"A brilliant mix of thought provoking theology and challenging practical applications. It has changed how I see children and church". - Ben Mizen, Youth and Children's Work Adviser, Diocese of Portsmouth.

 

"A powerful reaffirmation and exploration of the importance and exploration of the importance of childhood spirituality for the ministry and mission of the church, which will be welcomed by all working in this field" Alister McGrath

 

The full text of one review of my latest book can be found here

http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=93165

 here's an extract:

REBECCA NYE records the remarks of a six-year-old boy whom she interviewed in the course of her research into children’s spirituality. The boy tells her: “One night I saw this bishopy kind of alien. I said, ‘How are you?’ and he said, ‘I am the Holy Spirit.’”

I have met several bishops who, each in his unnerving way, might be described as a “bishopy kind of alien”, but until I read this small boy’s comments I had not thought of the Holy Spirit in these terms. What matters about Dr Nye’s account of her conversation with this child, however, is that she takes his observation entirely seriously. She is keenly alert to the perils of patronising children.

In her view, we degrade children and do them damage when we chortle indulgently at the things they say which we find comic or cute — as if our clouded adult understanding of the things of God were any better than the sharp insights of the child. ....

 

Nye’s invaluable introduction to children’s spirituality is brief, but it is based on extensive research. Many recent studies in this field have been published as papers in The International Journal of Children’s Spirituality. It is striking just how many of these papers refer to — and defer to — Nye’s  ...

 

Nye is one of those rare academics who write both lucidly and usefully. Here is an eminently practical book. She knows we need help in remembering, and so she offers us the acrostic SPIRIT to remind us of the six criteria we should consider in supporting children’s spirituality (Space — Process — Imagination — Relationship — Intimacy — Trust). On almost every page there is a “think and discuss” inset to make us ask what we can do to help our children to grow in spirit.

We might well begin by taking to heart just four of the many shrewd words of advice the author has for us: “Say less, hear more”.

 

The Revd Dr John Pridmore is a former Rector of Hackney in east London.