Christopher Cocksworth

Now in its tenth year, Reflections for Daily Prayer is a highly valued daily Bible companion based on the Common Worship Lectionary. Each day, Monday to Saturday, some of the very best writers from across the Anglican tradition offer insightful, informed and inspiring reflections on one of the day’s readings for Morning Prayer. Their reflections will appeal to anyone who values both the companionship of daily Bible notes and the structure of the Lectionary. For every day (excluding Sundays) of the 2017/18 church year, there are full references and a quotation from the day’s set of Scripture readings, a concise but challenging commentary on the readings and a collect. In addition, the book includes a simple order for morning and night prayer, an introduction to the practice of daily prayer by Bishop John Pritchard and a guide to reading the Bible reflectively by Bishop Stephen Cottrell.

Reflections on the Psalms provides insightful commentary on each of the Psalms from the same experienced team of writers that have made Reflections for Daily Prayer so popular. It offers inspiring and undated reflections on all 150 psalms, with longer psalms split into parts in accordance with the Lectionary. Each reflection is accompanied by its corresponding Psalm refrain and prayer from the Common Worship Psalter, making this a valuable resource for personal or devotional use. Specially written introductions by Paula Gooder and Steven Croft explore the Psalms and the Bible and the Psalms in the life of the Church.

This important book on priestly identity embraces the many contemporary varieties of priestly ministry: male and female, paid and unpaid, parish and work–based, catholic, evangelical, charismatic. Examining the “root,” the “shape,” and the “fruit” of priestly identity, On Being a Priest Today is essential reading for priests, priests in training, and everyone considering the ministry. Part One “roots” a priest’s human and church life in the theological convictions derived from the Christian understanding of God as being for and with others. Part Two explores the “shape” of priestly life in relation to worship, word, and prayer, each supported by the three key virtues of love, faith, and hope. Part Three examines the “fruit” of priestly life by focusing on three fundamental features of priestly identity: holiness, reconciliation, and blessing. With its applicability to various denominations, this exciting book offers welcome new perspectives on what it means to be a priest today.

Whether through suspicion or ignorance, serious consideration of what Mary can teach us has been lacking in large swathes of the church for some time. Drawing on careful biblical exegesis, church history and ecumenical thinking, this book suggests how a serious understanding of Mary might influence our ethical thought, and considers some of the key theological tensions at the heart of the church’s engagement with Mary.

When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, 'What are you looking for?' They said to him, 'Rabbi . . . where are you staying?' He said to them, 'Come and see.' John 1.38 39 'Come and see.' That is Jesus' invitation: courteous and confident, welcoming but not overpowering, full of grace and truth. It is the gospel in three words. The two disciples - Andrew was one of them - came and saw. They stayed with Jesus for a day and they liked what they saw. Andrew then went searching for his brother, Simon, and told him, 'We have found the Messiah.' Andrew took Simon to Jesus who (says John) 'looked at him'. . . This dynamic of seeing Jesus and being seen by him was transformative . . . They were never the same again. They became Jesus' disciples, people who spent time with him, getting to know him better and learning to see the world differently, as Jesus sees it. Those are three dimensions of seeing that will run through . . . this book: seeing Jesus, being seen by him and seeing things the way Jesus sees them.' From Chapter 1: What do you see?