'He all too easily demonstrates humanity's ability not only to be monstrous but to refine our talents for harming and torturing our fellow human beings, animals and planet.'

Charlotte Haines Lyon reviews books by Richard Holloway, Robert Llewellyn and master storyteller Bob Hartman

Click on the title of the book to buy a copy from amazon.co.uk and part of the sale will go to Christian Aid

Between the Monster and the Saint: Reflections on the Human Condition
Richard Holloway, Cannongate £14.99

The former Bishop opens his book by confessing to taking part in a group assault when he was a child.

This is not only disarming – how can one say he is evil if he was a bishop for so long – but sets the tone of the book, honest, human and not at all dry.

He all too easily demonstrates humanity's ability not only to be monstrous but to refine our talents for harming and torturing our fellow human beings, animals and planet.

He does not simplify this problem by reducing it to an issue of the fall and evil and the need to be redeemed. Instead he argues that religion is an important weapon in our battle with our dark side.

Addressing both sides of the polarised debate between fundamentalist atheists such as Dawkins, Hitchens et al and arch Christians, Holloway provides a third way for engaging with the religious.

Attitudes

He criticises our attitudes to myth saying: “there is a peculiar ugliness of both religious and anti religious protagonists today, neither of whom has any feel for the creative power of metaphor.”

The church's tendency to claim myth as historical reality and the arch atheists dismissal of anything less than fully rational have left us lacking. We need myth and poetry, Holloway argues, to help us to illuminate the issues and tensions we grapple with today.

It is myths and metaphors of religion that provide insights to human condition and challenge our “brutish lives.”

For example, it is important to understand the different views and concepts of the soul if we are to engage fully with the issue of abortion.

“When does a foetus becomes a human being?” is a central question and addressed in a variety of ways by religion.

One might detect that he has moved on from Christianity and indeed he refers to a position of “after religion”.

Nourishment

He sees religion as an essential source of nourishment, through its moral and poetic truths. It is something to be engaged with and mined for truth without treating it as owner of an absolute truth.

This may upset some, but it does provide an interesting way into understanding our predicament.

Holloway calls for compassion to rule our hearts but also for empathy, the being with others, to rule our communities.

Above all he asks for gratitude for our lives warning that ingratitude leads to abusing all that we have been given.

Regardless of our religion, maybe if we all took this on board the world might be a better place.

Sold Out: How I Survived a Year of Not Shopping
Robert Llewellyn, Gaia Books £7.99

The most insightful part of this book is actually written by Llewellyn's wife!

Sceptical of her husband’s endeavours she points out that he never buys anything anyway. The very fact that he presented Scarp Metal Challenge for a decade tells us that he isn't obsessed with new things.

And this is the problem; Llewellyn doesn't really seem to have to survive much. The main suffering seemed more to be by his family, embarrassed by his holey clothes.

However, the book does give the comedian a chance for some introspection and to vent about debt, class, nuclear weapons, travel etc.

Particularly brilliant is his use of J.C. as his moral compass. Not Jesus but Jeremy Clarkson.

Anything Clarkson likes, Llewellyn eschews. Sold Out, is really just a collection of self obsessed ramblings by a middle class socialist but its humour, erudition and occasional wisdom break through.

The Lion Storyteller Bible and CDs
Bob Hartman, Lion £14.99

“Once there was a man with money. Mounds of money. Mountains of Money. . .” Not the biography of Bill Gates but the introduction to the parable of the talents.

Lion has brought out a new edition of their brilliant storyteller Bible with twenty extra stories.

All are designed to be read out loud to children and with their rhythm and energy will captivate most youngsters. The accompanying CDs would brighten up any long journey. A perfect gift to any parent or teacher.

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