Books chosen and reviewed by Fiona Lloyd, Chair of the Assosiation of Christian Writers
Gifts of Grace by Jared C. Wilson
I’m writing this in mid-September, and Christmas seems a long way off (despite the fact that my local supermarket is already selling mince pies). In the same way, reading an Advent devotional in early autumn feels counter-intuitive, but I’ve found Gifts of Grace, by Jared C Wilson both thought-provoking and uplifting.
The book is designed to be started on 1 December, with the last chapter being read on Christmas Day itself. As the title suggests, Wilson has based this devotional around the theme of Christmas gifts. However, rather than looking at what we can give to others, the author examines twenty-five things that God has given us. As well as the obvious contenders such as grace and hope, Wilson also includes more complex theological ideas such as propitiation and expiation. Don’t let the lengthy words put you off, though – he does an excellent job of explaining complicated ideas in simple terms.
Appropriately enough, there is a thread of excitement and anticipation running through the pages of this book as Wilson invites us to contemplate God’s generosity. In his introduction he writes, ‘… my prayer for you is that examining the diamond of the gospel facet by facet for the next 24 days will find you on Day 25 more awestruck and joy-filled …’. The chapters are all short and easy to read and offer a welcome sense of respite from the busyness of the Advent season. If you’re looking for a new Advent devotional, I can heartily recommend this – I’m even planning to use it again myself this December.
Holy Hygge by Jamie Erickson
Holy Hygge, by Jamie Erickson, takes the Scandinavian concept of hygge and uses it to enhance our understanding of hospitality and community. Erickson notes that hygge is a hard concept to define neatly (at least within the constraints of the English language), but writes that ‘In its most unsophisticated forms, hygge is a mindset – a way of making the mundane and necessary tasks of life more meaningful and beautiful’.
This book confronts the commonly-used excuse that we are too busy to build relationships with others or to reach out to those on the fringes of our community. It also denounces the fallacy that we have to have everything just so before we can contemplate inviting other people into our home. The chapter titles – ‘Hospitality’, ‘Well-Being’, ‘Contentment’ and so on – offer a refreshing counterpoint to the frantic pace of life we see in the world. ‘Hygge,’ writes Erickson, ‘… takes things slow and envelops you in sanctuary.’
Erickson makes appropriate use of Bible extracts to explore her theme, so that the concept of hygge becomes a detailed illustration to help the reader understand Scripture (rather than the other way round, which can be an issue when the material is not carefully handled). The chapters are quite long but are broken up into smaller sections which makes the writing more accessible. There are also lots of questions, prayers and practical tips to help the reader think about how to grow Christian community. An interesting read, with plenty of gentle challenge along the way.
Everyday Activism by J W Buck
My final choice for this month is Everyday Activism, by J.W. Buck. We might think that ‘activism’ sounds like a big deal; possibly something that should be left to the experts or those with a particular calling in this area. Buck carefully – and convincingly – disabuses the reader of this notion, pointing out in his introduction that ‘Jesus mobilised ordinary people to do God’s work of justice in the world’. We all remember the famous biblical heroes of the faith such as Moses or Esther, and yet there must have been many more individuals who were faithfully seeking to bring about God’s kingdom through their everyday lives; people like us.
There are three sections to Everyday Activism. The first focuses on foundations for justice and looks at how social change happens. This part also delves deeply into the biblical mandate for Jubilee and how this should be embedded in the way we see and respond to others. The second section examines seven different practices of justice, showing how Jesus’ way is better than the world’s way. The individual chapter titles reflect this truth – ‘Love > Fear’, ‘Empowerment > Coercion’, and so on – and remind us of how the kingdom of heaven is distinct from the rules society plays by.
The chapters in these first two sections also include questions, definitions and suggested Scripture readings to help the reader understand the concepts discussed, while the third section consists of three appendices which give more practical ideas for how to develop biblical patterns of justice and jubilee. Everyday Activism is a challenging read – but definitely worth it!
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