Dream Fish Floating. Karlo Mila. 153pp. Huia, NZ. $24.95

Mila’s voice travels from urban Aotearoa to Tonga and Samoa via friendships and family relationships. She explores the intergenerational tensions between migration and returning, the new and the traditional, the emergent professional classes and their working-class migrant communities of origin. Brilliant new poems on being Tongan, Samoan & Palagi.

A former lawyer and Methodist lay preacher, Lange led the 3rd Labour Government for 5 turbulent years up to 1989. His government ushered in revolution, putting in place economic reforms and anti-nuclear policies that rocked New Zealand. Lange’s concern was to tell the story articulately and readably. On both counts it is a triumph.

What does the Treaty mean for Pakeha today and into the future? Snedden discusses what it means to be a Pakeha New Zealander. He deals head-on with Pakeha unease about Maori claims, different world-views, land protests and claims, and the disquiet over the Foreshore and Seabed Bill. Warm, personal and intelligent.

Daughter, mother, partner, minister, activist. McRae-McMahon’s life has been a remarkable one. She is a born storyteller and tells it with generosity and honesty, describing her high profile public life and coming out as a lesbian at the age of 50. A truly inspiring account of one woman’s celebration of life.

A collection of liturgies for use with children in specific age groups from 5 to 18 years, alongside family services. Written as full services suitable for special child or youth events, the ideas within them can also be used in broader services. The services focus around lectionary readings and include main prayers, sermon ideas and imaginative symbolic acts.

The stillbirth of Daly’s son Sasha led her to work as a celebrant and to write this book. For celebrants, funeral directors, and professionals who, alongside grieving parents, face the difficult task of organising a baby’s funeral. Also includes poetry, music and websites parents may find helpful.

Bishop Spong looks specifically at texts used to justify homophobia, anti-Semitism, treating women as second class citizens, corporal punishment and environmental degregation, but he also delivers a new picture of how Christians can use the Bible today.

A recent visitor to NZ, Althaus-Reid offers new understandings of liberation and feminist theology. She combines queer theory and post-colonial analysis and looks towards future possibilities of a theology done in times of globalisation.

Also by Althus-Reid: Queer God. (2003) $69.95, Indecent theology: theological perversions in sex, gender and politics. (2000) $69.95.

Its been called the greatest story ever told — or in Kiwi, a seriously good yarn. That bloke Jesus turned out to be a pretty interesting character with plenty to say that's still relevant today. But, says Grantham, pick up your average Bible and its language is light-years away from the stuff we speak in Godzone. Here for the first time, the Bible (well, bits of it, from Mark, Matthew and Acts) makes its appearance in Kiwi — the stories are the same, it's just the telling that's different.

Whether you are already familiar with Nouwen’s work, or reading him for the first time, this unique collection will refresh and encourage you. (More stock arriving late Sept.)

Also by Ford: Eternal Seasons: a liturgical journey with Henri Nouwen $36.00; Wounded Prophet: a portrait of Henri Nouwen $46.50.

 

We often think of experiencing healing from our woundedness, but rarely of experiencing healing in our woundedness. However, says Ruddle, it is this which can allow us to know the grace of God most powerfully.

This study explores how Nouwen’s writing confronts the question of woundedness. In doing so his work brings us face to face with Jesus the wounded healer and can release new depths of grace in the reader’s life.

An island, a hermit, a dove - disaster! Allan’s new take on the Noah’s ark tale.

A simple, moving story with an amusing, unexpected ending and a message about how to share…’ RealBooks News

Also available by Allan: Jesus Day Off $16.95; Jesus’ Christmas Party $16.95.

and many more.