Current Projects

These are the books that I am working on at the moment.

Buddhist Christianity: a passionate Opennness

My current writing, contracted with O Books, for publication in 2010, exploring the relationship between the faiths that have dominated different periods of my life, and trying to work out a dual commitment that has spiritual and intellectual integrity.

Responding Well to Hurt: A Buddhist Christian Approach

Most of us have lived through experiences that to us have been in some way painful, humiliating or traumatic. If we are aware and honest, we know we have not always responded well, but continue to be haunted and conditioned by reactions that trap us in ongoing cycles of feeling hurt and hurting others. And on the wider political scale, we have obviously yet to learn the art of responding well to the hurts of terrorism, exploitation, or more local conflicts of interest. We tend either to resort to reciprocal violence, or to claim too readily the status of innocent victim.

The book begins by looking at three dominant patterns of negative response. It then draws on a variety of traditions from the author’s own Buddhist Christian perspective. It explores how therapy can help, but deep meditation is also of great benefit, as a way of taking us beyond the negative narratives of hurt. It finds ambivalent but broadly positive images in childhood innocence and the tragicomic fool, and urges the importance of a radical and unconditional forgiveness of self and others that is grounded in both Buddhist Emptiness and the risen Christ. By these means a self and society dominated by accusation might give way to a warmer world in which humour and mutual wonder predominate.

If we can respond well to hurt, then bad can be turned to good. This is a personally and politically challenging book that offers grounds for hope.

Still seeking a contract for this book - would hope to get it out by the end of 2010.

Reflecting Christ-Light

Visual, poetic, thoughtful and prayerful reflections for individuals and groups who wish to go deeper in faith together, based on the Seasons of the Christian Year as discussed in Spirituality in Season

Longer-term Developments

Transfiguring God

Unpublished - first sketch of a Mahayana Buddhist Christology.

Can God 'Emerge'? Analogy and Emergence

An Embryonic Work which may form the missing link between my Buddhist explorations and 'Transfiguring God'

Posthuman Nature: frozen embryos, convivial genes and emergent ethics

An exploration of what happens to 'nature' including 'human nature' after the dethroning of 'man' from the centre of the cosmos.

Poems

A great number of poems were written in 2004-5, but this, my third 'bout' of writing seems to have subsided for the time being, along with ideas I had for a novel.

I welcome feedback, comment and criticism on any of these books as it can only help me write better work in the future. So feel free to contact me.