classic. Robert Llewelyn provides a practical yet profound guide for anyone venturing on the path of prayer and contemplation. He explores Julian of Norwich's way of prayer and discovers its enduring wisdom for today. He also finds essential insights into the contemplative life from Julian's contemporary, the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing. The treasures of this medieval English mystical tradition are brought to fresh life with simple and homely examples that illustrate their lasting appeal and power for today.
    £12.99
    £12.99
  • £7.99

    A Month With Julian of Norwich

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    This short book contains 62 prayers and readings (one each morning and evening for a month). It will help the reader to steep him- or herself in the writings and thoughts of this favourite spiritual writer, and the introduction will introduce Julian of Norwich's particular appeal. The special angle unique to this series of books is the way they accompany the reader on a month-long journey with a favourite saint or writer.
    £7.99
    £7.99
  • £8.95

    In Search of Julian of Norwich

    In Search of Julian of Norwich is a spiritual detective story. Who was Julian? Why has she suddenly become so famous? Why did her writings disappear for centuries? Why is everyone reading them today?This fascinating illustrated exploration of Julian's world - her city, her century, and her remarkable book, the first written by a woman in English - uncovers the clues to the exciting mystery that is Julian. Those who have already encountered her through the tantalising short extracts from her writing in the best-selling Enfolded in Love will be delighted that Sheila Upjohn, who made the lively translation, has now included longer passages in this perceptive analysis of Julian's life, her writing and her relevance to the world today.
    £8.95
    £8.95
  • £8.99

    Julian of Norwich: A Very Brief History

    Over six hundred years ago a woman known as Julian of Norwich wrote what is now regarded as one of the greatest works of literature in English. Based on a sequence of mystical visions she received in 1373, her book is called Revelations of Divine Love. Julian lived through an age of political and religious turmoil, as well as through the misery of the Black Death, and her writing engages with timeless questions about life, love and the meaning of suffering. But who was Julian of Norwich? And what can she teach us today? Medievalist and TV historian Janina Ramirez invites you to join her in exploring Julian's remarkable life and times, offering insights into how and why her writing has survived, and what we can learn from this fourteenth-century mystic whose work lay hidden in the shadows of her male contemporaries for far too long
    £8.99
    £8.99
  • £5.95

    Poverty – Simplicity – Joy: Stories of St Francis and his Companions for Everyone

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    Occasionally in the Church some spirit is raised up who proves to have a universal significance that endures through the ages. Such a one was Francis of Assisi, whose life continues to inspire countless thousands of Christians, and even people of other faiths and none. When the present pope chose the name Francis, the Church thrilled with a sense of something new, radical, focused on Jesus and the poor. The name Francis alone symbolizes a way of life that challenges and offers hope. It returns us to the basic message of Christianity, the love that is ever ancient, ever new, and demands a response on our part. Francis was born in 1182. It was the era of the crusades, which heralded enormous changes in the Christian West. During his lifetime Francis himself was to go to the East, not as a fighting Crusader, but as one who wanted to bring peace through dialogue and understanding. It was also a new era of lay holiness. There was a reaction to the wealth of the Church and its distance from the ordinary person. People flocked to the growing cities, but for most it was a life of misery and squalor. They were uprooted from the land they had lived on for years, and there was little provision in urban areas for their spiritual welfare or material well-being.
    £5.95
    £5.95
  • £5.95

    The Cloud of Unknowing for Everyone

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    In this adaptation of a classic 'how to' book of contemplative prayer, beautifully and simply expressed and illustrated, the riches of contemplative prayer are made available to all. Those who find this way of praying natural for them and those who wish to discover hitherto unknown facets of the beauty of prayer can alike find in it real spiritual nourishment.
    £5.95
    £5.95
  • £9.99

    The Love That Made Saint Teresa

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    Part biography and part spiritual reading, this book brings to light little-known stories from Mother Teresa's life that will help you to grow in your love of God. You will learn her approach to reading Scripture, what enabled her to persevere through agonizing nights, and the remarkable -- some would say mystical -- events that led her to start the Missionaries of Charity.In considering Mother Teresa, her private visions, and her secret sufferings, David Scott has discovered scores of early episodes and chance encounters that point to later, larger meanings. These remarkable patterns, he suggests, show that Mother Teresa's life was choreographed from above, as if a divine script had been written for her from before her birth.In these pages, you will meet for the first time the Mother Teresa who challenged the ancient Goddess of Death and became the first saint of our global village. You will read as she describes, in long-secret letters, the dark night of her soul. The woman you will meet is one that God himself sent to you as a clear sign that despite pain and suffering in our lives and in our world, God's good love will prevail ...beginning in what she called the slums of our hearts. We are all called to holiness, and the saints are sent to us as real-life examples of God's love. With Mother Teresa as your guide, you'll learn how to follow God's call and find holiness in a world marked by the shadow of death and growing indifference to God. Indeed, you'll learn how to be an everyday missionary of Christ's love in the ordinary activities of your daily life.
    £9.99
    £9.99
  • £12.99

    Living With the Mind of Christ: mindfulness in Christian spirituality

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    Through the teachings of Jesus, and Christian mystics such as St Augustine and Meister Eckhart, Stefan Gillow Reynolds demonstrates that the practice of Mindfulness leading to silent meditation, recommended by many therapists, is not a modern fad but has always had a place within contemplative Christianity.
    £12.99
    £12.99
  • £9.50

    To Love as God Loves: conversations with the early church

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    'Being a Christian means learning to love with God's love.  But God's love is not a warm feeling in the pit of the stomach.  It has definite characteristics we learn in the course of our life, in the behaviour and teaching of the early monastics, as we ponder over what we can say about how God deals with us, and finally, as we model our own lives on what we have learned.'
    £9.50
    £9.50
  • £11.95

    Lectio Matters: before the burning bush

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    In Lectio Matters, respected spiritual guide Sr. Meg Funk  accompanies the reader in explorong different levels of lectio divina as taught by the ancient church writers and by sharing her long experience.  By means of this wisdom both old and new, lectio divina can become our burning bush, a real encounter with the living God, in which we take off our sandals and bow low to the ground.
    £11.95
    £11.95
  • £14.50

    Discernment Matters: listening with the ear of the heart

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    Discernment Matters is a resource for those who want to learn and practice discernment as taught by the early monastic tradition.  it includes an accessible summary of teachings about discernment  from monastic traditions of late antiquity, consideration of important tools for making decisions today and practical examples from the lives of St. Benedict and St. Patrick, as well as the experience of monastics today. With this fifth volume of the Matters Series, Sr Meg Funk completes one of the most comprehensive  presentations of the spiritual life available today, demonstrating why this inner work is both necessary and such a joy.
    £14.50
    £14.50
  • £5.00

    Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s New Monasticism: A Central Influence

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    This booklet, by Trevor Miller, looks at the ways in which Dietrich Bonhoeffer has been an influence on our Community. A Lutheran Pastor in the Confessing Church in Germany in the 1930s, Bonhoeffer’s early exploration of Community and New Monasticism was cut short by the Nazi regime, but his writings have lived on. In this booklet Trevor helps us to make the connections between Bonhoeffer’s life and work and our own journey as a Community.
    £5.00
    £5.00
  • £8.99

    Unearthly Beauty: Through Advent with the Saints

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    This warm-hearted book is for those of us who enter Advent longing for spiritual sustenance to balance the worldly charms of the Christmas season. Jesus' arrival in poverty and vulnerability provoked feelings of unease, as well as expectation and hope... How will we keep the faith as Christians called to live distinctively in an age of anxiety? Magdalen Smith believes we can be inspired by people from the past – those whose names are familiar or less so – whom the Church calls 'saints'. In these wide-ranging devotions, full of contemporary stories and enjoyable cultural allusions, she introduces 24 characters who manifest a mysterious dynamic... and enable us to glimpse holiness in a new way.
    £8.99
    £8.99
  • £9.99

    Followers of the Way: Ancient discipleship for modern Christians

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    One of the most pressing issues in today's church is encouraging people to become true and effective disciples of Jesus Christ. If, in simple terms, discipleship is about connecting more deeply with God and connecting God with the whole of life, Simon Reed argues, we're looking at a life-long process for which we require long-term skills rather than short-term courses. The Celtic and Desert Christians, drawing on Old and New Testament practices, taught and modelled how to do this through the practice of living by a Way of Life. By drawing together today's need for disciples and Celtic Christianity, Followers of the Way inspires authentic Christian discipleship for the contemporary world.
    £9.99
    £9.99
  • £8.99

    Creating Community: Ancient Ways for Modern Churches

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    There is much talk today of 'new ways of being church' and 'new monastic spirituality'. As Simon Reed explored the Celtic roots of the Christian faith, in community with others who drew inspiration from our spiritual ancestors in the British Isles, he came to realise that the third-millennium church has much in common with the first-millennium church and, more importantly, much to learn from it. In Creating Community, he introduces us to a new but at the same time very old way of being church which is based upon three core elements: A Way of Life, a network of Soul Friends, and a rhythm of prayer. The book shows how the rediscovery of these elements by Christians today offers a vital key that opens up an ancient way for modern churches, one that not only helps to bring believers to lasting maturity but creates genuine and much-needed community in an increasingly fragmented world.
    £8.99
    £8.99
  • Sold out
    £13.99

    The Artist’s Rule: nurturing your creative soul with monastic wisdom

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    , nature, solitude, artists, creativity The Artist's Rule: Nurturing Your Creative Soul with Monastic Wisdom by Christine Valters Paintner, author of Water, Wind, Earth, and Fire, invites readers to discover and develop their creative gifts in a spirit of prayer and reflection. This twelve-week course draws on the insights and practices of Benedictine spirituality to explore the interplay between contemplation and creativity. Sumarised in the phrase 'pray and work,' The Rule of St. Benedict provides the inspiration for Christine Valters Paintner's newest exploration of the mutually nourishing relationship between contemplative practices and creative expression. Artists of all stripes and stations in life - poets or painters, potters or photographers - will discover how traditions of Benedictine, Celtic, and desert spirituality can offer new sources of inspiration for their work. Themes like 'Sacred Tools and Sacred Space', 'Creative Solitude and Community,' and 'Nature as a Source of Revelation and Inspiration' are enriched by Paintner's perceptive discussion and enhanced by insightful quotations from well-known artists and writers. Ideally formatted for faith sharing groups and parish retreats, this guide offers suggestions for grounding both the creative and the spiritual life through three basic practices: walking, lectio divina, and journaling. The Artist's Rule is supplemented with online resources, including guided meditation podcasts, video lessons, and discussions.
    £13.99
    £13.99
  • Sold out
    £10.99

    Praying with the Desert Mothers

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    The fourth- and fifth-century desert mothers lived the earliest forms of Christian life in the Mediterranean region. Until now, their lives have been little known outside of academic circles, Praying with the Desert Mothers presents the stories and insights of these remarkable spiritual elders, who were known as ammas; that is, women of spiritual insight and direction. The book draws on the wisdom of ancient spiritual practices to provide reflection for prayer and meditation today.
    £10.99
    £10.99
  • Franciscan Spirituality
    Franciscan Spirituality
    £15.99

    Franciscan Spirituality: Following St Francis Today

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    What is special about the spirituality of St Francis? Can it be possible for ordinary men and women today, with family, jobs, and other responsibilities, to follow in the way of a thirteenth-century friar? Brother Ramon, an Anglican Franciscan Friar, shows us that Franciscan spirituality is as compelling and relevant today as ever. It is marked by spontaneity and emotional freedom, by openness to every human being and love for the natural world. It treasures both the evangelical and the catholic nature of the gospel. It is rooted in a biblical faith and in reverence for the whole of creation. Franciscan Spirituality introduces us to the world of Francis and his first followers and shows how their excitement and wonder at Jesus alive in their midst can still be recaptured. The book is illustrated throughout by Molly Dowell  
    £15.99
    £15.99
  • £15.99

    The Way of the Heart

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    The words flee, be silent and pray summarise the spirituality of the desert. They indicate the three ways of preventing the world from shaping us in its image and are thus the three ways to life in the Spirit.' How can Christians live as God wants in today's world? Henri Nouwen seeks his answer from an unlikely source - the example of the fifth-century Egyptian Desert Fathers and Mothers. Their experience in the desert taught them that true Christian living in possible only if we find a place in our lives for solitude, silence and prayer. The Way of the Heart in a perfect book for prayerful meditation. Compassionate yet challenging, it will enable us not only to appreciate the teaching of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, but to apply it to our daily lives.
    £15.99
    £15.99
  • £9.99

    The Heart of Creation: Meditation: a way of setting God free in the world

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    In the spirituality of the desert fathers and mothers, the Benedictine monk, John Main, discovered a tradition of contemplative prayer he believed could re-energise the Church in prayer and restore its capacity to communicate a sense of wonder at the heart of creation. In his teachings on prayer, the contemplative power of early Christianity, which for centuries has been diverted to dogmatic issues and institutional structures, is once again released. The contemplative experience is simply pure attention to God in the present moment. A way of prayer that is totally simple, it invites you to set aside your own thoughts, feelings and perceptions and to let God be God. In silent contemplation, relating to God becomes more than thought, dialogue or contractualy bargaining. Instead of questioning, we awaken to the basic relationship of life which determines all other relationships, with others and with ourselves. In a busy and frenetic world, it enables us to discover redemptive, healing silence.
    £9.99
    £9.99
  • Totally Devoted
    Totally Devoted
    £6.25

    Totally Devoted

    The challenge of new monasticism by Simon Cross In this challenging and informative book, Simon Cross sets out some of the context for the concepts of monasticism and ‘religious life’, and explores how some groups in the UK today are imitating the monastic and religious traditions. Here, Simon shows us communities and groups which all, in widely different ways, live as new monastics; they may be on farms, or on a council estate; they may be living together, or widely dispersed, they may be of one church, or from a variety of denominations, they may have banded together around a cause, or for the single purpose of seeking God. However they choose to live these dynamic new monastics are carrying on the tradition of their forebears, in a way fitting for the twenty-first century.
    £6.25
    £6.25
  • Sold out
    £15.99

    The Forgotten Desert Mothers

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    An introduction to the sayings, lives and stories of early Christian women. "Written in clear, heartfelt language, this book does two things beautifully. It revives lost memories of women leaders in the early evolution of Christian spirituality, thus filling in one more missing piece of women's history. And it calls the reader to a path of spirituality sorely needed in today's clamorous world: slow down, be quiet, listen for the voice of God deep within your heart. The book's attractiveness is enhanced by a time line, ordination rite, glossary and calendar of feasts in addition to notes and bibliography. Altogether an appealing contribution."

    - Elizabeth Johnson, C.S.J.  Fordham University

    £15.99
    £15.99
  • Finding Sanctuary
    Finding Sanctuary
    £9.99

    Finding Sanctuary: Monastic Steps for Everyday Life

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    In this inspirational and practical book, Abbot Christopher Jamison, from Worth Abbey, outlines the wisdom of St Benedict and suggests how it can be applied to life outside the monastery. He speaks especially to those who are not sure what they believe but are looking for ways to find spiritual space and peace in the busy, and often confusing, modern world.
    £9.99
    £9.99
  • Finding Happiness
    Finding Happiness
    £8.99

    Finding Happiness: Monastic Steps for a Fulfilling Life

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    Our obsession with seeking happiness through consumption and pleasure often leads to very little fulfillment. In this accessible and engaging book, Abbot Christopher Jamison encourages alternative approaches to our view of happiness. He turns to monastic wisdom and Benedictine tradition to offer answers to the eternal question: what does it mean to be truly happy? He also looks in turn at the demons that make us unhappy, providing guidance and generous insight on our search for contentment.
    £8.99
    £8.99
  • £15.99

    The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

    The Sayings of the Desert Fathers – The Alphabetical Collection Translated by Benedicta Ward, SLG The fourth-century ascetic flight to the desert indelibly marked Christianity. The faithful who did not embrace the austerity of the desert admired those who did and sought them out for counsel and consolation. The ‘words’ the monks gave were collected and passed around among those too far away or too feeble to make the trek themselves – or lived generations later. Previously available only in fragments, these Sayings of the Desert Fathers are now accessible in its entirety in English for the first time. ‘We have a great deal to learn from their integrity and their unrelenting courage, from their vision of God – so holy, so great, possessed of such a love, that nothing less than one’s whole being could respond to it,’ wrote Archbishop Anthony of Sourzah in the preface. ‘If we wish to understand the sayings of the Fathers, let us approach them with veneration, silencing our judgments and our own thoughts in order to meet them on their own ground and perhaps to partake ultimately – if we prove to emulate their earnestness in the search, their ruthless determination, their infinite compassion – in their own silent communion with God.’
    £15.99
    £15.99
  • The Wisdom of the Desert
    The Wisdom of the Desert
    £13.00

    The Wisdom of the Desert

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    The Wisdom of the Desert was one of Thomas Merton's favourites among his own books - surely because he had hoped to spend his last years as a hermit. The personal tone of the translations, the blend of reverence and humour so characteristic of him, show how deeply Merton identified with the legendary authors of these sayings and parables, the fourth century Christian Fathers who sought solitude and contempation in the deserts of the Near East. The hermits of Scete who turned their backs on a corrupt society remarkably like our own had much in common with the Zen Masters of China and Japan, and Father Merton made his selection from them with an eye to the kind of impact produced by the Zen mondo.
    £13.00
    £13.00
  • £4.00

    Seven Sacred Spaces

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    George Lings spent an extended time with us at the Northumbria Community in 2009 and during this and other visits and studies brought together some key thinking about healthy communities. During his stay he facilitated a teaching and discussion weekend around this and other topics and it was during this weekend that George admits he added the seventh sacred space - the chapter house. What makes a healthy Christian community? George Lings, director of Church Army's Research Unit, believes we have much to learn from monastic communities.
    £4.00
    £4.00
  • £1.00

    Matching Monastery and Mission

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    George Lings 'accompanied' the Community during 2005 (as part of 'Building Bridges of Hope') and has written this very helpful exploration of where the Northumbria Community fits into the 'fresh expressions of church' scene today. He examines particularly the Community's balance between the interior life ('monastery') and its outward expression (mission'). George Lings concludes: If the need today is for deep people then here is the portal to inner attentiveness in following Jesus and the painful but liberation process of being transformed by Him.' This booklet is part of the Encounters on the Edge series. A downloadable PDF version of the booklet is also available.
    £1.00
    £1.00
  • Living on the Border
    Living on the Border
    £12.99

    Living on the Border: Reflections on the Experience of Threshold

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    There is a traditional saying of ancient wisdom: 'A threshold is a sacred thing. In some places of the world, in some traditional cultures and in monastic life, this is still remembered. It is something, however, that we often forget today. To take time to pause at a threshold - be it a place, or a moment between one action and the next - is to show reverence for the handling of space and time, and respect for those who we meet. Pausing allows us to let go of all the demands and expectations of the previous activity, and to prepare for the encounter with another. Esther de Waal explores what this ancient wisdom has to teach us about our public lives in the world today.
    £12.99
    £12.99
  • Silence and Honey Cakes
    Silence and Honey Cakes
    £7.99

    Silence and Honey Cakes

    Silence and Honey Cakes – The Wisdom of the Desert by Rowan Williams In Silence and Honey Cakes, Rowan Williams returns to the desert fathers and mothers of the fourth and fifth centuries, revealing a spirituality that resonates strongly with aspects of the modern spiritual search. Drawing on their stories and sayings, he reflects on questions such as: How can we discover the truth about ourselves? How do we live in relationship with others? What does the desert say about our priorities? How can we create a fearless community?
    £7.99
    £7.99
  • Seize the Day
    Seize the Day
    £13.99

    Seize the Day

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    Dietrich Bonhoeffer's faith-driven resistance to the Nazis during World War II resulted in his execution. Multitudes have been inspired by the hauntingly powrful words of this man who was willing to die for his convictions. In this collection of 365 meditations Dr Charles Ringma allows us to experience the power of Bonhoeffer's words in a way that challenges us to live out our discipleship daily - combining personal spirituality with an active concern for those around us. These daily meditations on Bonhoeffer's writings may make you uncomfortable. But if you are willing to wrestle - as Bonhoeffer did - with what it means to be a follower of Christ, you'll be empowered to seize each day.
    £13.99
    £13.99
  • The Seven Story Mountain
    £21.00

    The Seven Storey Mountain

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    The complete and unedited edition of Thomas Merton's famous autobiography, one of the greatest works of spiritual pilgrimage ever written. Thomas Merton (1915 - 1968) was a Trappist monk, writer, peace and civil rights activist.
    £21.00
    £21.00
  • £13.99

    Life Together

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    Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the now famous theologian who was martyred by the Nazis in 1945, wrote this book on the eve of World War II. It resulted from his experience as head of a semiary of the German 'Confessing Church' at Finkenwalde near Stettin. Here many of the pastors who witnessed against Hitler received their inspiration. It was, as Professor John D. Godsey points out in his study of The Theology of Deitrich Bonhoeffer, 'a kind of theological education that was startlingly new in Germany: a communal life in which Jesus Christ's call to discipleship was taken seriously.' Professor Godsey calls Life Together 'simply written, powerfully convincing and unusually quotable...It is an attempt to give practical guidance to those who want to take their lives as Christians seriously.'
    £13.99
    £13.99