A review of ‘hear the ancient wisdom’ by Charles Ringma
Usually I feel it is unfair to review a book unless I have read it all. On this occasion, though, I have broken with my own tradition for good reason. To read the whole of Ringma’s book in one sitting would be a bit like drinking up a bottle of fine wine as quickly as possible just so as to make a candle holder out of the empty bottle! This is a book of daily readings and it is meant to be supped one glass at a time. The sips I have take so far are full-bodied, rich in flavour, and leave a taste on the palate for many hours to come.
Each day comprises a Bible reference, a pithy reflection from Ringma, a more in-depth reflection which draws on the ‘ancient wisdom’ of the book’s title and a thought, reflection, or prayer. In these pages Ringma is as much engineer as he is theologian – constructing a bridge between the ancient world of Church history and the contemporary world where the reader lives. The book may be used on its own, or in conjunction with a reading of the relevant Bible passage.
He does it brilliantly.Today, for example, there is a reflection on Revelation 12 v.9, where we are moved directly from the Bible reference to the ancient church and back again. Many contemporary readers would run a mile from reading anything by the Fourth Century Cyril of Jerusalem, and yet in Ringma’s 400-500 words they do just that without even noticing:
‘Renouncing Satan was part of Christian initiation. St Cyril of Jerusalem advocated the use of this formula: ‘I renounce you Satan, you wicked and cruel tyrant; I no longer fear your power for Christ broke that power by sharing flesh and blood with me. The prayer goes on to reject all of Satan’s words, pomp, and service. The image used is that Satan is trampled underfoot by the gentle but powerful Christ. While one extreme is to give Satan to much power, the other extreme is to dismiss him, as we have largely done in the contemporary church.’
At £14.99 the book is not a cheap buy. However, if you want a painless introduction to the ancient wisdom of the church, then spending 4p per day over the whole year is something of a bargain.
In my experience cheap wines can be a false economy, as they are too unpalatable to drink the whole bottle. This is one classy bottle of wine to which I shall return again and again.
£14.99 • ISBN 978 0 281 07112 8
