Books
Let's Do Theology, Continuum, 2009, ISBN 9780826425515
Resources for Contextual Theology
Let’s Do Theology is the key text for all who wish to do theology in an exciting and transformative way. Accessible and practical, whilst at the same time addressing the key
questions about the nature and challenges of theology, this book will enable readers to bring together their faith and their life’s issues, and also help students of theology face the challenge of how academic theology can be life-transforming.
‘This is a book of authentic liberation theology set within the English-speaking context: it takes instances of human experience, analyses them, reflects theologically and proposes practical ideas for transformation. I enthusiastically recommend this significant book.’
Leonardo Boff, Liberation Theologian, Brazil
‘Every seminarian should engage with this book, so they can bring this clear-minded and
warm-hearted approach to theology to their local congregations in the coming generations.’
Brian D. McLaren, author/speaker (brianmclaren.net)
‘...a classic text, and I welcome the publication of this new revised edition. I hope that a whole
new generation of Christians will be inspired to move beyond just reading theology to doing it.’
Elaine Graham, Manchester University, UK
‘Christians today yearn to practice a faith that matters, rooted in context and in the dream of
God, a faith that changes lives and changes the world. Laurie Green answers that cry in this
powerhouse of a book. We need this book.’
Stephanie Spellers, St Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, Boston, USA
‘Theological resources from Scripture onward were never meant to be hoarded. With generous
and accessible hospitality Green offers this valuable gem of a book to the whole people of God.’
Fredrica Harris Thompsett, Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, USA
‘Laurie Green’s experience as teacher, pastor and agent for God’s change informs every
page of this accessible and challenging book ... it retains all its freshness, insight and sheer
groundedness.’
Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury
‘Bishop Laurie challenges the western bias of traditional theology by explaining that every
theology is contextual theology ... a “must read”.’
P. Mohan Larbeer, Principal of Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, India
‘A tremendously encouraging book.’
Hermann Düringer, Director of the Arnoldshain Protestant Academy, Germany
‘“Accessible theology” might seem like a contradiction. It’s not, as Laurie Green shows us in his
marvellous book. It is simple, direct, practical and wise.’
Colin R. Johnson, Anglican Bishop of Toronto
Building Utopia? SPCK, 2008, ISBN 978-0-281-05867-9
Seeking the authentic Church for New Communities
Edited by Laurie Green and Chris Baker, Research Director of the William Temple Foundation and part-time lecturer, University of Manchester. The contributors include Michael Fox, John Perumbalath, Sue Hutson and Bishop Brian Castle. 
The new urban areas are reshaping much of Britain. Those who live, work or minister within them are not only at the cutting edge of new forms of built environment, they must also discover new ways of being community and contemplate new expressions of Church. All this demands careful and bold analysis and creative theological reflection. While powerful global economic forces are changing our landscapes, human beings have to wrestle with themes of belonging and identity. The gospel engages with these human narratives, driving and shaping a Christian search for alternative perspectives and practices. What are the appropriate building projects, mission programmes and lifestyles that will be effective in meeting the challenges of these urban settlements? How should other areas respond?
The writers of this book have worked together as a group, mapping the new situation, analysing their findings and drawing out those themes which demand attention, making it possible to reflect theologically about the challenges of our newly built urban developments.
Reviews
The Right Reverend John Gladwin, Bishop of Chelmsford
Urban Ministry and the Kingdom of God, SPCK, 2003, ISBN 0-281-05530-0
With 90 per cent of the UK population now living in urban and suburban environments, the need for a practicable theology that can be applied in our cities and towns has never been greater. Laurie Green, a published author in the field of contextual theology, seeks to meet that need here. He begins with an overview of the history of urban ministry and notes what radical change has occurred in recent years. He then reflects on past and present urban development and ministry, in the light of the Gospels. Finally, he asks how those in ministry should respond to the delights and challenges that the urban world now provides.
Urban Ministry and the Kingdom of God is an accessible and enjoyable resource for students of urban ministry and mission, and essential reading for all those living and working in an urban or suburban setting.
Contents and Structure of this Book: Read more...
Reviews
Anthony Dancer, Stimulus Vol.12 No.3, August 2004
The Rev'd Dr John Pridmore, Church Times
The Impact of the Global: An Urban Theology - Urban Bishops Panel, Church House, Westminster, 2000 (pp 56), ISBN 9-9990-0874-7 Translated into Portuguese, Spanish and Japanese in 2003, and into Tamil in 2004
Let's do Theology: a pastoral cycle resource book, Cassell, 1990; reprinted by Continuum, ISBN 0-8264-6095-X
Laurie Green, for several years The Director of the Aston Scheme for pre-theological training, is ambitious for theology. He wants to bring it out of the closet, or the scholar's den, and into the world where people wrestle with the problems which radically affect their lives and the lives of those around them.
The teaching of Jesus sprang from real situations - a rich young man who wanted to know whom to help, a woman caught in adultery, rivalry and ambition among his followers; it also sprang from the religious tradition he knew well. Laurie Green shows how theology today can spring from the meeting of real situations with our understanding of tradition and reveals exactly how to do this, using the pastoral cycle: Experience - Exploration - Reflection - Response.
When people ask about how the so-called ordinary church person does theology, I think sometimes of one of Moliere's comedies where one of the central figures is suddenly told by another that he has been talking prose all his life, he is terribly excited, he never realized that he did anything so exalted as talking prose, and I think sometimes in the ministry you find yourself or I find myself telling people they are talking theology. My own parochial experience, such as it is, has been mostly in post-war council estate contexts.
I found a great enthusiasm for reflecting on the sorts of human priorities that being a Christian entailed, a real enthusiasm for making connections between the texts that were being read on Sundays and the sort of decisions faced in the week, and what was to me a very moving awareness which many people shared in a quite inarticulate way of the Holy Communion as central, and I think those people were doing theology.
Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Wales
Power to the Powerless - Theology Brought to Life, Marshall Pickering, 1987, ISBN 0-551-01570-1
David Sheppard introduces this unique and stimulating book which challenges our understanding of what theology is, who it is for, and calls into question the whole pattern of theological training and Christian Ministry.
POWER TO THE POWERLESS traces what happens when theology is lifted out of the confines of academia and is placed in the hands of ordinary Christians in a working class parish in Birmingham.
Exploring the meaning of the parables for their own inner-city setting, they draw out a stunning analysis of the urban dilemma and discover a moving, powerful theology with which to confront and change the problems which blight peoples' lives and make the teachings of Jesus live in their locality.
A Thing called Aston 'An Experiment in Reflective Learning' with Norman Todd and others, Church House Publishing, 1987
Booklets
My Faith My Story, a Theological Method, Urban Theology Unit, New City Series, Sheffield, May 1998
God in the Inner City, Urban Theology Unit, New City Series, Sheffield, 1992
Jesus and the Jubilee, Crux Press, Sheffield UK, 1997 (pp 27)
The Challenge of the Estates: Strategies & Theology for Housing Estate Ministry, Board for Social Responsibilty, Church House, Westminster, 1998 (pp 25)
Challenging Communities - Church related Community Development & Neighbourhood Renewal with Finneron, Harley and Robertson, CUF & CCWA, 2001
Chapters
"Blowing Bubbles: Poplar" God in the City, ed. Sedgewick, Mowbray, 1995
"The Body: Physicality in the UPA" God in the City, ed. Sedgewick, Mowbray, 1995
"Distilling the Wisdom" with Prof. David Ford, God in the City, ed. Sedgewick, Mowbray, 1995
"The Jesus of the Inner City" Urban Christ, ed. Duffield, Urban Theology Unit, 1997
"What then must we do?" Proclaim Liberty: Reflections on Theology and Debt, Christian Aid, 1998
"Gospel from the Underclass" Gospel from the City
British Liberation Theology 2, ed. Rowland & Vincent, Urban Theology Unit, 199?
"Global Urbanization: A Christian Response" Beyond Colonial Anglicanism: The Anglican Communion in the Twenty-first Century, ed. Ian Douglas & Kwok Pui-lan, Church Publishing Inc., New York, 2001
Forward to Urban Christianity & Global Order, Andrew Davey, SPCK, 2001
"International Development and the Kingdom of God" Leva i Varlden, Kalstad, Sweden, 2002
Preface to Seeds are Sown in Hope: A Story of the Origins of InterAct, Rowland Joiner
"Friendship, Community and the Kingdom of God" A Last Embrace, Essays in Honour of Nadir Dinshaw, ed. Andrew Deuchar, Carins Publications, 2003
Articles
The Decaying Cities of Britain, St George's Windsor Annual Review, 1984
The Church in the Way, Community, No.62, Spring 1992
What then must we do?, Proclaim Liberty - Reflections on Theology & Debt, Christian Aid, 1998
Oral Culture and the World of Words, Theology, September 1999 (shorter version of a paper at given at the Theological Education by Extension Forum Conference, January 1998)
What is Political Theology?, review article in Christian Socialist, January 2000
Introducing Political Theology, January 2002
Reading the Bible in Context, The Reader, November 2004
Papers
Church in the Way? - Making links between Church and Locality, a paper written in 1992 when Laurie Green was Team Rector of Poplar in the East End of London
The Kingdom of God and the Year of Jubilee, January 1997
The Trinity and the Local Church, Willesden Episcopal Area Conference, Swanwick, October 1997
Oral Culture and the World of Words, Theological Education by Extension Forum Conference, January 1998
International Debt, Jubilee 2000 Peoples Summit, 1998
Towards an International Anglican Network and Commission on Faith in an Urban World, February 1999
The Place of the Church in the 21st Century, Anglia Polytechnic University, 23rd May 2000
Addressing Urbanisation - A way forward for the Anglican Communion, September 2000
Towards an Urban Strategy for the Church of England, December 2001
Enriching our Theology, Lincoln Diocesan Day, 2005
Olympic Games 2012, presented at Stratford Circus, 9 March 2006
A new way of being Church for a new millenium
In the Kingdom of the Shopping Trolley, Church of England Newspaper
Report from the New Urban Areas Group of the Commission, established February 2004
New Opportunities Funding, a submission to Church Commissioners, 15th October 2007
Bible Study - allowing the Bible to speak to our 'Regeneration' situation
The Christian at Work, reflections on Bishops in Mission in the Thurrock Deanery, 22nd March 2000
Unity and Plurality from an Anglican Perspective, a seminar paper, Stockholm, Sweden, February 2007
Social Exclusion, a short paper introducing the term to Synod
The Estate We're In, Bible study notes from National Estate Churches Network 2007 National Conference
Urban Seminar, Madurai, India, 2008
Bradwell Papers
A modest theological journal for the Clergy and Lay Workers of the Diocese of Chelmsford
- Spring 1994
Christ and Culture, Bishop Laurie (Bradwell Clergy Study Day 1993)
Theology and the Rural, Canon John Brown, Bishop's Rural Officer
Chops and Tomato Sauce, Bishop Laurie
Church in Black and White, Book Review, Andrew Cozens - Winter 1994
London's Gehenna, The Rev'd Jake Loewendahl
Late Vocations, a poem by Andrew J Powney
Jottings from Norfolk, The Rev'd Sylvia Wood
Reflections of an NSM, The Rev'd Don Gordon
Freed for the Future, Debt and the "Underclass" ,+Laurie Bradwell
Temptations, a poem by Barbara Moss - 1996
Team Work in Parishes, a report by Andrew Wigram
Churches in the High Street, Barbara Moss
The Rainbow People of God, a book review by David Jennings
The House of God and the Home of the Church, suggestions in re-ordering a church by Mark Pudge
An effective Church in the City where anything goes, a study of the Ephesian Church by Peter Sandberg - Jesus and the Jubilee - The Kingdom of God & Our New Millenium, 1997
1. Release: The Old Testament Vision
2. The breakdown of the Jubilee system
3. Jesus identifies himself with Jubilee
4. The structural nature of sin
5. Jesus engages the structures of sin
6. What then must we do?
7. Some ready responses
8. Some preliminary conclusions - Winter 1997
The Priest as Parson, Canon Trevor Shannon
The View from the Vicarage, The Rev'd Jim Bateman
The Authority of the Bible, The Rev'd Colin Hopkinson - When God Calls - A Series of Bible Studies by Fr Robin Eastoe, 1998
Isaiah, Isaiah 6.1-9
The Call of the Fishermen, Mark 2.16-20
Mary, Luke 1.26-38
The Woman at the Well, John 4.1-30 - January 2000
The Shape of the Eucharist, A Congregation’s View, The Rev'd Dr I. H. Jorysz
I am Young and You are Old, Sermon for the Licensing of Cpt Trevor Clark as Bradwell Area Youth Officer, Lynn Money
Wrestling with Genesis, The Rev'd Ivor Moody
Body and Soul, The Rev'd Robert Hampson - Winter 2001
International Development and the Kingdom of God, Bishop Laurie
Bishop Edward, A Personal Tribute by Archdeacon Martin Wallace
The Peace of God, Bishop Edward
Shedding the Leaves, Farewell Sermon by Bishop Edward
Midwife Evangelists: Some Thoughts, Sister Penny Horseman CA - Spring 2003
It Is Finished, a meditation on Good Friday by Robin Eastoe
Corpus Christi, a sermon by Sister Mary of Burford Priory
A Seasonal Reflection on Christmas, Martin Edwards
Conflict, a retreat meditation by Carla Hampton
Beginnings and Endings ... Creating Liturgies for our Spaces and Times, Ivor Moody - Spring 2004
Archaeology and Faith, Dr Rupert Chapman
Losing Interest, The Rev'd John Richardson
Rituals for Food, The Rev'd Ivor Moody - Facing Regeneration - Community Regeneration & Development in the Chelmsford Diocese, 2005
Welcome
The Purpose of this Report
1. The Global Scene
2. How our people are affected
3. What is the governmet's aim?
4. Areas of growth in the Diocese
5. East London
6. South Essex
7. Stansted & the M11 corridor
8. Across the rest of Essex
9. Some issues from East London
10. Some issues from Essex
11. Church Faith Issues to tackle
12. Engaging Regeneration
Where do we go next?
Some Resources
a. The housing issue
b. Bible Study
c. Contacts & other information
East Window
The Chelmsford Diocesan Newsletter
At my Consecration, May 1993
Learning to care, April 1998
Growing old gracefully, July 1998
God's mission or ours?, February 1999
What are we communicating?, August 1999
The dear old C of E, April 2000
Christian Horses for Courses, March 2001
Too bee or not to bee?, June 2002
Illness reflections, January 2003
It's for you, 2003
No time at all, March 2004
Something old-Something new, 2004
Trust them or sue them, Spring 2005
Love in action, June 2005
You'll be a man, my son, July 2006
Happy in my skin, 2006
Glory to God in the High st
I am the door
Innoculated against Christianity
Stress
Sermons and Addresses
Show us the Father, sermon at Brentwood School, January 1999
A sermon on aging preached in Chelmsford Cathedral at the 50th Anniversary for Abbeyfield Homes
Address at the Madurai & Ramnad Diocesan Synod, 12th November 2005
International Development and the Kingdom of God, a talk given at the American College, Madurai, 15th November 2005
Address given at the Funeral of Chris Bard in Chelmsford Cathedral, Tuesday 18th September 2007
Sermon given at the Chrism Mass, Chelmsford Cathedral, Maundy Thursday, 20 March 2008
Lectures
Common Religion Today, a lecture at Manchester Cathedral, February, 1999
Proclaiming the Gospel in Capital Cities - a short lecture delivered to a mixed audience of specialists in Urban Ministry drawn from Berlin and London, 4th May 2000
Addressing the Global City, Texas 2002
Urban Ministry in a Global Context, address at book launch of Urban Ministry and the Kingdom of God, SPCK, 2003
The Kingdom Vision, a talk given at the AGM of the Episcopal City Mission, Massachusetts, June 2005
Globalisation and Christian Living, a talk given at 'Wellspring 2005' in Kent
SPCK, 2008, ISBN 978-0-281-05867-9