Held in God's Gaze: Keeping Company with the Saints

by Jill Duff, Nicholas Heale

Overview

In a culture where hearts are warmed by stories and personalities, rather than theories and propositions, this book is an invitation to share the authors' experience of becoming friends in faith with the saints and mystics.

Those who feature reflect the wide sweep of Christian spiritual heritage: several are from the ancient and Celtic background; several reflect medieval spirituality - including women's spirituality; there are the so-called 'Spanish Mystics', and some from more recent times.

In short chapters which provide a brief summary of each saint's experience of prayer and spirituality, Jill and Nicholas reflect on how the saints have enabled them to grow in insight and maturity. Engagingly, they respond to each other's encounters - focusing particularly on the biblical sources of each saint's spiritual life - to help these voices speak more clearly to all of us. Each chapter concludes with a study guide for individual or group study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780281091201
Publisher:	SPCK (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge)
Publication date:	04/21/2026
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.43(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

JILL DUFF is the Anglican Bishop of Lancaster in the Diocese of Blackburn in her home county of Lancashire, as well as an Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of St Asaph in Wales. She is a sought-after speaker, passionate about communicating the good news of Jesus in everyday language, and committed to finding ways for people to come home spiritually. A chemist by background, Jill worked in research and management in a multi-national oil company before being ordained into the Church of England. Until becoming a bishop, she served all her ministry in deprived areas of Liverpool Diocese. She was the founding director of St Mellitus North West - the first full-time ordination training college in the region for over forty years - where she taught mission, evangelism and New Testament. Jill is mum to two teenage boys and wife to Jeremy. She is based in UK.

FR NICHOLAS HEALE is Priest-in-Charge at St Michael and All Angels Worship Centre in Blackburn, Lancashire, UK.

Table of Contents

Introductory Comment: Discovering the Mystics
Introductory Comment: Learning the Terrain

1: Patrick and the Ancient Roots of British and Irish faith (inc Columba, Aidan and Hilda)
1b: a Response

2: Voices from the Desert - Desert Fathers and Mothers leading to John Climacus, etc
2b: a Response
Moses

3: Isaac of Nineveh (inc Cuthbert?)
3b: a Response

4: Gertrude the Great: Prayer and the Body (inc Julian of Norwich and Bernard)
4b: a Response
Mary and Martha

5: Richard Rolle: Warmth and Joy
5b: a Response

6: Catherine of Siena: Facing our Limitations
6b: a Response
Elijah

7: Teresa of Avila: the Gifts of the Spirit
7b: a Response

8: John of the Cross: Darkness and Hope
8b: a Response
St Paul

9: Seraphim of Sarov: Simple Faith
9b: a Response

10: The English Poets: Returning Home
10b: a Response

Concluding Reflection

Postface

Suggestions for further reading