Bishop Announces Lenten Books for 2023: Three Authors from Within Diocese of Niagara Chosen

You are invited to join Bishop Susan Bell and three local authors from the Diocese of Niagara on a Lenten reading journey.

As our diocese continues to live into our call to be missional in all we do, Bishop Susan has chosen three books that encourage readers to examine our lives, churches, and the world to see how God is at work making all things new through Jesus Christ.

Dr. John Bowen’s The Unfolding Gospel (Fortress Press, 2021) explores what “the gospel” is and how it informs—or should inform­—our understanding of mission, church, culture, and leadership. With the warmth and clarity of a seasoned teacher of evangelism, Bowen provides the knowledge and inspiration about how to live and share the gospel that individuals and congregations seeking to be more missional need.

The Reverend Michael Coren’s The Rebel Christ (Dundurn Press, 2021) asks the question, “What did Jesus say about the pressing issues of his and our day?” To explore this question, Coren engages in historical and literary analysis of controversial Biblical passages and invites readers to embrace Jesus as a rebel Christ.

Through multiple examples, Coren demonstrates that Christ did not remain silent in the face of pain and injustice, and reminds us that, to truly follow Him, we need to commit to exposing, condemning, and transforming injustice through love.

The Reverend Canon Martha Tatarnic’s Why Gather? (Church Publishing, 2022), written during the height of the pandemic, recounts real stories about God at work in the lives of flawed and faithful people and the imperfect and messy communities in which we gather. With honesty and wisdom, Tatarnic invites readers to seek out the Kingdom of God that is already at hand and provides both the tools and inspiration we need to recognize, embrace, and celebrate how God is at work in our churches and our lives even in times of struggle.

Bishop Susan is grateful for the depth of talent in the Diocese of Niagara and is thrilled that parishes can choose between these three books for their 2023 Lent study. Discussion questions to accompany each book will be available on the diocesan website well in advance of Lent. There will also be opportunities to hear from the authors and ask questions during Lent. More details will be available about these opportunities in early 2023.