Christian Faith for Handing on

Human beings have to ask how faith is possible in this mixed world of trouble and joy. A safe universe with no scope for adversity would be a mechanical toy not a creation. A glorious universe will be a place where troubles have eventually been overcome. Christians believe in one God who is three Persons. God the heavenly Father took the risk of making a real world full of living people capable of happiness. Jesus Christ God the Son came as a human being to take responsibility for creation. He suffered and died; and he rose from death to vindicate the whole enterprise and show that creation can and will be made good. People are not left to work out their own faith but are invited to belong to the church in order to keep in touch with God the Spirit. They are to behave as Gods children not by rule-bound conformity but by grateful response to the glory of God the Holy Trinity. Two words which enter my mind whenever I read Helen Oppenheimer are clarity and humanity. Her philosophical care and rich embrace of Christian Humanism are at the heart. Life unfolds with meaning when there is a loving God who creates and redeems. Helens knowledge and love of both the Christian and the English literary traditions show just how rich is this faith to hand on. -- Rt Revd Stephen Platten Bishop of Wakefield Bishops Lodge Helen Oppenheimer is unusual in combining a finely honed philosophical mind with a lucid friendly informal style. Rigorously honest in facing the difficulties of believing in God today at the same time she does not sell the Christian faith short. Drawing on a lifetime of experience and reflection not least from family life she gives us here a lovely legacy that will help many not only to believe doubts and all but to live out the faith with a deepening spiritual conviction. --Lord Harries of Pentregarth retired Bishop of Oxford Helen Oppenheimer graduated at Lady Margaret Hall Oxford in philosophy. She is married with three married daughters ten grandchildren and a great-grandson. She has served on several Anglican commissions and taught ethics at Cuddesdon Theological College. She writes on Christian ethics and philosophical theology and holds a Lambeth DD. Her books include The Hope of Heaven (1988) and On Being Someone (2010). She and her husband live in Jersey in the Channel Islands.