Simon Says ...

So I did it:  All six books on the Michael Ramsey Prize shortlist have been read and reviewed.  The reading was fairly constant, the reviewing was a bit rushed towards the end! The reviews are here: Faith and Struggle on Smokey Mountain Healing Forgiveness Children in the Bible Unapologetic Dementia God's Presence I've thoroughly enjoyed it.  They are a set of excellent books, and not necessarily ones I would have read otherwise.  It leaves me in very good heart regarding the health of theology written in English. But on the Sunday of Greenbelt , one and only one of the books will be declared the winner.  So I thought I'd give it a go and pick the single title that I think should win. But first, something I have noticed from previous years shortlists.  For the past two shortlists, I have found bookmarks featuring all the shortlisted titles.  On both occasions, the book in the bottom left-hand place has won. This is 2011: ...

Review of Anne Richards, Children in the Bible: A Fresh Approach (SPCK, 2013). This is the third of the shortlist for the Michael RamseyPrize , and wants to provide a new approach to working with children in the church.   She starts by reproducing a child’s question about God – ‘Who invented you?’   It’s an excellent question, which begs very deep and complex philosophical and theological issues.   Richards also offer’s the reply given by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.   She commends Williams for his ‘simplicity, generosity and directness’ (p. ix).   That the Archbishop takes the child’s question so seriously, is important.   That he tried to respond in a way that the child could engage with is equally important. Richard’s contention is that ‘children are worth God’s special attention and … are deeply woven into God’s purposes’ (p. xi).   In particular, she finds that God finds children ‘worthy o...