Mary, Bearer of Life

Whether through suspicion or ignorance, serious consideration of what Mary can teach us has been lacking in large swathes of the church for some time. Drawing on careful biblical exegesis, church history and ecumenical thinking, this book suggests how a serious understanding of Mary might influence our ethical thought, and considers some of the key theological tensions at the heart of the church’s engagement with Mary. "Christopher Cocksworth has given us a wonderful book – part travelogue, part spiritual journey through meditations on motherhood to Mary, mother of the One who is Life Itself." “This wise and wonderful book, seeped in the scriptures and full of the wisdom of Eastern and Reformed traditions, shows how a proper devotion to Mary can only enhance our understanding of the Gospel. The creative dialogue the author sets up between the Biblical accounts of Mary and contemporary ethical issues brings a wholly fresh approach to both. Whether you are nervous of Marian devotion or have the deepest love for the Mother of God, there is rich and glorious fare here for every Christian.”

"Christopher Cocksworth’s Mary: Bearer of Life articulates a deeply reflected retrieval of the possible place of Mary, mother of Our Lord, Life incarnate, in evangelical theology, spirituality, homiletics, Christian living, and Christian social ethics. Deftly engaging across a wide range of Christian traditions, the pastoral orientation and open evangelical Anglican context is appropriately apparent throughout. The result is a profound resource for the deepened spiritual ecumenical formation of thinking Christians across many traditions."

"This is a beautiful, sensitive and at times deeply personal book. Chris Cocksworth shares his journey with Mary, and offers an original reading of the place of Mary within an evangelical spirituality. The depth of analysis combined with a lively interaction with contemporary ethical issues makes this book a deep, moving and thoroughly enjoyable read." The book is a beautiful and profound resource for those drawn to Marian devotion. Cocksworth has a brilliant ability to reflect on familiarbiblical texts and evoke new insights. He clearly is familiar with a wide range of interdiscipli nary scholarship which he expertly interweaves with his own story. Though the book is rich in scholarship, it is written contemplatively, evoking a retreat-like invitation to the richness of Marian devotion. Whether through suspicion or ignorance, serious consideration of what Mary can teach us has been lacking in large swathes of the church for some time. Drawing on careful biblical exegesis, church history and ecumenical thinking, this book suggests how a serious understanding of Mary might influence our ethical thought, and considers some of the key theological tensions at the heart of the church’s engagement with Mary.

• | Author: Christopher Cocksworth
• | Publisher: SCM Press
• | Publication Date: May 31, 2023
• | Number of Pages:
• | Language:
• | Binding: Paperback / softback
• | ISBN-13: 9780334062004
• | ISBN-10: 0334062004