Around 56 AD, the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome. He entrusted this letter to Phoebe, whom he describes as the deacon of the church at Cenchreae and a patron of many. But who was this remarkable woman? Biblical scholar and popular author and speaker Paula Gooder imagines Phoebe's story—who she was, the life she lived, and her first-century faith—and in doing so opens up Paul's world.
Heaven is one of those great mysteries that somehow symbolize what we don't know about ourselves and the world around us. At the same time it lifts our vision from the mundane realities of our everyday lives and reminds us that beyond the daily grind of our existence there is another, unseen reality. A reality that is as real--if not more so--than our everyday lives. Heaven suggests an answer to the familiar human feeling that there must be more than this, and prompts us to wonder whether there is indeed more in heaven and earth than can be dreamt of in all our philosophies."-Paula Gooder, from the Introduction
The New Testament tells us very little about Lydia, a seller of purple cloth who was living in Philippi when she met the apostle Paul on his second missionary journey. And yet she is considered the first recorded convert to Christianity in Europe. In her second work of fiction, Biblical scholar and popular author and speaker Paula Gooder tells Lydia's story - who she was, the life she lived and her first-century faith - and in doing so opens up Paul's letter to the Philippians, giving a sense of the cultural and historical pressures that shaped Paul's thinking, and the faith of the early church. Written in the gripping style of Gerd Theissen's The Shadow of the Galilean, and similarly rigorously researched, this is a book for everyone and anyone who wants to engage more deeply and imaginatively with Paul's theology - from one of the UK's foremost New Testament scholars.
A fresh new translation of Mark's Gospel by renowned Biblical scholar Dr Paula Gooder, with interactive storytelling tips from well-known children's author and performer Bob Hartman. Ideal for use in churches, in all-age worship, in children's groups and at home.
In the style of her bestselling Phoebe, Paula Gooder uses her extensive biblical expertise to retell the events of the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension through the eyes of nine female characters she imagines accompanying Jesus during these momentous days. Accompanied by nine colour illustrations, each story brings to life the tension, drama and shock of the events of Holy Week, banishing any over-familiarity and helping readers enter into the Passion narrative in a deeper, more meaningful way. Originally given as a series of addresses at Southward Cathedral during Holy Week 2021, these nine stories are for all who long to encounter Jesus afresh through the Easter Story.
This is the first in a series of books commissioned in consultation with John Sentamu. It can be described as "The Archbishop of York's Advent book". Its theme is overtly an Advent one, yet subsequent books will range over other biblical and seasonal topics.Paula Gooder provides a profoundly biblical guide to the season of Advent and we explore its central theme of waiting (something we are not good at in our modern culture) in the company of the biblical characters who feature prominently in the lectionary readings for the season: Abraham and Sarah who waited for a child, Isaiah and the prophets who waited for judgement and redemption, John the Baptist whose role was to wait in the wilderness until the prophecies he foretold were realised, Mary whose waiting began in pregnancy and continued as she stood at the foot of the cross. Arranged for daily reading, this offers an exquisite meditation on the spirituality of waiting - the active doing of nothing - as a way of enhancing our lives and bringing us closer to God.
The word ‘spirituality’ is notoriously difficult to define or tie down. It is often used in a relatively vague way to refer to the inner relationship between one’s ‘spirit’ or ‘soul’ and God. The implication is that people only relate to God with their ‘inner’ being (the soul/spirit) and not with any other part of who they are. There is a lurking influence of Neo-Platonism within Christian thinking that tends to assume that the material is bad and the spiritual good; that there is a gaping hole between our inner and our outer selves and that the proper location of devotion is our inner being. There is a further assumption that, especially in the writings of Paul, the soul/spirit is to be placed in the ‘good’ category while opposite it, in the ‘bad’ category, is the body/flesh – leaving the question of what is meant by heart and mind largely ignored. Paula Gooder explores what these six key concepts mean in the Bible, especially in the writings of Paul, before moving on to explore what Paul intended by the contrasts he drew, and what implications this all has for the way we think and speak about our spirituality today
Journey to the Manger explores the New Testament’s various accounts of the birth of Jesus: their origins in Old Testament prophecies, the genealogies, the angelic announcements, the journeys and arrivals, and the aftermath of Jesus’ birth for the powerful and the poor alike. Engaging seriously with biblical and historical criticism, Paula Gooder uncovers key similarities running through the Gospel writers’ accounts and focuses on their shared understanding of the significant events they describe. Her detailed exploration of the texts is a gold mine for preaching and teaching, and will breathe new life into the familiar Christmas stories heard year after year in churches, hymn sings, and nativity plays. Devotional reflections and discussion questions also make this ideal for personal and group study. Rooted in the conviction that greater understanding of the Bible leads to deeper discipleship, this is an essential resource for preachers, teachers, and study group leaders, as well as those who simply wish to get to know the Bible better.
The third volume in the Biblical Explorations series from bestselling New Testament writer Paula Gooder explores a major exponent of the Gospels: the parables of Jesus. It considers why Jesus spoke in pictures and opens up the world behind the parables to reveal just how striking, memorable and challenging they were for their original hearers.
When faced with times of trial, how can we find strength not in self-help but in God’s help? This five-session course exploring God's promise to comfort his people as they struggle through life's wildernesses.
Pilgrim is a teaching and discipleship resource that helps inquirers and new Christians explore what it means to travel through life with Christ. A Christian course for the twenty-first century, Pilgrim offers an approach of participation, not persuasion. Following the practice of the ancient disciplines of biblical reflection and prayer with quotes from the Christian tradition throughout the ages, Pilgrim assumes little or no knowledge of the Christian faith. Individuals or small groups on the journey of discipleship in the Episcopal tradition can use Pilgrim at any point. There are many different aspects to helping people learn about the Christian faith. We have taken as our starting point Jesus’ summary of the commandments. We are called to offer our lives to God through loving God with all our mind, soul, strength, and heart, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Learning about Christian faith and growing in Christian faith is about more than what we believe. It’s also about the ways in which we pray and develop our relationship with God, about the way we live our lives and about living in God’s vision for the Church and for the world. There are two stages of material in Pilgrim. There are four short Pilgrim books (each comprising a course of six sessions) in the Follow stage designed for those who are enquirers and very new to the faith. Then there are four short Pilgrim books (again, each comprising a six-session course) in the Grow stage designed for those who want to go further and learn more. Pilgrim is made up of two parts, each with four courses contained in four booklets: Follow: Do you turn to Christ? Releasing in March 2016 1. Turning to Christ 2. The Lord's Prayer 3. The Commandments 4. The Beatitudes Grow: Will you continue in the Apostles’ teaching and fellowship? Releasing October 2016 5. The Creeds 6. The Eucharist 7. The Bible 8. Church & Kingdom Each course offers six sessions that combine a simple prayer, reflection on a biblical selection using lectio divina, an article by a modern writer, and reflection questions. The short courses in the four Followstage books can be approached in any order. Together, we believe they offer a balanced introduction to the Christian life and journey. Our hope and prayer is that Pilgrim will help to introduce people to the Christian Way and also equip them to live their whole lives as disciples of Jesus Christ. It will help inquirers and those new to the Christian faith as well as those who are new to The Episcopal Church or Episcopalians who wish to refresh and renew their learning commitment to Christ. The aim of the Grow stage is to help people to learn the essentials for a life of discipleship. A disciple is to be called to live in a rhythm of being with Jesus in community and to be sent to live out the Christian faith in the whole of his or her life. Disciples need the support of other Christians and to be part of a community. We need opportunities to reflect and pray together and to explore the riches of our faith. TheGrow stage supports that process both for new Christians and for those who have been Christians for many years. Some groups who use the Grow material will be moving on from theFollow stage of Pilgrim. Some will be specially convened just for this stage. Component descriptions: Leader Guide The Pilgrim Leader Guide has lots of helpful material for those who are leading any Pilgrim group. A single guide covers all eight booklets and gives an overview of the program as well as a process of how to lead a group of youth or adults in discussing the material. This is an essential tool for anyone who wishes to offer any portion of Pilgrim in a small group, whether in church, school, or home.
Bestselling Anglican author Paula Gooder, a favorite of Rowan Williams and many others, has written a daily companion for the six weeks of Lent, to lead you deeper into the spirit of the season and open up the scriptures that are essential at this time of year. She begins with an introduction to the season of Lent and its the characteristic themes, exploring how to use it as a time for spiritual growth. In forty short sections suitable for daily reading, Paula then reflects on a theme associated with the season, including: - Wilderness - Journey - Fasting - Taking up your cross - Discipleship - Prayer - Temptation
In Everyday God, Paula Gooder explores the hidden depths of richness and the potential of ordinary times. Through the lens of thirty-three biblical passages, which all touch on the theme of ordinariness, you will discover the extraordinary in the most everyday things: in the lives of ordinary people; in a God who defies being put in a gilded palace; in a Kingdom that is best likened to seeds, yeast, and fishing nets; and in everyday decisions which, lived out with God, have extraordinary consequences.
The bestselling writer Paula Gooder continues her exploration of the Christian year, with its different seasons and changing moods. Here she explores the season that arguably gets lost more than any other beneath an avalanche of commercialisation and pressure to achieve the perfect celebration. Despite the carol services and nativity plays, the piercing shock of the Christmas story is often muffled - God breaking into human life, weak and vulnerable, coming to the lowest and the least, bypassing the powers of religion and state and single-mindedly bent on a course of rescue that will cost everything. As with the companion volumes in this popular and successful series, Paula explores the lectionary readings for the season as well as the stories and readings we hear at carol services to gain a deeper and richer understanding of God's purposes.
Course 7: The Bible: What is it, how was it given to us, and how should we read it? These six sessions combine simple prayer, Bible reflection in the lectio divina style, an article by a modern writer, and time for questions and reflection. By the end of the six sessions, it is hoped that participants will have learned how to make reading the Bible a part of everyday life, with the ability to read, pray, and listen to what God might be saying, allowing the words to change each participant.
This is a book to accompany the readings in year B of the Lectionary. It aims to help individuals and groups to understand and use Mark's Gospel. There are two other books that will follow this one: Journeying with Luke in Year C and Journeying with Matthew in Year A. This book's unique slant is that it asks readers to use their imagination 'to bring the Gospel to life.' It asks readers to visualize themselves in the scenes that Mark describes in order see Mark's Gospel in a fresh and exciting way.
Following the pattern of her Advent book, The Meaning Is in the Waiting, Paula Gooder leads us on a biblical exploration of the resurrection accounts in each of the Gospels and in Paul's writings, as well as the account of the Ascension and coming of the Spirit at Pentecost in Acts. Arranged for daily reading through the seven weeks of Eastertide, This Risen Existence opens with an extended reflection on ancient and contemporary understandings of resurrection.
From the language of Shakespeare to the US presidential campaign trail, the Bible’s influence is all around us. It is the most-printed book of all time, yet, upon reading it, we are met not by one work but by many: a complex mix of history and parable, law and prophecy. In this authoritative and impartial introduction, Paula Gooder ably guides the reader in how to approach this multifaceted text, and explores its enduring influence on Western culture, from Renaissance art to Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. Featuring textboxes focussing on key details, Gooder provides an illuminating framework for understanding the Bible and shares her infectious enthusiasm for the topic. Covering its origins, content and interpretation, this wide-ranging primer will be of invaluable benefit to those of any and no faith alike.
Pilgrim is a teaching and discipleship resource that helps inquirers and new Christians explore what it means to travel through life with Christ. A Christian course for the twenty-first century, Pilgrim offers an approach of participation, not persuasion. Following the practice of the ancient disciplines of biblical reflection and prayer with quotes from the Christian tradition throughout the ages, Pilgrim assumes little or no knowledge of the Christian faith. Individuals or small groups on the journey of discipleship in the Episcopal tradition can use Pilgrim at any point. There are many different aspects to helping people learn about the Christian faith. We have taken as our starting point Jesus’ summary of the commandments. We are called to offer our lives to God through loving God with all our mind, soul, strength, and heart, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Learning about Christian faith and growing in Christian faith is about more than what we believe. It’s also about the ways in which we pray and develop our relationship with God, about the way we live our lives and about living in God’s vision for the Church and for the world. Course 2. The Lord’s Prayer: How do Christians know and worship God? Explore the Lord’s Prayer in these sessions as a gateway to the Christian gospel, as a guide to our own prayers, and as a way of deepening our relationship with God. Here is a way of seeing God and the world and yourself which is profound and revolutionary and good news.
This six-part course for parishes and Lent groups is based on Pope Francis’ much acclaimed recent reflections on mission and evangelism, published as Evangelii Gaudium (‘The Joy of the Gospel’). Widely recognised as offering wisdom and vision for all Christians in a culture that is often hostile to the church, Evangelii Gaudium offers a positive and realistic approach to sharing faith in the modern world. Paula Gooder introduces its key themes to readers in all denominations and challenges them to consider its application in their own contexts. The course includes: Preface: Why Study Evangelii Gaudium? 1. The Joy of the Gospel 2. The Church’s Missionary Transformation 3. Amid the Crisis of Communal Commitment 4. The Proclamation of the Gospel 5. The Social Dimension of Evangelization 6. Spirit-filled Evangelizers
Journey to the Empty Tomb focuses on the events leading up to the first Easter, from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the empty tomb. Devotional reflections on the biblical narratives make this ideal for personal study, with questions for group discussion that will be welcome aids for study groups. Paula Gooder uses her extensive knowledge of the world of the New Testament, its language and culture, to reveal fresh and startling insights and to open up hidden depths in these familiar stories.
As we journey through life, we face challenges - both big and small. What spiritual essentials will help us survive life's storms? Lentwise uses fresh insights from John’s Gospel to help us deal with the rigors of real life
Pilgrim is a teaching and discipleship resource that helps inquirers and new Christians explore what it means to travel through life with Christ. A Christian course for the twenty-first century, Pilgrim offers an approach of participation, not persuasion. Following the practice of the ancient disciplines of biblical reflection and prayer with quotes from the Christian tradition throughout the ages, Pilgrim assumes little or no knowledge of the Christian faith. Individuals or small groups on the journey of discipleship in the Episcopal tradition can use Pilgrim at any point. There are many different aspects to helping people learn about the Christian faith. We have taken as our starting point Jesus’ summary of the commandments. We are called to offer our lives to God through loving God with all our mind, soul, strength, and heart, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Learning about Christian faith and growing in Christian faith is about more than what we believe. It’s also about the ways in which we pray and develop our relationship with God, about the way we live our lives and about living in God’s vision for the Church and for the world. Course 1, Turning to Christ: What do Christians believe? This is the question explored as the questions that are asked at Holy Baptism are discussed. We begin by looking at who Jesus was; why did people want to spend time with him so long ago and why do we promise to turn to Christ and follow him today? This is followed by learning what Christians believe about God, Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Holy Spirit, and the Baptismal Covenant.
This is a book to accompany the readings in year C of the Common Worship Lectionary. It aims to help individuals and groups to understand and use Luke's Gospel.
The first guide to New Testament Greek to assume no prior knowledge and prioritise quick and effective methods of learning. Contains useful pedagogical features such as Q & A exercises, a glossary of English grammatical terms and a glossary of key Greek vocabulary. This book also features a regularly updated companion web-site with exercises and revision notes - access is free for all who purchase the book. This practical textbook for undergraduate students and serving ministers is specifically designed to teach the reader about New Testament Greek, and to enrich the readers understanding of Scripture. Exploring New Testament Greek aims to cultivate a 'feel' for the Greek language and give insight into some central issues in New Testament study without a heavy investment of time and energy. Its priorities are accessibility and relevance for Bible study: it is set out in ten short chapters that encourage learning through a variety of practical exercises, and concentrates on those aspects of the language that lead directly to increased understanding of the text. Rather than overwhelming the student with tables of grammar and vocabulary, the book directs students in the use of free websites, interlinear translations and other readily-available language tools as a means of making a little knowledge go a long way. Introduction 1. Letters and Words 2. Finding Your Way Around a Sentence 3. Understanding How Greek Words Work 4. Introduction to Nouns and their Endings 5. More Noun Endings and More Pronouns 6. Words that Describe 7. Simple Verbs 8. Tenses 9. Voice: Active, Passive and Middle 10. Participles and the Articular Infinitive Epilogue Checklist of Grammatical Words used in this Course Appendix: Useful tables Lexicon of Greek words. About the authors: Dr Peter Kevern is a theologian and educationalist, currently Director of Studies at the Queen's Foundation, Birmingham. He has worked alongside SIL translators in Papua New Guinea, on a version of the New Testament in Siane-Lambau. Dr Paula Gooder is a lecturer at the Queens Foundation, Birmingham and is a freelance biblical lecturer and writer. She has extensive experience teaching both Greek and Hebrew at Higher education level.
Course 6: The Eucharist: How do Christians know and worship God? The six sessions of Course 6 reveal reasons why the Eucharist is celebrated as a memorial of Christ’s saving passion and stands at the very heart of Christian worship. Session 1 looks at worship as communion with God. Session 2 explores the Eucharist as the pattern of all Christian worship. Session 3 looks at the intimacy we have with God in Holy Communion and how we are transformed by the encounter. Sessions 4 – 6 look at worship as a sign and foretaste of heaven, shaping our whole life, and how the whole of life is sacramental.
We are used to singing hymns of praise when we go to church but often we miss the hymns and poems that are there in the New Testament. This course will explore five different Songs of Praise from the New Testament, looking at what they tell us about God and Jesus but also reflecting on what they tell us about us and our faith. The five sessions focus on: Session 1: Gratitude (Ephesians 1.3-14) Session 2: Image of God (Colossians 1.15-20) Session 3: Humility (Philippians 2.5-11) Session 4: New birth (1 Peter 1.3-12) Session 5: Word made flesh (John 1.1-14) The course booklet is accompanied by a lively CD, featuring the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, ‘art nun’, the late Sister Wendy Beckett, the multi-award winning actor, David Suchet CBE, and Editor and Publisher of the Methodist Recorder, Moira Sleight. This York Course is available in the following formats Course Book (Paperback 9781909107069) Course Book (eBook 9781909107854) Audio Book of Interview to support Praise Him York Course (CD 9781909107847) Audio Book of Interview (Digital Download 9781909107830) Transcript of interview to support Praise Him York Course (Paperback 9781909107076) Transcript of interview (eBook 9781909107861) Book Pack (9781909107878 Featuring Paperback Course Book, Audio Book on CD and Paperback Transcript of Interview) Large print (9781909107885)
Course 8: Church & Kingdom: What does it mean to live as a child of the kingdom of God and follow in the way of Christ each day as a member of his church? How does it affect our life at work as well as at home? How does it affect what we do with the gifts we have been given, especially those gifts of time and talents, passions, resources, and money? How is the Christian faith changing us and shaping us so that we become more like Jesus? The importance of prayer, living out our faith, celebrating Sabbath, and reflecting generosity is explored. We look at how faith in the God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit shapes and changes all our relationships
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