Northern Gospel, Northern Church : Reflections on Identity and Mission

“Enlightening, thought provoking and honest, a bit like the North itself” — Kate Bottley (the “Gogglebox Vicar”)

Foreword by John Sentamu, Archbishop of York

From the monks of Lindisfarne to the Synod of Whitby, the North is historically considered to be a cradle of Christianity in England, but in today’s society is there a “gospel for the North”?

Does it make sense to talk of a gospel for a specific place when there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5)? Can we even consider the North of England as a distinct entity with its own particular identity?

This book brings together prominent practitioners and academics to answer these questions and explore what it means to proclaim the gospel in the North of England from many angles: housing estates to ancient cathedrals, Biblical reflection to street evangelism, history to economics.

Endorsements

The Gospel has the ability to address the local and the global. This book is a unique contribution by northern practitioners and thinkers to recognise the needs and opportunities of the North and the relevance of the good news.

— The Revd David Wilkinson
Principal of St John’s College, Durham University
and contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day

Being born and bred in the North I can testify to sometimes feeling culturally and theologically misunderstood by my Southern colleagues. There’s more to the North than mushy peas, gravy and flat caps; the Holy Spirit is alive and well and very much in action beyond Watford Gap. This work helps to address some of the specifics of what a Gospel in the North might look like, addressing key issues of identity without wandering into patronising stereotypes. Enlightening, thought provoking and honest, a bit like the North itself.

— The Revd Kate Bottley (the “Gogglebox Vicar”)

My mother often reminded me of a great truism: “Its not what you say, its what people hear you saying.”

As a southern UK citizen living in London, I only need to travel north of Watford to know that I'm in a different cultural country. How people receive the good news is hugely significant, and this provocative book offers a new way of checking how its heard in the North.

— Joel Edwards, Strategic Adviser, Christian Solidarity Worldwide

Gavin Wakefield is Director of Training for Missional Ministry in the Diocese of York, overseeing a team responsible for lay and clergy development. Previously he has served in the dioceses of Sheffield and Chelmsford, and for ten years was Director of Mission and Pastoral Studies at Cranmer Hall Durham. Although brought up in the south of England he has happily spent most of his adult life in the north, seeking to contribute to the mission of the Church in this context. Among his publications are Alexander Boddy: Pentecostal Anglican Pioneer (Authentic Media, 2007), a biography of an unusual and influential vicar in Sunderland and Holy People, Holy Places (Lion Hudson, 2008), a book for pilgrimage set in the north east.

Nigel Rooms works part-time developing a process for deep cultural change in UK Christian congregations over the long term with the Church Mission Society. He also offers his skills in a variety of roles in organizations, churches and in 1:1 developmental relationships including being a spiritual director. Nigel has worked both as an Anglican Parish Priest and in training and development at all levels in the UK church for most of his 25+ years in ministry. He is currently Associate Priest at St Peter’s, Braunstone Park in Leicester. Nigel holds a Master’s degree in Mission and Ministry from Nottingham University and a Professional Doctorate (ThD) in Missiology from Birmingham University. He is a published author of books and journal articles in mission and contextual theology. He was the editor of the Journal of Adult Theological Education for six years and is now the editor of the journal Practical Theology. His research and writing interests are currently Contextual Theology in the North of England, the theology of spiritual direction and the phenomenon of liminality. Nigel was a mission partner in Tanzania for seven years in the 1990s and speaks fluent Kiswahili. He grows all his own vegetables on his allotment and worries about the fluctuating fortunes of his hometown football club, Hull City AFC.

Steven Croft was born and brought up in Halifax and has lived most of his life in the north of England working as a Vicar in Ovenden in Halifax and Warden of Cranmer Hall in Durham. He became Bishop of Sheffield in 2009. He is the author of a number of books including Ministry in Three Dimensions (DLT, 2nd edition 2008), Jesus People, what the Church should do next (CHP, 2009) and The Advent Calendar (DLT, 2006), a novel for adults and children. He is also a co-author of Pilgrim: A course for the Christian Journey (CHP, 2013, 2014).

David Goodhew is Director of Ministerial Practice at Cranmer Hall, a theological college which is part of St John’s College, Durham. He is also director of the Centre for Church Growth Research, a research centre based in Durham. David edited Church Growth in Britain, 1980 to the Present (Ashgate, 2012) and Towards a Theology of Church Growth (Ashgate, 2015). Prior to moving to Durham in 2008, David was vicar of two parishes in York.

Claire Dawson has been priest in charge of St John and St James Church Bootle in the Liverpool Diocese since 2010; she initially joined the parish in 2008 as Urban Missioner. Claire was ordained in 2004 in Southwell and Nottingham Diocese having previously worked as social worker in Nottinghamshire and Derby City, where she set up a project for young people who were being exploited through prostitution. Her ministerial training took place on the East Midlands Ministerial Training Course alongside her work with young people. Claire is currently studying for a Doctor of Professional Studies in Practical Theology at Chester University, she is researching issues relating to urban theology and mission.