The Book of the Gospels

The Book of the Gospels by Michael Perham was published by Continuum in September 2004 and is our 4280th best seller. The ISBN for The Book of the Gospels is 9780819281241.

In the celebration of the Eucharist and other sacraments, the Book of the Gospels rather than the lecturn is the equivalent focus to the table and the gifts in the first part of the liturgy. It is because a minister (traditionally the Deacon) brings in the Book of the Gospels at the start of the liturgy that the assembly stands to acknowledge Christ's coming to his people. The same is true of the procession with the Book of the Gospels to the place where the gospel is read. In many churches, that is in the centre of the assembly, and bringing the Gospels from the altar table to the middle of the people is the church's vivid way of proclaiming that 'the Word was made flesh, and lived among us; and we have seen his glory'. That is why the assembly stands as the Gospel comes among them, and greets the words of the gospel reading with acclamations to Christ himself.