PREPARE FOR EXILE
published 2008 by SPCK, ISBN 9780281060030
The Church today must throw off old attitudes, renew its spirituality and refocus its mission if it is to flourish as it enters a new period of exile. Preparing for and living in exile means learning from those who were ‘exiles’ in their own day – men and women who challenged the Church to reshape itself and to remain fresh and engaging. Exiles from the Bible and from all traditions of the Church are recalled.
From the foreword by Rev Dr Graham Tomlin.
“Patrick covers an impressive range of material here – from biblical studies to the history of the church to contemporary culture, to analyse this theme. He suggests that in this time of unsettling exile, the church needs to develop new patterns of mission, spirituality and community to adapt and thrive in a new world. This is no easy path – it is costly, yet promises much. As he puts it, ‘exile has often been the price of change, renewal and, at times, revival’.
In exile, people can either assimilate so that they lose their identity, withdraw into themselves and slowly die off, or adapt creatively while retaining a vital sense of what makes them different. That is the challenge for today’s church, a challenge laid down by this book. It explores an evocative and rich theme for understanding the place of the church in contemporary British life. It is well worth reading, studying and debating, and has an important message which I hope will be heard widely.”
The Rev Dr Alison Morgan, Associate of ReSource and author of The Wild Gospel
“Prepare for Exile offers an engaging and readable overview of the history of the Church, focusing particularly on those periods when to be Christian has meant to live at odds with the values of society. Patrick Whitworth suggests that this experience of ‘exile’ is one which characterizes the life of the Church today, and should not be feared but rather welcomed as the key to renewal and new growth: exile, he says, is the Church’s best friend. Patrick writes, as ever, with experience and wisdom – this is a realistic and encouraging contribution to the discussion on the challenges facing the Church."
© MMIX Patrick Whitworth. All Rights Reserved.