Gratitude and Grace: The Writings of Michael Mayne

by Joel W. Huffstetler, University Press of America, 2009

Salisbury was fortunate in that one of the finest writers in the Church of England lived here for the last ten years of his life. Previously Michael Mayne was Dean of Westminster Abbey for ten years where he was an insightful pastor, preacher and writer. For those who do not know his work Joel Huffstetler has provided an ideal introduction to Mayne’s five major works in Gratitude and Grace: The Writings of Michael Mayne. In a helpful introduction the editor has placed this unique priest writer in the context of his time as he moves from parish priest, Director of Religious Programmes for Radio at the BBC, Chaplain to Mervyn Stockwood, Bishop of Southwark, vicar of Great Saint Mary’s, the university church in Cambridge and finally to Westminster Abbey.

Michael’s first book A Year Lost and Found (l987) was a reflection on his experience of ME and originally had an introduction by Gerald Priestland with whom he worked at the BBC. The book is characterized by his usual directness and honesty and has been of assistance to many now for over a decade. Readers discovered how wide ranging his reading was in the next book The Sunrise of Wonder. The author A.N. Wilson wrote of it that “If more Christians had Michael Mayne’s gentleness and intelligence, the churches would be fuller”. His readership extended far beyond church boundaries as evidenced by Alan Bennett’s foreword to Pray, love, Remember. His next book Learning to Dance is possibly one of the finest books on contemporary spirituality of the last twenty-five years. His last work The Enduring Melody may be his most profound and contains his reflections on what he termed the “cancer country” before his death.

Christina Shewell and Elizabeth Vardaman have provide appropriate and moving impressions of this most engaging of writers. The book is a good introduction for the first time reader and will be appreciated by the many who continue to revisit his books.

Reviewed by Br. Patrick Moore, Sarum College.

Published in the February 2010 issue of the Sarum Link.

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