- Published: 01/02/2018
- ISBN: 9781847089229
- 153x20mm
- 352 pages
The Minister and the Murderer
Stuart Kelly
In1969,JamesNelsonconfessedtomurder,servedaprisonsentence,thenappliedtobeordainedasaminsterintheScottishChurch(TheKirk).Thecasesplitthechurchintwo,andchallengedtheinstitutiontoconsideritsmostbasicfunctions,obligationsandduties.PartoftheproblemwasthatJamesNelson’scrimewasnoordinarycrime.Thebiblehasalottosayaboutmurder,butnotaboutthisparticularvarietyofmurder.StuartKellyusesthecaseofNelsontowriteacompellinghistoryofthechurchinScotland,ofbiblicalandliteraryaccountsofforgivenessandsin.TheMinisterandTheMurdererisagrippingpieceofliterarydetectiveworkweavingtextualanalysiswithmemoirandnarrativenon-fiction.Thisisabookofsoul-searchingandspeculation,deepthinkingandfinewriting.Itisaknotty,rivetingandmind-expandinginvestigationoftruthandfaith.
£20.00
The Minister and The Murderer is wickedly, reverently good. Stuart Kelly explores the fascinating case of James Nelson, a convicted murderer who sought to be ordained, with polymathic intelligence, empathy, and wit. His ingeniously prismatic and allusive approach - part history, part homily, part Biblical exegesis, and part confession - touches every field of the humanities; it is also enormous fun to read, unfolding almost like a postmodern thriller. I loved it
Eleanor Catton
A colossal achievement. This is one of the most moving and profound books I have read in a long time
Richard Holloway
Part true crime, part Theology of Despair, The Minister and the Murderer explores the hard borders of faith in the real world. A beautiful, deeply thought-provoking exploration of the history and purpose of faith
