What’s the Reading Circle?

This group has been running for almost 30 years, reading substantial theological and philosophical texts which treat the spirit of the age, typically a chapter a month for discussion. The texts typically require some confidence with Christian theological tradition, the historical-critical treatment of the Scriptures, and the trajectory of Western thought more generally. It’s a great place to explore what the gospel might be for our current time and place, and to put professional study leave to good use.

What’s coming up?

From the beginning of 2026 (February+), we’ll be looking at Northrop Frye’s The Great Code (1982). Frye’s text is an analysis of how the Bible “works” — what it is “doing” — through categories of language, myth, metaphor and typology. Understanding what the Bible is doing, we can better understand what to expect from it (and not to expect). The Great Code should be on every undergraduate biblical studies course reading list, and probably read again every few years after graduation.

You can take a peak at the book here, and read a review here. The lecture series upon which the book was based is available here in marvellous archival footage — in some respects, a more accessible treatment of the subject than the book itself.

You might be able to borrow an e-version from a library, but it’s one of those books you need to write on, so it’s worth buying your own! (There are several editions of the book; check in to see which works so far as page numbering goes.)

 

When does it all happen?

The Reading Circle meets on the second Friday of the month, February – December, 10.00-12.00 at the Centre for Theology and Ministry (CTM), in Parkville, Victoria. For the first time, we’re experimenting with a gathered-online hybrid format for the circle, so it will be possible to “Zoom in” to join the discussion. That said, we encourage face-to-face participation for those who can get to the CTM. Those who can remain for lunch at the wonderful CTM café, Sage and Grace, after the meeting.

 

Interested?

Get in contact with Craig Thompson if you’re interested in joining us to consider Frye’s book.

 

James Torrance’s Worship, Community and the triune God of Grace is a readable little book which argues the case that much of what passes for Christian worship is actually unitarian in form and concept, as distinct from trinitarian.

His central argument is that properly Christian worship occurs when, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the congregation is recreated as the body of Christ, the Son, to worship the Father. Torrance contrasts this with a mode of worship which focuses on the efforts of God’s people to conjure up appropriate modes of worship by which we “reach up” to the one, distant God.

The chapter headings indicate well the territory he covers:

1. Worship – unitarian or trinitarian

2.The sole priesthood of Christ, the mediator of worship

3. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper: the way of communion

4. Gender, sexuality and God.

Along the way Torrance engages with a number of important trends and emphases in modern western culture, and with the impact of these trends for the Church’s sense for what worship ought to be. The last chapter tackles the question of gendered language for God in prayer and worship. This is probably the most controversial part of the text for many, but his summary of how the traditional language should be understood to operate is important.

To my mind the book suffers a little in some places from a turn of phrase and way of summarising the gospel which feels a little “old school”-Reformed, but this does not distract too much from its helpful content.

The book is available in several hard-copy editions from the usual places.

Rowan Williams’ Being Christian is a great little introduction to the basics, and not-so-basics, of Christian faith. Well-known as scholar of the highest intellectual calibre, and also as possessing a sometimes challenging writing style, this book is straightforward and accessible.

Fundamental to Williams’ account of the Christian life is our being given a new human identity in the humanity of Jesus, growing into Jesus’ own experience of God and the world in which we have been placed. Williams explores this new identity in relation to the themes of Baptism, Bible, Eucharist and Prayer. Baptism is explored as a restoration to what it is to be truly human. The Bible is explored as a document converging on Jesus, and is read because Christians expect to be addressed by God. In the Eucharist God the Giver calls us to honest repentance and to imitate God’s own openness in inviting others to join God’s feast of life. The essence of prayer is in allowing the prayers of Jesus himself to become our own.

This short book could be read in a few hours but is filled with insight and pithy little statements on Christian life and practice which will exercise you for much longer!

The book is available in electronic and hard-copy versions from the usual places.