Review of 'The story of women in ministry in the Baptist Union of Great Britain'

It seems to be the week for reviews of things I've written / been involved with!

This time it's the reader on Women in Ministry that I produced for the Baptist Union of Great Britain, reviewed by Rosa Hunt in the latest volume of the Baptist Ministers' Journal (April 2012 volume 314).

The review concludes:

"This book is a lively, thoughtful, well researched and comprehensive attempt to replace that negative opinion [of women in ministry] by positive affirmation... I would thoroughly recommend it, not only for its excellent contribution to the debate, but also because the arguments it raises about the inherent tension between collective Baptist policy and individual freedom of conscience touch the very heart of what it means to be a Baptist."

Review of Questions of Identity

The latest Regent's Reviews also contains a fine review by Neil Brighton of Questions of Identity, the festschrift produced for Brian Haymes' 70th birthday and edited by Ruth Gouldbourne and Anthony Cross (in which I have a chapter).

Neil writes:

"This excellent collection of essays, written in honour of Brian Haymes, is an example of health in contemporary Baptist life. Most of the essays are by Baptist scholars, some of whom are in pastorate and others in academic roles, with helpful contributions from the Mennonite Alan Kreider and Anglican Christopher Rowland.

"Whether you are a Baptist or an Anglican, with Anabaptist sympathies, academic leanings or simply someone who wants to think about what it means to be part of the church of Christ this is a book which is worth the read."

Regent's Reviews - latest issue available

The latest issue of Regent's Reviews is out, and can be downloaded from here.

There's a great review of The 'Plainly Revealed' Word of God? in there, reviewed by Anthony Clarke.

You can read the full review for free online, but he concludes:

"This is a stimulating book which repays the time given to it, but it is perhaps most important not to see this as something finished, but as the invitation to further reflection and discussion. As the book notes, how we read the Bible together has changed in church worship over recent decades and is one of the most pressing questions our churches face. William [John] Lyons, who finds the discussion here exciting and stimulating, begins the very last chapter by wondering why it has taken the Baptist tradition so long to produce something like this volume. The greatest challenge now is to enable the discussion continue in such a way that it draws in an ever wider circle to reflect on our Baptist practice."