Dust and Glory: Daily Bible readings from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day
Lent is one of the three forty-day 'seasons' in the Church's year, besides Advent and the period from Easter to Pentecost. The name itself, Lent, derives from an ancient word meaning 'spring' or 'long', referring to the time of year when days are beginning to lengthen and the world is turning from winter cold and dark to the warmth and promise of spring. During this time, the Church calls us to a special period of prayer, self-examination and teaching - and this book has been written to accompany you through that period, a time of turning from winter to spring, from death to life.
Title | Dust and Glory: Daily Bible readings from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day |
Author | David Runcorn |
ISBN | |
Description | Lent is one of the three forty-day 'seasons' in the Church's year, besides Advent and the period from Easter to Pentecost. The name itself, Lent, derives from an ancient word meaning 'spring' or 'long', referring to the time of year when days are beginning to lengthen and the world is turning from winter cold and dark to the warmth and promise of spring. During this time, the Church calls us to a special period of prayer, self-examination and teaching - and this book has been written to accompany you through that period, a time of turning from winter to spring, from death to life. Dust and Glory ranges across the whole business of living and believing, where the questions are as important as the answers, and may call us to deep heart-searching. The goal is always to draw us to authentic faith; a way of living and believing that is real and vulnerable, strong in knowing its limits, rooted in joy and wonder, blessed with the healing and merciful presence of God. Such faith acknowledges both the dust of our mortality and the glory that keeps breaking in with unexpected life, hope and new beginnings. |
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Lent is one of the three forty-day 'seasons' in the Church's year, besides Advent and the period from Easter to Pentecost. The name itself, Lent, derives from an ancient word meaning 'spring' or 'long', referring to the time of year when days are beginning to lengthen and the world is turning from winter cold and dark to the warmth and promise of spring. During this time, the Church calls us to a special period of prayer, self-examination and teaching - and this book has been written to accompany you through that period, a time of turning from winter to spring, from death to life.
Dust and Glory ranges across the whole business of living and believing, where the questions are as important as the answers, and may call us to deep heart-searching. The goal is always to draw us to authentic faith; a way of living and believing that is real and vulnerable, strong in knowing its limits, rooted in joy and wonder, blessed with the healing and merciful presence of God. Such faith acknowledges both the dust of our mortality and the glory that keeps breaking in with unexpected life, hope and new beginnings.
Many of you will be familiar with David Runcorn's writing, and I am delighted to commend his new book Dust and Glory to accompany us on our journey through Lent. The path from Ash Wednesday to Easter day is one in which our frail humanity is met by God's immense love and grace. Questions continually rise within us and this book invites us to discover more of Self and God as we seek to live authentic lives as followers of Christ.
Right Reverend Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester
If you are looking for a companion for your journey through Lent this year, you can do no better than this book. Packed with gentle, rich and sustaining wisdom it really will provide deep nourishment as you journey onwards.
Paula Gooder, author and Theologian in Residence, Bible Society
David Runcorn is a popular writer, speaker, teacher, retreat leader and spiritual guide. His books include The Spirituality Workbook - a guide for pilgrims, explorers and seekers and Fear and Trust - God-centred leadership. He lives in Gloucester where he is involved with the selection, training and support of people called to Christian ministry of all kinds.
I have read New Daylight - a BRF publication - for a number of years and have enjoyed the daily dialogue, so much so, that I wanted to develop my reading experiences further.
Dust & Glory by David Runcorn seemed a very appropriate book to follow during the lead up to Easter. BRF published the first few extracts separately and the immediate reaction was - terrific. This was different, it spoke to me and I warmed to it. Result was ordering a copy.
The daily format for a specific date, the printed extract from the Bible, David's commentary and following prayer/reflection all came together in a flowing manner.
However, I would say this book is aimed more at a group rather than an individual. The questions at the end of each week were useful stimulations for me, but I wonder how much I was getting out of it, or indeed understanding ? Of course, I attempted to answer the questions but was left wondering what other people might have said.
There were also places where 'the going got tough' - Week 5 ? - where the philosophical ideas seemed to have dominated. It is a pity that I have waited until finishing the book before starting to write this review, but I did not wish to be too presumptuous in the early days of reading this book.
However, the idea of such a reader has increased my knowledge, and hopefully my understanding of / thinking through Biblical issues, as well as that personal contact with God. Consequently, I am ordering another book from BRF that covers the period from Easter to Pentecost.
I have enjoyed reading and walking with God & David Runcorn.
Review by Johannes Buchanan
From goodbookreviews.org.uk
Dust & Glory takes a wide ranging journey through the Bible in these 40 Lenten contemplations, and on that journey we really look at a wide range of questions that life puts before us and yet sometimes we don't stop to ponder on.
The format of the book starts with a lovely short Bible passage (short enough to be used as a lectio divina even for a busy person), and then a contemplation I'd call it rather than a commentary on the passage that looks at its context in our lives as much as its meaning, and rounds out with either a one line prayer, a 'for reflection' , or both! My favourite 'for reflection' consisted of... 'Yes!'
There is enough thought in these daily readings to last a day, but they can take only a couple of minutes to read if your life is very pressing on the time front... A very handy Lent book.
Reviewed by Melanie Carroll
Church Times 15 January 2016
David Runcorn in Dust and Glory provides us with 47 easy-to-read but substantial biblical reflections, loosely based on six intriguing themes: Becoming who I am; Excitement; In the midst of life; Hidden and revealed; Habits, reflexes and responses; and The shadow of the Cross. He tackles a wide-ranging selection of biblical material with a sure touch, with a galaxy of incisive quotations and conclusions. One of those quotes, from C. S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is as apposite for Runcorn as it is for Aslan: 'Course he's not safe. But he's good.' Runcorn is very good indeed: a worthy companion for Lent and beyond.
The Rt Revd David Wilbourne
Church of England Newspaper 5 February 2016
Dust and Glory by David Runcorn offers a reading for each day of the six weeks of Lent.
Runcorn says this is a book to accompany the work of 'turning'-'the journey from death to life', with an emphasis on self-examination, rather than a 'how to' of living and believing.
The book is easy to read, and offers reading and reflection in a none-too laborious way, with passages that could easily be read in a daily pattern.