Two contemporary theologians, Samuel Wells and Stanley Hauerwas, add their voices to the ongoing conversation about Christian life in the twenty-first century. This third book in the In Conversation series dives deeply into the theological and personal ideas and motivations for the work of two prominent Christian thinkers. Readers will discover their thoughts on the Trinity, parish ministry, and non-violence, along with anecdotes and intimate notions on marriage, family, and even baseball. Followers of Wells’s and Hauerwas’s theological and homiletical work will find out what has influenced them most, and where they’d like to go from here. A fascinating read for Episcopalians and Anglicans, and those who enjoyed the first two In Conversation books.

This book offers a model of profound and accessible congregational prayer. At once inspirational and practical, it will empower and equip laypeople and clergy alike to offer heartfelt, informed, and appropriate prayers on behalf of the people of God. As Samuel Wells and Abigail Kocher say, "Interceding in public worship is a duty. This book is intended to make it a joy." Shaping the Prayers of the People begins by considering what public prayer is and offering practical guidelines for avoiding common pitfalls. It explores prayer as an integral part of worship and discusses the language we need (and don't need) to address God. Significantly, the book also provides an array of example prayers along with commentary.

We are pleased to annouce that God’s Companions by Samuel Wells has been shortlisted for the 2007 Michael Ramsey Prize for theological writing. www.michaelramseyprize.org.uk Grounded in Samuel Wells’ experience of ordinary lives in poorer neighborhoods, this book presents a striking and imaginative approach to Christian ethics. It argues that Christian ethics is founded on God, on the practices of human community, and on worship, and that ethics is fundamentally a reflection of God's abundance. Wells synthesizes dogmatic, liturgical, ethical, scriptural, and pastoral approaches to theology in order to make a bold claim for the centrality of the local church in theological reflection. He considers the abundance of gifts God gives through the practices of the Church, particularly the Eucharist. His central thesis, which governs his argument throughout, is that God gives his people everything they need to worship him, be his friends, and eat with him. Wells engages with serious scholarly material, yet sets out the issues lucidly for a student audience.

Does God heal? Where do I turn when my faith is fragile? How can I face my own death? Is there a gospel for the rich? In brief, to-the-point chapters, respected preacher and ethicist Samuel Wells lucidly and compassionately explores topics Christians are often reluctant to face--death, weakness, power, difference, faith, and living life to the full--and offers down-to-earth help in overcoming common fears in the life of faith. "The heart of the gospel speaks into the most numbing and terrifying moments of our lives with words of hope and joy amid fear and bewilderment," writes Wells. This book provides an intellectually rigorous but scripturally rooted and theologically accessible engagement with questions of faith.

A Nazareth Manifesto is an eloquent and impassioned ecumenical proposal for re-envisioning Christianity’s approach to social engagement away from working “for” the people to being “with” them. Questions the effectiveness of the current trend of intervention as a means of fixing the problems of people in distressed and disadvantaged circumstances Argues that Jesus spent 90% of his life simply being among the people of Nazareth, sharing their hopes and struggles, therefore Christians should place a similar emphasis on being alongside people in need rather than hastening to impose solutions Written by a respected priest and broadcaster and renowned Christian ethicist and preacher Supported by historical, contemporary, exegetical and anecdotal illustrations

Samuel Wells vividly paints the stories surrounding Jesus’ cross and resurrection. We see the weakness of Pontius Pilate and Barabbas, and the compromised character of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. We discover the subtle power of Pilate’s wife. And in Peter and Mary Magdalene we find the true power of resurrection, bringing forgiveness and ending the stranglehold of death, thus transforming all human passion. Through close readings of the gospel texts, Wells demonstrates the significance of these characters for faith and life today. In this book, structured with one chapter for each week of Lent, Wells guides us from the deathly power that put Jesus on the cross to the new power brought by Jesus’ resurrection. The book offers opportunities at the end of each chapter for prayer and discussion. The Archbishop of Canterbury has selected Power and Passion as his Lent book for 2007.

Is living an ethical life primarily about following rules or about the kind of people we are? The authors of this book argue that faithful Christian discipleship is more to do with developing good habits than following rules. And forming good habits requires participation in communities that transform us, and those around us, into the kind of people who can live God's way in God's world. The book introduces key approaches to Christian ethics through a conversation between theologians, church leaders, and Christians equipping the church for action. The main conversation partners are Stanley Hauerwas and Sam Wells who present some of their key ideas in the essays and then enter into facinating conversations with Jo Bailey Wells, Luke Bretherton, Steve Chalke, Shane Clairbourne, and Russ Rook. They explore how we can live out loud as a faithful witness of Christ in our contemporary context.

Hanging by a Thread revisits the harrowing story at the very heart of Christianity. Samuel Wells considers the risk, cost and suffering of the cross in the light of six key contemporary concerns: the reliability of history, the fragility of trust, the fact of mortality, the search for meaning, the nature of power, and the character of love. Recognizing that the cross leaves our easy assumptions and tidy answers by a thread, he paints a picture of a God who, despite danger and disgrace, regardless of how much we deny and reject, gives everything to be with us. This is a profound, moving and inspiring vision of the central event of the Christian faith.

This introductory textbook establishes theatrical improvisation as a model for Christian ethics, helping Christians embody their faith in the practices of discipleship. Clearly, accessibly, and creatively written, it has been well received as a text for courses in Christian ethics. The repackaged edition has updated language and recent relevant resources, and it includes a new afterword by Wesley Vander Lugt and Benjamin D. Wayman that explores the reception and ongoing significance of the text.