Books of 2010

1. 50 things you need to know about British History - not yet finished
2. The Eye of the Storm - Jack Higgins.
3. Cover Up - John Francome.
4. Heretic - Bernard Cornwell.
5. Rough Justice - Jack Higgins.
6. Cross Country - James Patterson.
7. Run For Your Life - James Patterson.

Jack Higgins' novels tend to be trashy action/thrillers, but they can be read quickly (i.e. within one day of commuting and a lunch hour) which is helpful.
Heretic was quite good, lots of attention to detail, which I liked. Even though it was *yet another* Grail-related story, it was enjoyable.
I'm getting a bit tired of James Patterson's Alex Cross novels. They tend to be a bit formulaic once you've read a few. I do like his new series though, the Detective Michael Bennett series, of which 'Run For Your Life' is the second. Still relatively fresh and new.

Books: Total Church - Tim Chester and Steve Timmis

Now that I have got over my uncomfortableness (is that a word?) about writing in books, I'm finding it much easier to read books critically (as I can now write exclamation marks in the margin!). I can also annotate comments next to paragraphs which are particularly interesting.
One of the first books to be subjecting to my scribblings is "Total Church - a radical reshaping around gospel and community" by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis.

The blurb on the back is as follows:
"Total Churchpleads for two key principles for church and mission. First, the gospel as content: being word-centred (for the gospel is truth) and being mission-centred (for the gospel is truth to be proclaimed). Secondly, the community as context: sharing our lives as Christians and offering a place of belonging to unbelievers.

The authors apply these principles to church planting, evangelism, apologetics, social involvement, leadership, discipleship, pastoral care, world mission and notions of sccuess. They critique current trends within the church: emerging church movements are strong on community but weak on truth, while conservative evangelicalism is strong on truth but weak on community. Their call is a call for the best of both"

The Oath of Canonical Obedience - Gerald Bray

I've just finished reading the above. It is a slim volume published by the Latimer Trust (Latimer Studies 58).
It seems to present the arguments (with which I am admittedly unfamiliar) quite clearly.
In the Introduction GB argues that the main issues currently debated are:
- the principle of obedience - does this apply to the relationship between a bishop and the clergy in his diocese?
- the concept of an oath - is an oath the best or most Scriptural way of achieving 'canonical obedience' (should such a thing be desirable)
- the relationship of a bishop to the rest of the clergy - is the epsicopate a distinct and 'superior' order in the church or is it inappropriate for describing different patterns of Christian ministry?
- the applicability of the current canons - can the canons be applied today in a coherent and sensible manner.

Following chapters therefore as follows:
* Obedience
* Oaths
* The rights and duties of a bishop
* The current applicability of the canons
* Concluding considerations