This unique anthology of Christian spirituality draws on the experiences and reflections of six contemporary writers. From the perspective of the late twentieth century, and from very different Christian traditions, they explore our relationship with God and with one another. Each selection begins with a brief outline biography and includes excerpts that confront a rich variety of themes: from vital social and political issues, to experiences of great personal pain and joy. -Helen Oppenheimer- Carlo-Maria Martini -Janet Martin Soskice- Jacques Pohier -Margaret Spufford- Kenneth Leech

In this first of her plays for religious broadcasting, a nativity play, Dorothy L. Sayers wanted to convince listeners of the truth that Christ was born into our deeply problematic world, in his case, in territory overrun by an army of occupation. Although framed as it were by the voices of the three 'wise men' asking whether the birth of a particular child could possibly fulfil their desires, the focus of the play is on the conflict of opinion (about roads, taxes, and so forth) expressed by those in the courtyard of the inn at Bethlehem. Joseph is given a most significant role, and it is the...

In this play, Dorothy L. Sayers addressed the crimes and problems of human life, especially those of the victors in war, in an entirely novel way, by precipitating an airman in the very moment of his death back into the company of citizens of the "City," in this case, Lichfield. The citizens range from Adam and Eve (Adam himself the inventor of the axe which kills Abel) together with other biblical characters in the history of redemption brought to new life as members of the City (e.g., Judas is a common informer). Others bear burdens of shame, toil, fear, poverty, and ingratitude. Former...

In this play, Dorothy L. Sayers reworked the legend of Faustus as a serious 'comedy, ' presenting Faustus as one who chooses wicked means as an end to an admirable goal: the relief of suffering (while becoming entirely focused on his own supposed satisfactions). In the last scene, in the Court of Heaven, Azrael, angel of the souls of the dead, claims Faustus' soul, opposing Mephistopheles' claim. With the knowledge of good and evil returned to him, Faustus finally accepts that his evil must be cleansed, with Mephistopheles serving as the agent of that purgation. Faustus accepts his need for...

Dorothy L. Sayers took her inspiration from a monk's account of the fire of 1174, and the subsequent rebuilding of Canterbury Cathedral Quire. She portrays William of Sens, the chosen architect, as eaten away by pride in his splendid work, unable to give glory to God for his achievement. Enacted in the presence of a group of graciously influential archangels, the play reveals the carelessness of some of the monks, resulting in the terrifying fall that cripples William. His agony brings him to repentance and gratitude before God, and finally to the renunciation of his role, leaving the...

A brief Prologue by the Church introduces the career of Constantine (from AD 305-337) with scenes from the empires of both west and east, concentrating on Constantines progress to imperial power and inevitably in religious belief. He discovers Christ to be the God who has made him his earthly vice-regent as single Emperor. Summoning the Council of Nicaea in 325, an invigorating debate results in the acceptance of Constantines formula that Christ is of one substance with God. The implications of the Creed of Nicaea are revealed in the last part of the play in which it is Constantines mother,...

Austin Farrer was part of the mid-20th century group of 'Oxford Christians', which included C S Lewis, J R R Tolkien, and Dorothy Sayers. He believed that after all the argument, analysis and sifting of evidence, the purpose of theology was to show how to live and how to love. This title provides an introduction to the life and writings of Farrer.

This reader brings together carefully selected material from a wide range of authors on the relationships between science, religion and theology.

It samples the recent literature on the challenges to religion posed by both modern physics and evolutionary biology as well as exploring the relationship between scientific and theological approaches.

Topics include models of interaction between science and religion, historical reflections on the "conflict thesis," scientific and theological methods, creation and modern cosmology, uncertainty and chaos, creationism and...