Saturday 29 December 2012

Taking a break!


 I forgot to mention in my last post that the shop is closed between Christmas and the New Year. Don't worry, we are checking online orders and phone calls so if you have an urgent query we can sort it (within reason!) We're are hoping to start back in the New Year rejuvenated and brimful of energy and ideas. We look forward to continuing to serve you in 2013.
Lorna

Tuesday 25 December 2012

eBooks

So you received an eReader  for Christmas? (iPad, Nook, Kobo - it doesn't have to be a Kindle!) Don't think that we bookshops are the last people that want to hear about it.  In fact research suggests that people who buy eBooks still tend to buy printed books too (a bibliophile after all does love books!) If you are new to eBooks and aren't sure where to start, have a read of this article that Jeremy helpfully wrote when we launched eBooks on our website earlier this year.  This will give you information about eBooks in general as well as how to download them from our website.
We have a growing number of eBooks available on our website and are regularly updating this.  We aim to be a bookshop where you can be sure of obtaining good quality sovereign grace literature in both the printed form and for your eReader.  Please have a browse of our eBook catalogue.
Lorna

Saturday 22 December 2012

The Printed Page

I just found this old CLC bookmark in a secondhand book. I love it! (especially the bit about books not answering back!)
Lorna

Monday 17 December 2012

The Thunder - A Novel on John Knox

Douglas Bond's fiction is for the 21st Century what G A Henty's was for the Victorian era.  Only, Bond is directly Reformed in his underlying theology, whereas Henty went no further than good, clean morality.  But both are similar in attention to detail when it comes to history, so much so that the storyline and fictional characters are not given the depth of treatment that a 'mere' novelist would do.  This however turns into a virtue rather than a vice, in that it allows the history to percolate through very easily and clearly.  Bond is particularly good in this book on John Knox and the Scots Reformation at weaving verbatim material from sermons and letters etc into the story.  Knox shows up here (from the beatific depiction on the front cover onwards!) as a bold and fearless man.  But also, contrary to legend, we learn that he was physically unimposing and pastorally tender to his beloved countrymen.  Whether loved or hated, he cannot be ignored in understanding not only the Reformation in Scotland, but in England also because of his contact with Edward VI and Hugh Latimer. The influence of John Calvin on him when in exile at Geneva was marked, but he had come to deeply 'calvinistic' doctrines before that, under God's teaching, and proclaimed them.
This is profitable holiday reading by my reckoning, and Bond builds an interesting gospel analogy into the plot which is a bonus.
Jeremy
The Thunder - A novel on John Knox, by Douglas Bond.
Published by P & R, p/b £9.99
Read a sample chapter

Saturday 15 December 2012

Still pondering presents?

If you are, like me, still thinking about what gifts to get certain people in your life I have a suggestion...
This book looks lovely, feels lovely and reads lovely! With a daily reading from a Puritan for each day of the year you are sure to enjoy a pithy meditation packed with doctrinal truths each morning (or evening). All Scripture readings are AV.
You can read a sample here 
Daily Readings - The Puritans edited by Randall J Pederson, Published by Christian Focus Publications, priced £12.99
Lorna

Monday 3 December 2012

The Three Forms of Unity

This is a really lovely quality set of books for children telling the stories behind each of the Confessions of Faith within the Three Forms of Unity. 
The background to the Belgic Confession is related in the first book Faithfulness under Fire: The Story of Guido de Bres.  Simply written but with enough detail to give a correct understanding of the events of the time, plus very striking illustrations this book is suitable for a range of ages and is a good reference book to keep on the shelf to be returned to again and again.  I read this book to a group of children who ranged in age from 3 to 11 and they were spell-bound (at least that was how it seemed to me!).
The second book The Quest for Comfort: The Story of the Heidelberg Catechism covers the story of the connection between  Olevianus, Ursinus and Federick III and their desire to see a 'simple, personal and more peaceful' outline of their doctrinal position. The book very simply describes the themes around which this catechism is based.
The third book The Glory of Grace: The Story of the Canons of Dort describes the troubled times in the Netherlands with the preaching of Arminius and the following that he gained.  The 5 points of Arminianism are briefly explained along with the events involving the Prince of Orange & the English King James I which led to a synod of leaders from Holland, Germany, Switzerland and England to discuss a unified doctrinal position.  The resulting Canons of Dort (or the 5 points of Calvinism) are explained in some detail.
Each book has a section at the end designed to give parents further information about the doctrinal points raised.  In an easy and compelling style, these books describe some difficult doctrines and put them in their historical context.  I think they do an excellent job of filling a gap in a child's understanding of these early expressions of the Reformed faith which have been foundational to any subsequent Confessions.
Lorna