Redcrosse

<i>Do poetry and criticism matter in today's world? <br/></i> <i>How can the poetry of the past help us tackle the changing nature of religious faith and national identity? </i> <br/><br/>This book explores the creation of <i>Redcrosse</i> a new poetic liturgy for St George's Day and a unique collaborative work written by the critic Ewan Fernie the theologian Andrew Shanks and the major<br/>contemporary poets Jo Shapcott Michael Symmons Roberts and Andrew Motion. Leading writers - including John Milbank Salley Vickers and Sarah Apetrei together with authors of <i>Redcrosse </i>itself - reflect on the creation of the liturgy and its central inspiration Edmund Spenser's epic Renaissance poem <i>The Faerie Queene</i> as well as on its two premieres in St George's Chapel Windsor and Manchester Cathedral and its sometimes controversial public reception. <br/><br/>Including the full text of <i>Redcrosse</i> the volume triumphantly shows that a new poetic work really can address some of the most pressing concerns of our time.