Middling
What Jesus Said About Perspective, Being Between Things and Not Yet Knowing stuff
Format:Paperback
Publisher:SPCK Publishing
Publishing:21st May '26
£12.99
This title is due to be published on 21st May, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
In a world that is becoming increasingly polarised, Emma Ineson's characteristic wit, wisdom and compassion help us reclaim the middle ground as a creative and courageous place to stand
From St Augustine to Shakespeare, and from the wisdom of Scripture to the example of Jesus himself, many of our greatest voices have praised the virtue of moderation. In Middling, Emma invites readers to rediscover the creative, faithful power of living in the middle. The middle is where most of us spend much of our lives - between certainty and doubt, conviction and compassion, what has been lost and what is yet to be found. Yet we are often taught to apologise for this space, to rush toward extremes or easy answers. Middling challenges that assumption, revealing the middle as a place of integrity, nuance, and deep humanity. Drawing on her experience as a bishop, Emma reflects on the difficult questions faced by leaders and disciples alike: when to speak, when to remain silent, and how to hold tension without losing hope. She explores waiting as a fertile, creative space - one in which life can unfold in unexpected and transformative ways. At the heart of the book is Christ as the ultimate "middle" figure, holding all things together. In choosing to dwell intentionally in this space, Middling shows that the middle is not only fruitful - but quietly, profoundly joyful.
"Fascinating, thoughtful engagement with one of the most important and understudied themes of life, ethics and theology: the importance, harmony and strength of "the middle". -- Rory Stewart, author and broadcaster
"The middle often gets a bad press, being neither here nor there. Yet we’re all in the middle of something: a crisis, a project, a community... life! With deep wisdom and a wonderfully light touch, Emma Ineson opens our eyes to the potential and possibilities of "middling", and in particular the calling to occupy the broken middle. Whatever middle you're navigating right now, this book will inspire you to live it well." -- Sarah Mullally, Archbishop of Canterbury
"In a world of quick fixes where might is considered right, Bishop Emma reminds us of the importance of discernment. Middling is timely as we seek adaptive solutions to personal, church and the world's many intractable conflicts." -- Thabo Makgoba, Archbishop of Cape Town and Metropolitan of the Anglican Church in Southern Africa
"Emma Ineson's serene book opens up the beauty of something most of us rarely see as a fertile place. It is a gift to us in a time of polarisation and fragmentation, drawing us towards grace and the unexpected riches of moderation, nuance and the in-between places of life." -- The Revd Preb. Dr Isabelle Hamley, Principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge
"For anyone who has ever felt not quite at home at the extremes, Middling is a gift. With wisdom and theological confidence, Bishop Emma reclaims the middle as a place of faithfulness and hope, offering a fresh way forward for living well in divided times." -- The Revd Mark Nam, Vicar of St John the Evangelist, Woodley
ISBN: 9780281091355
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
256 pages