Mark 4.25

For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

I went to Wales last week (photos here). It was great apart from a walk from hell in a bog (near the pretty waterfalls), but the most astonishing thing didn't happen there, but in a church.

I went with some religious friends, including a priest, and we naturally went to church on the Sunday (save Anna) - in doing so, we expanded the congregation by 50%. After the service we chatted to the (retired, stand in) priest for a while, who asked us where we were staying and what we were doing etc. On hearing that we were off to Hay-on-Wye, she then proceeded to tell us she had a large library she was trying to get rid of, and were any of us interested in theology? After a brief hesitation (very brief it should be said), I shamelessly offered to take some of these off her hands, introducing myself as a student of theology and Tony as a vicar. Tony did complain that I managed to gloss over his far superior greater academic theological qualifcations, but this is not relevant.

We went the next day, and plagued with guilt for being given them free (payment was refused), took about 25 volumes each off her. I list mine below, but this is really a public post to thank Marion for her astonishing generosity and to note that the Lord does provide, though sometimes one might have to ask.

Books acquired from God (25):
S.C. Barton, Holiness
John Chyrsostom, Homilies
D. Dales, Light to the Isles
J.C. Fenton, Preaching the Cross
J.C.L. Gibson, Language and imagery in the Old Testament
P. Hughes, The reformation in England
D. Jenkins, Free to believe
J. Jobling and I. Markham, Theological Liberalism
L.T. Johnson, The writings of the New Testament
E.T. Long, Existence, Being and God
T. MacCauley, A history of England (4 volumes)
T. Meakin, A Basic church dictionary
D. Morgan, Lambeth Speaks
H.A. Netland, Dissonant Voices
R.M. Pirsig, Lila
J. Reumann, Stewardship and the economy of God
E.P. Saunders and M. Davies, Studying the Synoptic gospels
E. Schillebeeckz, The understanding of faith
M.A. Smith, The Church of the Siege
P. Tilich, Theology of Culture
C.K. Ward, Priests and People
J. Ziesler, Pauline Christianity