by Robin Greenwood
About the book
'Here is a rich resource for the Christian journey from Lent, through Holy Week, Good Friday and Easter to Pentecost. A book which will help not only individual Christians but parishes to keep their love affair with God well and truly alive', writes Martin Wharton, Bishop of Newcastle in his Foreword.
The book's starting point is two questions: 'How can Christian living be distinctive without becoming too insular?' and 'How can it be respectful and open to all without losing its character?'
It can be used for personal reflection and prayer but the book's main purpose is to stimulate Christian communities to consider the issues raised and find ways forward so it is ideally suited to a book group approach. There are questions and suggestions for meditation, prayer and reflection throughout the book.
You can buy Risking Everything here.
About the author
Rev Canon Dr Robin Greenwood is Rector of the Parish of St Mary the Virgin, Monkseaton near Newcastle. His extensive writing includes Local Ministry and Transforming Church.
You can find a full list of Robin Greenwood's SPCK titles here (search for author = 'greenwood')
Questions about Risking Everything
- 'Knowledge and intelligence is not just centred in the brain and thinking'. What do you understand by this and do you agree? Do you have personal examples of knowledge gained and intelligence realised through feelings, intuition, instinct or spiritual perception?
- In the questions on page 15, Robin Greenwood asks us to consider when we have experienced good trusting love from another person or group. Spend a few moments in silence recalling such an experience then try to distil it to no more than three or four key phrases or words which you can then share with the rest of the group. Compare everyone's words - are themes emerging about the nature and qualities of loving relationships?
- Read the short section, The Work of the Church in Chapter 2, Page 21. Which of these statements most closely matches your church and which is furthest from your experience of church? Can you begin to consider how to align church life more closely with these statements and which would you choose to begin with?
- Talk together about your experience of prayer. Do you pray? When do you prayer? Do you use a set format? How do you address God? Are prayer and meditation different for you? Do you think about different types of prayer such as praise, confession, supplication?
- In Chapter 4 Robin Greenwood explores the church as a community of learning and writes that, 'In a church community no one is exclusively a teacher or a learner'. How does this play out in your experience? To what extent does church allow opportunities to learn from one another? How does this relate to the idea of church leadership - does it mean that church is a democracy where the majority view sets doctrine and practice?
- Share your memories and recent experience of Holy Week. Is it different, special in some way? Do you mark the days; make time for extra prayer or reflection? Do you find it helpful to have seasons and Holy Days to focus your thoughts or do they seem artificial and incompatible with modern busy lives? Are there imaginative ways of combining daily life with time for reflection and prayer?
- In his section on Maundy Thursday the author suggests a foot washing ritual. To what extent do you or would you find this helpful? In the UK we generally don't wear sandals at this time of year so the symbolism of washing the dust from one another's feet can be lost. Can you think of an alternative act of practical generous and self denying kindness?
- Jesus is one of millions throughout history who have died a cruel agonising death at the hands of their oppressors. From medieval hangings (including children) and burning alive through to fanatical groups today torturing innocents to death, his death on the cross could be lost as one more true beyond-horror story. In remembering Jesus' death, to what extent are we remembering all such deaths and to what extent do you see this particular death as different and in some way special?
- Resurrection can be seen in many ways: as an historical event, as part of a process of atonement, as one of reconciliation, as a mirror of the natural order of death and new life, as a symbolic story of life moving on. What is your understanding and experience of resurrection?
- At the close of his book (page 114) Robin Greenwood offers a prayer that begins, 'I pray for a church that...' How would you complete this sentence?
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