Essential Monastic Wisdom - Writings on the Contemplative Life

by Hugh Feiss OSB, with a forward by Kathleen Norris author of ‘The Cloister Walk’, paperback, Harper San Francisco, 1999, ISBN 006 062482 5, £11.99

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Here is a splendid distillation of monastic writings arranged by topic and prefaced by introductory essays. The quotations in each chapter are presented in chronological order, and there are excellent sketches of the various authors at the back of the book.

Since it is assembled with lay people very much in mind I submit that it will be a great support and guide for novices to whom early writings can be pretty daunting. A must for any monastery library and a useful manual for an oblate.
- MJ

Science & Theology - an introduction

by John Polkinghorne KBE, paperback, SPCK, ISBN 0281 051763, £10.99

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John Polkinghorne ahs been writing books exploring the fronties between science and religious belief since the early 80s and this is his most recent publication and certainly hsi finest. As I was reading the final chapters of the book it was a joy to read in the ‘Tablet’ (16 March 2002, p36) that he has been awarded the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion.

A key issue which he faces squarely is that ‘generally speaking the single voice of science contrasts markedly with the discordant voices of relgions’; that ‘there is increasing recognition that the interaction of science and theology cannot continue satisfactorily without giving serious consideration to the issue of religious diversity.’

In breif, he stronlgy recommends the ‘bottom-up’ approach of scientific habits of thought - seeking understanding by moving from experience to interpretation. Is this where Lectio Divina has a part to play by conferring wisdom rather than self-knowledge?

A most exciting book with excellent bibliography and most relevant to the proflems of our world today - but it does require concentration
-MJ [back to top]

Learning to Dance

by Michael Mayne, paperback, DLT, 2001, 0232 52434 3, £9.95

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Another spirit-lifting book from the author of ‘This Sunrise of Wonder’ previously recommended on this page.

His theme is the dance of Life - of the life he personally has lived through. ‘This is how it was for me; was it also like this for you?’ - a life explored month by month through the dancing universe from the dance of the cosmos to the dance of DNA and perhaps most important of all, the dance of the bad tiems, of darkness.

It is a superb antidote to the cynicism of our age in a fascinating journey through the treasures of nature - his wealth of literary references - well annotated.

I would have recommended this book very stronly for Lenten reading had I been less idle! -MJ [back to top]

Benedict’s Dharma
Buddhists reflect on the Rule of St Benedict

(includes a complete translation of St Benedict’s Rule by Abbot Patrick Barry OSB - 1977), Riverhead Books, New York, 125 pp, hardback, ISBN 1-57322-190-2,  £15.99 approx. from Amazon at present.

This is a perfect gem of a book both in its aesthetic presentation and the unique combination of a superb modern translation and the thrills afforded to the reader by so many new aspects of the Rule popping out of ‘conversations’ between four Buddhists.

The deep symbolic nature of the dust-cover struck me between the eyes when I received this book less than two weeks after 11th September. The Holy Spirit is busy in ways that are only too evident in the common ground between Buddhists and Christians that this book points up.

This book a real must, even if the reader has time only to read the very first chapter entitled ‘The Trellis’. In fact, I feel compelled to quote the first paragraph: “The root meaning of the Latin and Greek words translated as ‘rule’ is ‘trellis’. St Benedict was not promulgating rules for living, he was establishing a framework on which life can grow. While a branch of a plant climbing a trellis cannot go in any direction it wants, you cannot know in advance just which way it will go. The plant is finding its own path within a structure. The space in which it moves is open, though not without boundaries.”

As an ecumenical enterprise this is most exciting. One can only pray that it will fire up more and more such encounters.

Even more exciting is that a paperback version will be published in the UK for 1st July 2002, priced at (we hope) £9.99 (with the same cover!) by Continuum, who have already agreed the contract with the US publishers, Riverhead. So if you can’t afford the hardback and are able to be patient place your order now for July.   -MJ [back to top]