REVIEWS

1000 YEARS OF SCOTTISH CHURCHES

Churches Built since the First World War Late nineteenth century and early twentieth century churches, 1878 to the First World War Mid nineteenth century churches: the Disruption to the Restoration of the Roman Catholic Hierarch, 1843 to 1878 Early nineteenth century churches: 1800 to the Disruption of the Church of Scotland in 1843 Eighteenth Century Churches Churches from before the Reformation to 1700

Written by: John R Hume

Published by: Stenlake

Price: £10.95 per volume

Life and Work’s columnist John Hume requires no introduction to regular readers. For more than a decade he has entertained readers with his professional knowledge, interest and insights into churches the length and breadth of Scotland. Now his wider knowledge of the architecture and history of all church buildings has been deployed in this fascinating pictorial history of Scotland’s churches.

Six volumes steer readers through the history books of Scotland’s ecclesiastical buildings history. John has visited nearly every church in Scotland and uses his wide knowledge to ofer up some of the best examples of churches – in a wide variety of locations – during each time frame.

The series would make a fascinating gift for church historians – or each volume can be enjoyed individually with images of churches from all mainstream denominations featured as the inest examples of each time period. Photographs of each church are attractively displayed and each book opens with the context of each of the periods of history summarised by the author to give a lavour of the inluences on each time period.

Many familiar buildings from within the Church of Scotland (not unsurprisingly) are among the key features of each time. The books have been produced in such a way that they can be enjoyed separately or as part of a wider collection and would be of interest to not just church historians but social historians of each featured generation.

COLLEGE VOICES

The story of Christ’s College, Aberdeen Written by: Clare Davidson

Foreword by John Swinton

Published by: Saint Andrew Press

Price: £22

This is the deinitive history of one of Scotland’s key theologicial colleges, which has been involved in the training of ministries for the Free Church, the United Free Church and the Church of Scotland. The author, the administrator of Christ’s College and the Aberdeen University Centre for Ministry Studies, has fused together a professional and personal interest to bring together the key events which shaped and inluenced the college, using its archive to chart the journey of the faculty through its 175-plus years of history to the present day. Founded as the theological faculty of the Free Church after the Disruption of 1843, it became the college of the United Free Church in 1900 before the union of 1929 and was renamed with the name it bears today in 1936.

Writing in an introduction, the Rev Professor John Swinton, Master of Christ’s College, commends the history – drawn from the college’s archive, writing: “From the very irst graduates to those of today we see a college that existed for the beneit of the students who have taken the ethos and values of College life with them all around the world.”

WALKING TO JERUSALEM

Blisters, hope and other facts on the ground Written by: Justin Butcher

Published by: Hodder and Stoughton

Price: £16.99

2017 marked a number of signiicant anniversaries in the Holy Land, including the 100thanniversary of the Balfour Declaration. To mark these anniversaries, the charity Amos Trust organised ‘The Just Walk’ a ive month journey, principally on foot but with smaller stages covered by sea for logistical reasons, from London to Jerusalem, as part of a drive calling for full equal rights for all in the Holy Land.

Butcher was among a group of around 100 walkers who took part – with nine completing the full length of the journey. This book captures the story of their pilgrimage – walking across historic routes and pathways, including the First World War battleields of France and Roman roads in Italy – blending the author’s personal relections with the history and people he encounters along the way. Some of the groups encountered are familiar to regular readers of Life and Work, others are new. Part travelogue, part journal and part relection, it is a fascinating read for anyone interested in matters of justice and peace in the Holy Land today.

THE MERCIFUL HUMILITY OF GOD: THE 2019 LENT BOOK

Written by: Jane Williams

Published by: Bloomsbury

Price: £9.99

The irst of the Lent Books to cross the Life and Work desk is written by the Assistant Dean and Lecturer in Systematic theology at St Mellitus College.

Centring around St Augustine’s view that only the merciful humility of God could penetrate the armory of pride, this book guides readers through the Lenten journey, ofering preparation through a series of biblical relections on the life of Jesus followed by an introduction to a Christian igure who draws out the truth of biblical insight.

It is not intended as something to be read daily through Lent but would be useful for those wishing to relect each week or for wider study as part of a bigger group.

Lynne McNeil