COMMENTS FROM READERS
Letters To The
ISBN
0-9538366-3-0
138pp,
paperback
Retail
price £7.95
From Rev Bernard
Ward
Your book has been very much appreciated –
contemporary, concise, balanced and thought-provoking. Bernard Ward,
From Mr Brian
Clewes
Letters
to the Contemporary Church
is primarily a reader-friendly book, one that has the potential to appeal to a
wide audience, both religious and secular. Tim’s thoughtful reflections on topical
issues relating to Christian festivals, the Christian Church, Christians and
Politics, Religion and Theology, encompass a broad range of human experiences,
engaging with that which is of ultimate concern. Although I thoroughly enjoyed
reading all 43 letters, three articles were of particular interest, namely the
Kafka parable, Dimensions of Religion, and the poem from
From
Thank you
for sending me your book. I think the Church and Community Magazine is fortunate to have had regular contributions of this
quality. I note you acknowledge your debt to John Robinson. In
paperbacks such as That I Can’t Believe he showed he was a religious journalist
of genius, unobtrusively using scholarship to illuminate theological
themes expressed very simply for a popular audience. You have that same gift,
and it’s quite a rare one in the contemporary Church - thus, Kafka and
Kierkegaard in one article! I admire the way you have tackled the
tough subjects; the Sprotbrough readership have been given a painless
theological education, not to mention expert commentary on current issues e.g ‘Dimensions
of Religion’. Knowing nothing about religious education, I learned much
from it. It deserves to sell well.
Colin Morris,
Lewes
From Mrs
I found your book easy to read with some
interesting topics covered. It would
make a very useful basis for a discussion group in the church. Some of the terminology would be beyond
many. In the early part of your book I
felt I needed to know what your conception of God is. Although you often say what God can do for us
you do not say how.
Does he work through blinding flashes of illumination? Does he work through other people so we
should look for his presence there? Is
the spirit of Jesus available to us all (the true meaning of Easter)? Kafka’s parable could do with a bit more
illumination or it is a very depressing message. I felt it would have been good to tie up the
policies of the political parties with the teaching of Scripture, as you said
“the bible in one hand the newspaper in the other”. I thought you were more practical and useful
as the letters progressed. However, I
wonder how many lay people would find your book understandable.
I confess I was a little nervous about reviewing
Neither is the Reverend Mark trying to do a
It is important to put the book into context. These letters were written
over a period of two decades, for the magazine of "The Church and
Community of Sprotbrough", a large village near
This is the secret of successful preaching. Find a subject that
interests your congregation – which, sadly, most biblical texts do not.
Occasionally he ventures into other territory, such as the
Perhaps none of
it is very profound. Preachers have to take great care not to offend their
congregations. Writing it down gives them a little more
licence, but they still have no desire to alienate anyone. The Reverend Mark
achieves this aim very successfully, in my eyes. Were he openly pro-Thatcher,
or even pro-Blair, he would not be able to keep people reading his column from
issue to issue of the magazine – as I am certain he does.
From The Revd
Tom Read
Letters to the
Contemporary Church is intentionally a short book containing short
articles which were originally published in the local Church and Community
Magazine. What is remarkable about the book is that in such a short
work it achieves so much on so many levels. It warms the heart and yet
often disquiets the mind which might prefer not to face some of the issues it
addresses. It is anchored in a local community (and one detects the love
that the author has for this community, which is one of the ways in which it is
heart-warming) and yet it takes the reader across the world and deals with
global issues. Examples of these issues are ethical, political, spiritual and
social – all viewed from a Christian perspective. As it contains articles
spanning 1982 – 2005, it also has the capacity to make the reader feel
nostalgic yet at the same time fascinated by its charting of recent social
history. It is of great use in one’s own personal devotions and yet lends
itself easily to being a catalyst for lively group discussions. Most of
all it brings comfort to those who want their faith to grow whilst maintaining
a healthy intellectual integrity and indeed want to be stretched
intellectually. This book is a useful
and stimulating resource for personal and group use and for those wanting to
give something accessible to friends who are enquiring about the Christian faith.
It is certainly of vital use to those who want their faith/church to be contemporary. Tom Read,
From The Revd
John Clarke
I enjoyed
reading Letters to the
From Mrs
Christine Lott
Timothy’s letters to a local church were written
over a long period, yet are still strikingly fresh to a lay reader like
myself. His reflections on how the
church should be, on festivals, politics, and the nature and meaning of faith
in our life today are still well able to stimulate further thought and new directions
for Christian life. I greatly
appreciate the clarity as well as the lively style in which the letters are written. There are plenty of
pertinent illustrations from Timothy’s life in
From Mrs
Glenise Sinnott
Thank you very much for my book.
It makes an interesting read and is thought provoking. I want my friend to have one. Glenise Sinnott,
From
I enjoyed reading
Timothy’s book, valuing it especially for its good theology and not only in the
section labelled Theology! Here
we have exemplary (though deceptively easy!) writing for ordinary folk, for whom God, and church-words and ideas are pretty
foreign (and that includes many church people).
Timothy manages to get to the heart of profoundly important
things without being lengthy or complex. He chooses topics which are
contemporary and relevant, using stories and lively word pictures to good
effect. Although some pieces were written several years ago, about
matters which were relevant then rather than now, they still "speak"
powerfully. I especially enjoyed those letters about the celebration of
Christmas and various General Election campaigns, which said things beyond the
obvious; also on Loneliness, conveying much about the essence of being
human. I shared also his new-found joy
in the night sky.
From The Revd Dr David Monkton
Many consider church
Newsletters and parish magazines as very basic forms of communication, both of
ideas and local
From The Revd Norman Botham
I felt moved to write to
thank you as I have just read the Letter
for Good Friday in your Letters to
the Contemporary Church. It is
realistic and so cleverly avoids falling into the trap of hiding reality and
truth beneath theological words, phrases and the convoluted mysteries which
fall from the pulpits of so many on that day. Norman Botham, Retford
From The Revd
I have finished reading your book which I greatly
enjoyed. Very attractive format and presentation, and I congratulate you on the
interesting and stimulating way in which you dealt with many key issues. Points
well made and the footnotes were particularly helpful. I thought you could have
been more critical of the Alpha course, though in the context in which you
wrote it would probably have been inappropriate.
From
Miss Ruth Anstey
I have enjoyed your book – very readable and
perceptive. Ruth Anstey,
From The Revd John Withington
I liked the honest way in which you wrote, not
"ducking the issues". John Withington, Coalville
From
Review in FK Bulletin, September 2005
Some ministers just have
to write the words “Dear friends” to immediately switch into the pious waffle
mode of so many ministerial letters.
From
Miss René Stainer
Thank you for your book – very thought-provoking. René Stainer, Aberystwyth
From
Mrs Audrey Davey
Thank you very much for the book. I was so interested I read half of it at one
sitting. I think it will become a
permanent bedside book to be dipped into regularly. Audrey Davey, Pottens
End
From
The Revd John Rowland
I think
the second paragraph on the back cover gets it right: "...a valuable
resource for the thinking Christian." I am glad to be reading it. John Rowland, Oxford [See further comments below]
From Mr Allan Berry
I
am sure I can use some of the thoughts, so beautifully
expressed, on future occasions. Also
I
will try to write a few paragraphs for The
Star, to welcome it.
Allan Berry [Excerpt from a
Journalist’s letter to Fred Bessant]
From The Revd John Clapham
I think a Church magazine would be fortunate to have such
contemporary comment month by month; as to impact beyond that I am not a good
judge. A big plus (I speak as once
having been in John Murray and even designing book jackets etc): the
presentation is first class. John Clapham.
From The Revd John Rowland
Ah - your book - it is eminently readable which makes a great change
from much that is published in the ecclesiastical/theological realm.
I have now finished
reading your book. I think the last
section is the best of all, although I still think some of the “theological”
terms need translating. But you do seem
to write…. almost parable fashion – open-minded, asking questions you hope
people will think about, eirenic, and yet stating the
gospel. I give you the following
comments – in no particular order of importance:
1. I like the cover which is very clear and very attractive. As for the print
inside, it’s clear and well spaced which is a plus for
older people. But it does look a bit like a typescript and I wonder how good a
thing that is?
2. I was surprised by the content: I had anticipated a book written to the
church at large (the
3. So, to me, your Letters seen in the wider
context in which I read them, come across as
parables: there is a story or recollection or reflection, and then comment and
(almost always) finally an implicit or explicit question. Much as the parables
in the gospels which left people to think for themselves. I like that style,
probably because it’s the style I
myself use in what I write for the local newspaper every month or two, and in the few Thought for the Week that I do during the year for Radio
4. As to content: I think that what you are seeking to do (or were seeking
to do over the years) was to ask questions of your readers, and those readers
were assumed to be Christian, in the hope that they would tackle those
questions for themselves. A much better aim, I think, than telling them your
answers. I do like your style. probably, again,
because it is much like my own (only better read and somewhat more learned).
But I will not neglect to say that some of your terminology, I think, comes
readily to you but would not (and thus will not) come readily to readers unused
to theological terms, e.g. parahistorical,
and the paragraphs on page I06, and there are many others. The people in the
pews are not familiar with theology as an academic discipline.
I think
the second paragraph on the back cover gets it right: "...a valuable
resource for the thinking Christian." I am glad to be reading it. John Rowland,
Review
in The F K Bulletin, September 2005
Every minister has to write
letters for church and community magazines.
Letter from The Revd Keith Jackson to the
Editor of the Fellowship of the Kingdom Bulletin
I write in response to
the brief but helpful review of
During my five years in
At a time when many
preachers appear to be having difficulty in finding meaningful starting points
and challenging ideas for sermons, Tim Mark’s letters could well be found to be
of help to a wide variety of folk including Christian preachers and teachers
throughout today’s busy and brainwashed world.
J Keith
Jackson, Supernumerary Minister in the Swaledale Methodist Circuit
From Dr Bob Cundall
Many thanks for your
attractive book which arrived safely. I
have had time to glance at it and was impressed by its scholarly footnotes, and
I look forward to reading and benefiting from it. Bob Cundall,
From The Revd
Thanks for the book,
beautifully produced, which I am finding interesting at the personal level with
its insights into your life and ministry and, effectively,
as a presentation of your theology – with which I broadly concur! I
am reading it in fits and starts - indeed as the articles were originally
written.
From
Mr Marshall Evans
I have read most of your book: it
is easy to read in those little chunks – actually there was nothing explicit
that I could say I disagreed with but there do seem some underlying assumptions
… that I would have problems with.
One (assumption) seems to be the idea that you cannot trust the
historical accuracy of the gospel accounts. To me, the historical accuracy of say the
virgin birth is absolutely essential; otherwise everything I believe about
Jesus falls apart. Without that he
cannot be sinless, die for our sins, defeat death etc.
Another (assumption) seems to be a blurring of the distinction
between the church and the world. While I am all in favour of ditching religiosity and welcoming
everyone – it is a welcome to hear a life-changing message to become a
Christian. The church is the called out ones who are different.
This of course is available to all but there must be a new birth
experience whether dramatic or gradual.
Another (assumption) would seem to be a kind of universalism – including
the idea that all religions could lead to God.
Paul makes it clear that Jesus makes Judaism obsolete as he does every
other religion. This does not mean we
show disrespect, of course, but have to point out that Jesus is the only way to
God. Also, not everyone will get to
heaven, as Jesus continually states. It
would be nice to think so, but how could I ignore what Jesus says again, and
again and again.
Well there we are! Have I
misjudged your assumptions or have I discerned the author’s views through the
text? Let me know and I hope you take
all these comments in the bonds of friendship with which they are sent. Marshall Evans,
From
Chris (to Fred Bessant)
Many thanks for
These kinds of open letters are useful in not only
identifying structural problems or misunderstandings in church communities but also
in attempting to communicate some of the principal widely-held Christian beliefs to those on the fringes of the parish(s).To do this successfully and
with brevity is no easy task. Timothy achieves this with a rare degree of
fluency and throughout his book he demonstrates a keen desire always to relate
what he has to say with
relevance whether it is theological or pastoral.
Of course, any writer on
Christian matters can fall foul of being either rather
self-indulgent or worse still
become rather glib especially when summing up. However he
avoids these elephant traps pretty deftly and his sincerity
of purpose is never in doubt. His writings on Christmas and the New Year – I found helpful though perhaps a little prosaic – you know the
sort of thing – “light shining in the darkness” – “Jesus Christ, in
whose life we may find meaning and purpose". This is very much church-speak. Those on the outside might
find it rather cloying and even meaningless, but that’s a matter of perception.
His notion of "faith always
preceding understanding" (p.8) is also difficult
for many in today’s world. In some senses I might be inclined to encourage
readers NOT to suspend their disbelief but rather to use their intellects to understand what the gospels are really
saying. We believe not because we’re
bidden to but because we have struggled to understand and still find an insistent voice in what we sense. So it
is that I believe faith is given almost as a gift and we should use all of our
faculties in responding –
but there is
no shame in admitting that we cannot believe because we simply cannot understand the message.
There is one personal message in Timothy’s book that I
felt was very much at the centre of his ministry and which it appears motivate
much of what he wishes to express: "All of us belong to each other in this
village". The implications of this challenging statement are really
profound and he is right to emphasise Bonhoeffer’s belief that one aim of religion is to participate
"in the powerlessness of God in the world". Today’s world, even at parish level, can be isolating and
even lonely. Increasingly villages are, in a sense, dormitories for commuters - but the local church can ameliorate some of this
cultural isolation by appealing to a more caring local society.
I liked Timothy’s descriptions of the church in
Obviously Timothy has undertaken some local work in
ecumenism and this shows through out his very readable
book. Certainly his belief in the importance of the laity in ministry is refreshing, for too long the vicar has been seen as the ‘be all and end all’ in out-reach.
I did wonder whether he was
courting potential fringe members of the church when he raises the question
concerning membership of the church as being a necessary prerequisite for the
budding Christian.
Christianity, I believe, should not be in any senses seen as a ‘privatised’
activity – essentially it is all about community
and you can’t ‘do church’ or ‘do religion’
without being part of it. What is needed, I submit, are more ‘columns’ and
less ‘flying buttresses’ – in other words more people on the
inside working for a more effective ministry and less on the outside paying lip
service alone.
I liked his church notice board story and his careful
discussion of the charismatic evangelical movement in the church today. It
reminded me of a legend I once observed on a church
notice board not a million miles from where I am writing this, it read: If you were accused of being a Christian – would there be enough evidence to convict you?"
No,
being neighbourly and moral isn’t really enough – religion is a movement that is as dependent on the weakest link
as on its elected leaders –
in short, it’s a shared enterprise. Jesus Christ may not have come
to establish a religion but in all that is reported he makes it clear that it
is a shared activity.
So, all in all this is a useful book and glowing testimony to Timothy’s particular ministry in Sprotbrough and
his undoubted gifts as a spiritual communicator. Ordinands also will find this of interest as they finally contemplate the nuts and bolts of parochial ministry. There’s always plenty of advice offered but not much
real, genuine evidence of how to achieve success in inculcating the Christian
religion in print.
Thanks
for sending me the book Chris (friend of Fred Bessant)
From Miss
Thank you for your
book. First I would say that it is a big
improvement on Chusan! You’ve put the
Gospel in no uncertain terms and I felt it was really good. I like the title but I think the book would
have more universal significance if you modified the content so that it
is not so obviously written for Sprotbrough, or have I missed the point? The only point that I would dare to expand on
is your mention of glossalalia
on page 50. You say that as far as you
are aware examples studied have not exhibited any salient features of a
language. For this I would refer you to They
speak with Other Tongues by John Sherrill.
He has researched quite deeply in a practical way into speaking in
tongues and has been told by language experts to whom he played recordings of
people speaking in tongues, that they could identify language patterns. Also they immediately detected two
recordings of people just making noises which imitated “tongues”. Very interesting!
From The Revd
Arthur Rowe
Many thanks for the book which I am still in the
process of reading. It is very much
“you” full of more questions than answers.
However, I do want to say how much I was moved by the article “Safe in
the last Homely House”. I read it just
before preaching in a Church where I had pastoral charge 30 years ago, but I am
still in touch with some of the congregation who have suffered the most
horrendous family tragedies and misfortunes.
I quoted freely from your article and people were vividly moved and
helped…. Arthur Rowe,
Leicester
From
The Revd Robert Davies
I have read your letters and intend to read them again
plucking out possible sermon starters and illustrations. Like sermons they belong to the moment. Like the best of sermons, however, letters
are an art-form! I hope you will sell
enough copies to cover the cost of printing.
Bob
Davies,
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