Leslie J. Francis

Jung's theory of psychological type distinguishes between the four functions of sensing, intuition, thinking and feeling. This book uses type theory to explore 26 passages from Matthew's Gospel as they appear in the Revised Common Lectionary. The insights gained provide an invaluable resource for teachers and leaders, as well as a key tool for personal meditation. The Theory has profound implications for Christian leaders, who need to nurture all four psychological types in their congregations, and also for how individual Christians meditate on scripture to nourish their whole selves. The Personality Type and Scripture Series covers all three Gospels in Years A, B and C of Lectionary cycle. Exploring Mark's Gospel and Exploring Luke's Gospel are already in print. The series gived support and inspiration to all those using the Lectionary each year as part of their Bible reading.

Originally published as Personality, Type and Scripture, this acclaimed book is now republished in a revised and expanded form. It is also retitled to make it absolutely clear what the book is and why it is indispensable as a guide.Each cycle of the Revised Common Lectionary is based on one of the synoptic gospels (Mark, Luke, Matthew). However interspersed throughout all three years are also included gospel readings from the fourth gospel, the gospel of St. John. In the original edition of this splendid book, only the readings from St. Mark were covered. In this new expanded edition the authors now include a guide to the entire cycle of gospel readings- the readings from St. Mark and St. John as well.Jung`s theory of psychological type distinguishes between the four functions of sensing, intuition, thinking and feeling. This book uses type theory to explore readings from the gospels appropriate for the liturgical year. The theory has profound implications for Christian leaders who need to nurture all four psycholoigcal types in their congregations. It also has profound implications for how an individual Christians meditate on scripture to nourish their whole selves.This book will give support and inspiration to all those using the Revised Common Lectionary each year as part of their Bible reading.

Presents findings from a survey conducted among 30,000 13-15 year olds throughout England and Wales, giving particular attention to social, personal and moral issues.

Presents findings from a survey conducted among 30,000 13-15 year olds throughout England and Wales, giving particular attention to social, personal and moral issues.

Jung's theory of psychological type distinguishes between the four functions of sensing, intuition, thinking and feeling.This book uses type theory to explore 51 passages from Luke's Gospel that are included in the Revised Common Lectionary. The insights gained provide an invaluable resource for teachers and leaders, and well as a key tool for personal meditation.The theory has profound implications for Christian leaders who need to nurture all four psychological types in their congregations.

In this fascinating and original book, Leslie J. Francis applies personality type theory to the way we study the bible. Why, when two people are asked what they find important in a biblical text, are they likely to come up with different answers? Why, when a sermon speaks strongly to someone, do others find it incprehensible? In recent years, both inside and outside the Christian community, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) has been extensively used as an aid to spiritual growth, self-knowledge and community building. Type theory has become an invaluable resource in the spheres of education, management and pastoral care. Here, Lesie J. Frances suggests that in learning to understand our own preferred pattern of spirituality we do not only deepen our understanding of the gospels but also increase our sensitivity to the approaches of others. Personality Type and Scripture brings together the texts from St Mark's gospel which are included in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary, and uses the insights of MBTI theory to explore the range of possible responses to them. Accessible enough for use in personal Bible reading, its disciplined and professional approach makes it an invaluable companion for Bible study leaders and preachers. Leslie J. Frances is D.J.James Professor of Pastoral Theology and Trinity College, Carmarthen, and University of Wales, Lampeter, UK. He is an Anglican priest, a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a qualified practitioner of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

In Personality, Religion, and Leadership, Christopher F. J. Ross and Leslie J. Francis illustrate how Jungian archetypes can help religious leaders understand and deal with their personal spiritual journeys in times of stress and success and build strong religious communities that contain a diverse array of psychological types.

In this monograph Leslie J. Francis reviews and assesses the contributions made by the individual differences tradition of psychology over the past 50 years to research in religious education. In this context religious education is conceived broadly to embrace what takes place in schools, within religious communities, and within households across the age span. Topics include: • the centrality of the attitudinal dimension of religion; • the place of personality in the individual differences tradition; • sex as a core individual difference in religion; • the consequences of individual differences in religious affect; • the role of church schools and the role of the family in religious nurture; • the factors that account for individual differences in attitude toward religious diversity; • the relevance of the individual differences tradition for adult religious education; • the implications of the individual differences tradition for biblical hermeneutics and discipleship learning.

Personality, Religion, and Leadership studies Jungian psychological type theory and the dynamic power of Jungian archetypes to help religious leaders understand and deal with their personal spiritual journey in times of stress and success, and enables them to build religious community from the diversity personality types in their care. This book argues that psychologically mature individuals draw on the full range of the eight function-orientations described by psychological type theory as: introverted sensing, extraverted sensing, introverted intuition, extraverted intuition, introverted feeling, extraverted feeling, introverted thinking, and extraverted thinking. The role played by these function-orientations varies within each of 16 psychological types: within different psychological types each function-orinetation emerges from the unconscious into the conscious mind at different points in the life-cycle. The balance between the function-orientations gives individuals their distinctive psychological strengths, and alerts them to their psychological weaknesses.

Positive spiritual development is an obligation on all schools. This new source book for education professionals documents how ten leading Christian-ethos secondary schools have prioritized the spiritual development of their students. Each chapter tells the story of how one of the schools approaches this responsibility, showing the variety of innovation and creativity taking place within spiritual education. It offers wisdom from practitioners on the opportunities and challenges that exist, as well as inspiration to other schools wishing to improve their provision for spiritual development.

'Ordinary theology' characterizes the reflective God-talk of the great majority of churchgoers, and others who remain largely untouched by the assumptions, concepts and arguments that academic theology takes for granted. Jeff Astley coined the phrase in his innovative study, Ordinary Theology: Looking, Listening and Learning in Theology, arguing that 'speaking statistically ordinary theology is the theology of God's Church'. A number of scholars have responded to this and related conceptualizations, exploring their theological implications. Other researchers have adopted the perspective in examining a range of Church practices and contexts of Christian discipleship, using the tools of empirical study. Ordinary theology research has proved to be key in uncovering people's everyday lay theology or ordinary dogmatics. Exploring Ordinary Theology presents fresh contributions from a wide range of authors, who address the theological, empirical and practical dimensions of this central feature of ordinary Christian existence and the life of the Church.

'Ordinary theology' characterizes the reflective God-talk of the great majority of churchgoers, and others who remain largely untouched by the assumptions, concepts and arguments that academic theology takes for granted. Jeff Astley coined the phrase in his innovative study, Ordinary Theology: Looking, Listening and Learning in Theology, arguing that 'speaking statistically ordinary theology is the theology of God's Church'. A number of scholars have responded to this and related conceptualizations, exploring their theological implications. Other researchers have adopted the perspective in examining a range of Church practices and contexts of Christian discipleship, using the tools of empirical study. Ordinary theology research has proved to be key in uncovering people's everyday lay theology or ordinary dogmatics. Exploring Ordinary Theology presents fresh contributions from a wide range of authors, who address the theological, empirical and practical dimensions of this central feature of ordinary Christian existence and the life of the Church.

The essays brought together here present a broad assessment of the serious issues facing rural life and the rural church today. The authors are drawn from the Anglican, Baptist, Methodist and Pentecostal Churches. The essays explore a wide range of biblical, theological, sociological, and historical concerns and topics. Throughout, the book is informed by a spirit of listening - to church-goers, clergy, church leaders, and local communities. Rural Life and Rural Church provides an invaluable resource for clergy and lay Christians involved in rural ministry, initial and continuing ministerial education, and Christian men and women living in the countryside.

The essays brought together here present a broad assessment of the serious issues facing rural life and the rural church today. The authors are drawn from the Anglican, Baptist, Methodist and Pentecostal Churches. The essays explore a wide range of biblical, theological, sociological, and historical concerns and topics. Throughout, the book is informed by a spirit of listening - to church-goers, clergy, church leaders, and local communities. Rural Life and Rural Church provides an invaluable resource for clergy and lay Christians involved in rural ministry, initial and continuing ministerial education, and Christian men and women living in the countryside.

Once seen as a major enemy of faith, psychology is now recognised as a key ally by many Christians. In this clear and challenging book Francis demonstrates how the theory of psychological type can help us to understand better the shape of our personal spirituality, our preferences in publoc worship and the nature of our religious experience.

Based on a survey sent out to Catholic clergy in the UK, this study is a major contribution from empirical theology towards interpreting the health and potential of the priesthood today. The issues raised by this new study concern the nature and health of the priesthood, a topic of most urgent concern at a time of clerical scandal and abuse. The conclusions of this book are extremely revealing but fundamentally positive for anyone concerned with the future of the Christian Church at the start of a new millennium.