Heaven and Earth: Essex Essays in Theology and Ethics Edited by Andrew Linzey & Peter Wexler (Churchman Publishing, £6.95).
.The Triune God: An Ecumenical Study by E L Mascall DD FBA (Churchman Publishing, £2.95).
I FOUND Heaven and Earth a disappointing book which failed in its promise to reflect on fundamental and contemporary ethical issues. Ten essays are offered; few are addressed to specific contemporary concerns.
Among those that are, Tom Regan's Pigs in Space loses its point (stewardship in regard to creation) in sophistry above the head of the average reader.
Maybe Essex Anglican Chaplaincy should be congratulated on their attempt .. "to produce something which has one foot in academia and the other outside it", but when produced in print balance appears to have been lost.
Unity, so deeply desired by all Christians, can only be achieved by prayer, study and a genuine desire to understand different situations. E L Mascall is an Anglican theologian who has gained universal respect. His study of the Triune God may be tough going for the nontheologian, nevertheless, his book provides a welcome contribution to the current dialogue between the Western and Eastern Churches.
Frances Makower rscl