Cathedrals today face a paradox: on the one hand they represent one of the biggest success stories and mission opportunities of the present-day church; on the other they face seemingly insurmountable financial difficulties, and are largely left by the church and government to fend for themselves.Many—both within and outside the church—argue that cathedrals are an irrelevance. But cathedrals are one area of the church’s life where increasingly the unchurched and the half-believer en...

Rudyard Kipling’s poem, Eddi’s Service, from which this book takes its title, is a set of verses put into the mouth of Eddius Stephanus, St Wilfrid’s earliest biographer. Set in the tiny chapel at Manhood End, close to Selsey Bill, it tells of a dedicated priest persevering with a midnight celebration despite appalling weather, and with just a donkey and bullock as his companions. Reflecting the challenges of the seventh-century missions to Britain and Ireland, it captures somethi...

A guide to over 60 of Britain's most notable abbeys and monasteries.Taking you on a journey that has inspired pilgrims and visitors for centuries, Abbeys and Priories of Britain is the perfect introduction to some of the country's oldest and most beautiful religious centres.The guide will take you from the wilds of the Isle of Iona in Scotland and Iona Abbey to Tintern Abbey in the beautiful Wye Valley in Wales, to the pomp and circumstance of Wes...

Northumberland, one of the most sparsely-populated counties in England, with unique features like the Holy Island of Lindisfarne and Hadrian’s Wall, was also a crucible of European civilization and remains a treasury of culture. Giving birth to railways worldwide through George Stephenson, it saw the beginnings of hydraulics, hydro-electricity and turbines and, with Joseph Swan, witnessed the earliest light from electric incandescent lamps; it was a laboratory of invention.Northumb...

Since its earliest days, Christians have travelled as pilgrims to religious sites and holy places. In recent years pilgrimages to major and minor places associated with the Christian faith have become increasingly popular.Pilgrims explores the meaning of pilgrimage as part of the Church’s tradition and also in the lives of individual Christians. Each chapter focuses on a particular place of pilgrimage within Britain and Ireland, such as Canterbury, Lindisfarne and Kildare,...

For centuries the great religious buildings of Great Britain have inspired and fascinated pilgrims and visitors from around the world. The beauty and diversity of British ecclesiastical architecture is superbly captured in this guide to over 60 of Britain's finest cathedrals.This definitive guide contains over 130 magnificent colour photographs that capture the enduring appeal of these great monuments to the Christian tradition.Extended entries are included on Durham Cathed...

Liturgy forms both individuals and the community in the faith and life of the Christian gospel. Animating Liturgy invites you to consider the liturgical offering which stands at the heart of the Christian faith. It brings together essays by liturgist Stephen Platten which take us in three main directions:the sacraments, their history and their celebrationliturgical history, study and practicegeneral theological, practical and ethical aspects of li...

When Barack Obama praised the writings of philosopher theologian Reinhold Niebuhr in the run up to the 2008 US Presidential Elections, he joined a long line of top politicians who closely engaged with Niebuhr's ideas, including Tony Benn, Jimmy Carter, Martin Luther King Jr. and Dennis Healey. Beginning with his early ministry amongst industrial workers in early twentieth century Detroit, Niebuhr displayed a passionate commitment to social justice that infused his life's work. Rigorously c...

The Cotswolds is a region in the west of England famed for its wonderful scenery and gorgeous villages. This book is out of the ordinary because it describes in depth a selection of the most interesting places, many of which are unknown except to the conoscenti. Written by a long time resident and acknowledged expert in the area, it is the only written companion you need if you really want to understand the history and significance of a place that is easily accessible from London and which...

Oxford is identified with its university, and the university has certainly played a huge role in shaping the town. But the history of Oxford is much more than just a footnote to its colleges. The town was already old when the first scholars gathered there, and it has seen many major non-academic milestones, such as the founding of the hugely influential Morris works at Cowley by Lord Nuffield. Secret Oxford explores town and gown, the little-known facts as well as the well-known ones, and ...

From medieval Carlingford in Louth to Blarney Castle in Cork, discover the top 100 places to visit in Ireland's Ancient East. Wander through time at sites such as Clonmacnoise, Newgrange and the Rock of Cashel, as well as at hidden gems like Athassel Priory in Tipperary, Loughcrew Passage Tombs in Meath and Heywood Gardens in Laois. From dolmens to round towers, Anglo-Norman castles to historic gardens, over 5,000 years of Ireland's history, heritage, archaeology and folklore are waiting t...

This illustrated Travel Guide is a part of the Mobi Sights series, our concise guides that only feature the most essential information on city attractions. This guide is designed for optimal navigation on eReaders, smartphones, and other mobile electronic devices. Inside you will find a locator map and a list of top attractions linked to individual articles. Addresses, telephones, hours of operation and admissions information are included. The guide also features an itiner...