REVIEWS

WOMEN REMEMBERED

Jesus’ Female Disciples Written by: Helen Bond and Joan Taylor Published by: Hodder and Stoughton Price: £16.99

This hardback was inspired by a popular Channel 4 documentary from 2001 – Jesus’ Female Disciples – which was presented by the co-authors Bond (Professor of Christian Origins and Head of the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh) and Taylor (Professor of Christian Origins and Second Temple Judaism at King’s College London).

The book considers the professors’ research into the women who worked with Jesus but who have, perhaps, been neglected in the retelling of the Gospel stories. The authors explore the work of those who are named – including Mary, the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary, Martha and many others.

The clear purpose of the book is to deepen understanding and knowledge of the Gospel, but also to cast fresh light onto the role of women and their unsung role in the New Testament. The work offers biblical role models for a new generation and offers fresh insight into the unsung work of some of the women who dedicated their lives to either following Jesus or following early Christianity.

Among the ‘named’ women are Salome, Joanna (and Susanna), Tabitha, Prisca and from the Roman Church, Phoebe and Junia. The book seeks to effectively answer the question: ‘did Jesus have female disciples?’, drawing on in-depth research to show the part played by many women in the New Testament.

The work is written in an easy-to-read style and whilst offering first-class bibilical scholarship is not filled with the distracting references familiar to many deeply academic publications and will be enjoyed by many seeking to learn more about the women who followed Jesus and became followers of the early Church.

THE QUIET HAVEN

An Anthology of Readings on Death and Heaven Compiled by: Ian Bradley Published by: Darton, Longman and Todd Price: £20.00

Death is one of the inevitabilities of life.

In drawing together this collection of poems, prayers, hymns and writing, spanning 3,000 years, Bradley’s aim was to offer a source of reflection and comfort to those considering questions of mortality.

Beginning with the 23rd psalm, readers are steered through some of the most profoundly human writing, with the purpose of offering insight and comfort into the nature of death, but also of heaven.

Inspiration for the work was, according to the author, both personal and pastoral and rooted in his childhood.

In an introduction, the Emeritus Professor of Cultural and Spiritual history at the University of St Andrews, explains: ‘I have had a long-standing interest in death and the afterlife, which goes back more than half a century to my teenage years. At the age of 16, I wrote a ‘personal meditation on heaven’ including a poem which I rather blush to read now.’

The purpose of the volume is clear – it is, according to the author, intended as a resource. He writes: ‘I hope it may serve as a useful and helpful resource for those who tend, counsel and minister to the sick, the anxious and the dying. I also hope that it will provide reassurances for those contemplating their own mortality, or the deal of someone close to them.’

WE’LL SAY THE BLESSING II

Collated by: Catriona Monro Printed by: Bell and Bain Price: £10 (all proceeds to be donated to Christian Aid. Copies available from Ordhead, Ballindalloch AB37 9EA and cheques should be made payable to Christian Aid Scotland)

Following on from the success of her first illustrated book of graces, published in 2017, daughter of the manse Catriona Monro has collated a further selection of mealtime prayers.

The graces for the first book were collected and collated by her mother Libby, in the wake of her minister father the Rev Ronald Torrie’s death and covered a broad spectrum. Her father served as minister of Birnie, New Elgin and Pluscarden (among others).

Beautifully illustrated, the book continues the journey established in the first and the importance of saying grace before dining is perfectly captured by Catriona in her introduction: ‘The act of saying grace before a meal, occasionally after, is alive and well in this secular age. It’s a useful tool in bringing order to a rowdy gathering and very often a grace has been composed specifically for an occasion.’

Proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to Christian Aid and the author is offering free post and packaging. Lynne McNeil