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Pub Wild Goose Pulications, pp208, ISBN 1901557944
The better you know your Bible, the more you will like this book. Or not. Annie Heppenstall picks up and runs with the exceptionally rich starting-point theme of birds in the Bible and “the mythology of cultures worldwide” in a highly creative exploration, which mixes moderate scholarly awareness with a determined remythologising, throwing up poetry and material which will find its way into meditative, probably evening worship in small groups. As in chapter 1: “having spent time with the biblical characters, we can move on to the people around us”.
Each chapter has a key bird or birds: the raven, dove, cockerel, eagle, phoenix (!) sparrow & swallow, the swan, and of course, the wild goose.
It is possible to enjoy this book whilst having huge reservations about it; paradox is everywhere, not least in the ‘leaderless eucharist’ which in most ‘ordinary’ situations would require a great deal of leadership to prepare for. Annie Heppenstall works rather hard to uncover the spirituality buried in daily life, and prescribes reflective activities to get us there, taking seriously many relevant ideas neglected in more run-of-the mill devotions, such as the spiritual dimension of caring for your feet. You will find prayers for mending and recycling, painting and decorating. And yes, a ‘Celtic’ spirit, as we have come to recognise it since the 1980s, pervades the whole. Perhaps this book’s use of the word ‘ordinary’ begins to pall. ‘Ordinary’ is the excuse as well as the starting-point. In your ‘ordinary’ environment, you will be free to experiment with ‘a kinetic meditation for the whole body.’ It makes a change from Mr Motivator or the Green Goddess! But it does take itself rather seriously.
So this is a book for reflective loners, who lack a local outlet or supportive group; for committed small groups with a concern for spirituality integrated with justice; and it would do no harm at all to those whose approach to theology and to prayer has been insufficiently creative. The large number of biblical reflections alone make it worthwhile. It will reward, greater investment of time and space than this review can offer, and if you enjoyed Annie’s ‘Reclaiming the Sealskin’, you have probably ordered it already.
DC
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