The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a life of faith. Marcus J Borg. 234pp hard cover $49.95 HarperSanFrancisco

Now available in paperback for $29.95

Jesus scholar Marcus Borg shows how we can live passionately as Christians today by practicing the vital elements of Christian faith. For those who have turned away from traditional beliefs about God, Jesus and the Bible, Borg shows why the Christian life can remain a transforming relationship with God.

Emphasising the critical role of daily practice in living the Christian life, he explores how prayer, worship, Sabbath and pilgrimage can be experienced as authentically life-giving practices.

Nana is coming from Samoa especially for Selafina’s birthday. Selafina is so excited and as a special welcome she wants to dance the siva. Can she learn the dance and overcome her own shyness in time for the big day?

This is a heart-warming picture book about the bond between generations in a multi-cultural family. Having worked for many years as a teacher Hannken is aware how few Pacific Island/New Zealand stories are and wrote Selafina to help fill this gap.

Featuring 365 saints this is far more than a daily devotional book. Each entry has a summary of the saint’s life and work, plus extracts from each saint’s writings, so that today’s reader can really hear the voice of the saint coming through.

You can use this book in many different ways. The entries are arranged alphabetically, so that it functions as a dictionary; the entries can be followed in historical order, with each entry indicating the previous and next saints in that order; and there are both a calendar of saints and a full thematic index at the beginning of the book, so that they can be accessed by saint’s day or topic as well.

A New Christianity for a New World:
Why traditional faith is dying & how a new faith is being born. John Shelby Spong 304pp $34.95 Harper Collins 2002

This has been one of our most popular books in the past year.

Controversial former Episcopal Bishop, John Spong, will be visiting New Zealand in November.

Epworth Books can also supply any of his other eight earlier titles published by Harper Collins, including: Why Christianity must change or die $39.95 • Liberating the Gospels $34.95. Please enquire.

Making Their Own Peace: Twelve women of Jerusalem. Ann N Madsen. 258pp $49.95 Lantern Books, US

This is a book about peace, set in Jerusalem. But it is not about political strategies. It is a primer for peace, illustrated by the lives of twelve women who have lived through Jerusalem’s wars, not waiting for political negotiations to succeed, but instead creating their own measure of peace.

Ann Madsen, a lecturer in the Ancient Scripture Dept at Brigham Young University has visited Jerusalem often over the last 30 years and lived there from 1987 to 1993.

The Ultimate Wedding Album: Your complete vocal and instrumental guide. CD. 19 tracks, 68 mins. $34.95 Decca, UK.

We are delighted to have found this high quality CD which will be a valuable resource for ministers, wedding celebrants and general listeners. There is music for each section of the wedding service. Featuring Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra and top UK instrumentalists. Singers are Kiri Te Kanawa, Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras.

Tracks include: Prelude: Jesu joy of man’s desiring, – Bach • Largo, Air (from Water music) – Handel. Processional: Bridal chorus – Wagner. Ceremony: Panis Angelicus – Franck • Ave Maria – Bach-Gounod, Recessional: Toccata – Widor • Wedding March – Mendelssohn.

For Weddings and a Funeral: Special poems for special occasions. Compiled by John Marsden. 140pp hbk. $29.95 Macmillan

Poems selected to fit the person and the event are always special. A poem chosen for a wedding or funeral is often the moment in the service that people remember.

Includes 50 poems for weddings by Chirstina Rossetti, John Donne, E.E. Cummings, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and many others. Also includes 48 poems for funerals by W H Auden, Dylan Thomas, Anne Bronte, C. Day Lewis, Rupert Brook and others.

The Hymnmaker series would not be complete without an album of Christmas hymns. Carols have always been an essential part of Christian worship. Return to Coventry Cathedral to share in worship with the St Michael’s Singers under the direction of Paul Leddington Wright. May the Incarnation capture your heart again as you listen to this beautiful recording.

Track Listing: Come All Ye Faithful • Joy To The World • While Shepheards Watched Their Flocks By Night • Silent Night • Angels From The Realms Of Glory • Away In A Manger • O Come O Come Emmanuel • Hark The Herald Angels Sing • O Little Town Of Bethlehem • The First Nowell • See Amid The Winter’s Snow • Once In Royal David’s City • It Came Upon The Midnight Clear • Like A Candle Flame

Best Loved Hymns: How great thou art! CD $19.95 Kingsway UK

Best Loved Hymns is a collection of favourite hymns by many writers. Add your voice, to the voices of the nationally renowned Celebration Choir from Sheffield, and sing these immortal hymns to the praise and glory of our great, loving, faithful God.

Track Listing: Praise my soul • How great thou art • Great is thy faithfulness • There is a name • At the name of Jesus • A safe stronghold • The King of love • More about Jesus • Dear Lord and Father • Make me a channel • Be thou my vision • Mine eyes have seen the glory • Abide with me • Praise God from whom all blessings flow