Gestures of God: Explorations in Sacramentality

(Paperback)

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This important new collection of essays on a topic of vital importance is by a group of scholars from ten countries, from a wide range of Christian traditions, East and West, and from various academic disciplines. What has happened to sacramentality in an age which is on the one hand visual and on the other culturally cast adrift from the traditional symbolic universe in which sacramental theology was naturally at home This book is not just confined to a discussion of Eucharistic theology. It examines both the historical roots of sacramentality, the concept of a sacral person, ways in which sacramentality may be re-envisioned and the flourishing roday of churches of a largely non-sacramental style in an age which is increasingly visual rather than verbal. The vital importance of the subject of this book is confirmed by the distinction of the contributorsDavid Brown (Professor of Theology at Durham University), Timothy Jenkins (Cambridge), Bishop Geoffrey Rowell (Oxford), Jeremy Begbie (St. Andrews and Cambridge), Ann Loades (Durham), David N. Power (Catholic University of America), Sven-Erik Brodd (Uppsala), Peter Bouteneff (St. Vladimir's Seminary, New York) and Susan A. Ross (Loyola University, Chicago).

Reviews

"This is not the easiest of reads and is certainly not bed time reading, for the quality of the contributors and the importance of the subject make it a book that repays an investment of time." -Church of Ireland Gazette, Leslie Stevenson, 11th February 2005
'In 2003 an international ecumenical consultation under the heading 'Sacrament and Sacramentality' was held at Windsor, England. This book brings together the papers read on that occasion and makes them available to a wider public.' ~ Raymond Moloney, SJ, Irish Theological Quarterly -- Raymond Moloney, SJ * Irish Theological Quarterly *
"Several of the articles deserve comment...Not only do they affirm the importance of transcendence and an experience of the divine in liturgical celebration buy they also seek to draw out the implications of liturgy for Christian life in the world...They have written well about the relationship between worship and ethics." -Worship, March 2005 * Library Journal *
'In almost every chapter there are things to ponder and often new insights. I am already recommending this book to students in the hope that it will deepen their understanding of the nature of sacraments and also help those for sacraments are not currently a key feature in their spirituality to appreciate and appropriate them...this is a much needed book and it deserves to be widely read.'~ Charles Read, Theology, 1 May 2006 -- Charles Read * Theology *
"Several of the articles deserve comment...Not only do they affirm the importance of transcendence and an experience of the divine in liturgical celebration buy they also seek to draw out the implications of liturgy for Christian life in the world...They have written well about the relationship between worship and ethics." -Worship, March 2005 * Worship *

Author Bio

Geoffrey Rowell is Bishop of Europe and former Bishop of Basingstoke. The Revd Dcn Christine Hall is Director of the Bishop Otter Centre for Theology and Ministry, University College Chichester.