Questions about law and grace, judgement and mercy, prayer, evil, discipleship, and the character of God lie at the heart of Christian theology. In these essays, professor John Barton uses biblical scholarship, theological reflection, and pastoral experience to examine such themes through close engagement with Scripture, exploring how biblical texts continue to shape Christian belief and practice.
Moving between the Gospels, St Paul, Christian doctrine, and the history of interpretation, Barton considers subjects as varied as the forgiveness of sinners, the problem of evil, petitionary prayer, the witness of Johann Sebastian Bach, the demands of discipleship, and the paradox of Divine grace. Characterized by intellectual clarity, theological rigour, and a profound familiarity with the biblical tradition, these essays offer thoughtful and illuminating reflections from one of the leading biblical scholars of the modern Church.