Motioning the Way

""Motioning the Way is a compelling antidote to the rush and superficiality of preparing for Christmas. It has great depth in challenging us to encounter fully the One born in a stable. Andrew Krauss combines his theological expertise with experience of working with this material in a local church, asking us to consider time and give time in our Advent journey."" --David Wilkinson, Professor, Durham University ""A scientist-priest reflects on the Advent season. In Motioning the Way, the author, with his unique background as an English scientist-priest married to a German Lutheran theologian, delivers a deeply insightful examination of the Advent season, so beloved in both English and German culture. Refreshingly distinct from a mere devotional text, this volume delves into profound theological issues bridging themes of creation, redemption, hope and eschatology, understood through the liturgical season of Advent. Here the reader will find an in-depth treatment of key Advent figures such as St. John the Baptist and the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the traditional O Antiphons. In this short volume, the author brings together insights from the scriptures, the Church Fathers, contemporary theologians and writers as well as his own scientific background, making it a rich, multifaceted study. Overall, Motioning the Way is a remarkable resource that offers fresh theological insights into this liturgical season."" --David Hamid, Retired Bishop, Church of England ""Andrew Krauss obviously has a gift for setting our minds in motion when it comes to theological reflections, as he has done in this book. These texts are an important and inspiring correction to the more and more superficial, extravagant, and commercialized versions of the Advent Journey. His twenty-four Advent reflections resonate the biblical 'breadth and length and height and depth' to which the letter to the Ephesians refers (Eph 3:18). His texts are filled with many historical, etymological, and theological references, opening up new doors and new windows and still keeping the journey in motion. Another of his concerns is that the Advent journey is not an individual journey, but a communal one. It is a journey together 'with all the saints.' For me personally, reading the last seven reflections was particularly inspiring. In my Norwegian, Lutheran liturgical tradition (The Church of Norway) the 'O Antiphons' are not often invoked in the Advent season. The introduction to these texts were a special Advent gift to me, and I strongly recommend this book."" --Tor Berger Jørgensen, Former Bishop, Church of Norway ""From experiences as a pastor, church executive, posts at university, from working for the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany, and now for GNC/LWF I personally would see this book as theologically well-reflected Erbauungsliteratur in the best sense of the word--that accepts God and religion as a reality, that supports one's own thinking about aspects of traditional, still valid terms like Advent, that starts from serious exegetical and biblical insight, that offers personal Christian insight of a learned man to be thought about, and that points at basic kinds of patterns of human and Christian life and thinking."" --Andreas Ohlemacher, German National Council, Lutheran World Federation ""This is an excellent resource for encouraging discipleship in Advent. Here is an invitation to think deeply and consider carefully the gracious gift of God coming among us. I found it stimulating, spiritually profound, and a real challenge--exactly what Advent should offer."" --Helen Cameron, Former President, Methodist Conference ""With the Christmas Festival largely lost to commercialism, it is more important than e