Michael Mayne

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The noted preacher and spiritual writer Michael Mayne wrote extensively about Anglicanism's distinctive theology and ethos, and how it could help the church speak to contemporary society. This collection of his unpublished writings and lectures offers a vintage distillation of his wisdom and pastoral understanding that remains extraordinarily relevant. Michael Mayne's wisdom calls the church back to its deepest spiritual identity and purpose, exploring: • The nature of moderation and tolerance; • The influence of daily prayer; • What happens when Anglicans disagree; • Unity in Christ despite diversity in practice; • Learning from controversies.

This collection of exquisite meditations is vintage Michael Mayne. Originally given as a series of retreat addresses, it focuses on timeless aspects of spiritual experience and means of growth: • Discovering the gifts of silence • Redemption at work in human life • Seeing with the heart • Cultivating a true and proper self-regard All who enjoy Michael Mayne’s writing will delight in these previously unpublished reflections.

Alleluia is our Song draws together a collection of profound and beautiful seasonal reflections for the great fifty days from Easter Day to Pentecost, arguably the greatest season of the Church’s year. Michael Mayne was one of Anglicanism’s most compelling and attractive voices, a gifted preacher and writer whose works have remained popular. These unpublished writings come from a large archive and are offered as an inspirational resource for preaching at a time of the year when many preachers seek fresh ways of opening up familiar texts, and also for individual devotional reading.

Dust That Dreams of Glory collects together never-before-published seasonal material for Lent and Holy Week by the much-loved Anglican priest and writer Michael Mayne. Michael Mayne was one of Anglicanism’s most compelling and attractive voices, a gifted preacher and writer whose works have remained popular. This collection offers material from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday, including a sequence of seven meditations on the words of Christ from the cross. These unpublished writings are offered as both a preaching and devotional resource at a time of the year when many seek fresh ways of opening up familiar texts.

Responding to the Light draws together a collection of profound and beautiful seasonal reflections from the beginning of Advent to the end of Epiphany, by one of the finest voices in Anglican spirituality. Michael Mayne was one of Anglicanism’s most compelling and attractive voices, a gifted preacher and writer whose works have remained popular. These unpublished writings come from a large archive and are offered as an inspirational resource for preaching at a time of the year when many preachers seek fresh ways of opening up familiar texts. They are also suitable for individual devotional reading. Mark Oakley provides a forward to the collection.

With great economy and elegance, one the greatest spiritual writers of the last century writes practically, simply, briefly and beautifully about prayer. Prayer is not primarily something one does. Prayer is something that is. It is in God that we live and move and have our being. God is always in us, waiting to be released into expression. All the different techniques and ways of prayer are reminders, alerting us that every moment of our life is lived in the presence of God. Prayer is a constant, it is like a marriage, not a flirtation carried out in a series of clandestine meetings.

As Ronald Blythe writes in his Foreword, `This keenly argued book confronts today's fashionable cynicism and despair, and thus has a message for the current moment when the experience of ageing, or the environment, or of those complex skills and emotions which go into the creation of poetry or stories or music, are all distorted or ignored in favour of what is called "reality", but where the highest thought and achievement are concerned, is not at all real.'Michael Mayne is one of the greatest Anglican priest-writers. His genius was to stir the reader to sit up and see, to notice the world as if for the first time. This Sunrise of Wonder is a collection of letters written over 20 years ago for his two grandchildren, Adam and Anna, that beautifully and memorably expresses Mayne's vision of life. For him, to be human is to learn to be attentive, to recognise the mystery of people and of things. Learn how to see, he tells us, for to see is the beginning of wonder. He quotes from the poet Alastair Reid: `Amazement is the thing. Not love, but the astonishment of loving.'

‘An heroic book. Begun in health as a meditation on a lifetime’s faith and experience, it ends in mortal sickness with Michael Mayne facing death. But his courage, his humour and his tone of voice do not desert him; humbling and inspiring, it is a validation both of his faith and his humanity.’ Alan Bennett ‘A testimony to the power of faith and hope not to banish but to grow alongside pain and loss as a realisable potential of consciousness. It is a brave and moving account of one man’s effort to celebrate life at its most testing and inexplicable.’ Salley Vickers, The Times ‘Michael Mayne uses the knowledge of his approaching end to look back over his life and trace the ‘enduring melody’ which has sung through him, all his life. The melody is not arrogant or without uncertainty, but it knows that it is responding to the original music of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is the music of one individual and unrepeatable life lived in relation to God, and it will inspire its readers and hearers to listen for the enduring melody in their own lives, and begin to try to harmonise.’ Jane and Rowan Williams ‘An autobiography of dying. It was brave to write it and it needs courage to read it, but the benefits are enormous. Michael Mayne belongs to the great priest-writers. He takes on the issues of mortality, both in religion and literature, and makes us all discover what pain has taught him. It is a wonderful achievement.’ Ronald Blythe