Christ the Stranger: The Theology of Rowan Williams
"Myers' book  exhibits many of the traits he describes in the theology of Rowan Williams: an  attentiveness and care that make the familiar strange, a sparse but rich prose  that bears re-reading, a seeking always for historical foundations. In fact, this elegant book is a complex intellectual biography  that convincingly roots its hero in a series of engagements, but those engagements are then shown to occur within an ongoing reflection on the life of prayer. Throughout the complex paths of Williams' theology are introduced with clarity and verve." -Lewis Ayres,  Durham University"With skill and a keen eye for what makes for a helpful summary, Myers charts the way in which Williams relentlessly returns, like a finger finding its way back to a still-unhealed wound, to the themes of God's elusiveness, God's refusal to satisfy our yearning, our quest for uncomplicated assurance." -Books & CultureSelected inThe Guardianas one of the best books of 2012, and selected inThe Christian Centuryas one of the year's top books in religion and philosophy."While some volumes are written merely to inform or defend,Christ the Strangeris composed with an eye to delight. In sixteen brief chapters - vignettes more than expositions - this slim volume offers a clear and compelling sketch of the views of Rowan Williams, the previous archbishop of Canterbury, on sociality, tragedy, language, boundaries, tradition, growth, mission, saints, desire, hope, prayer, fantasy and renunciation. The result is a beautifully composed introduction to one of the richest theological minds of our generation." -European Journal of Theology