Mothering as a Metaphor for Ministry

Educated at Cambridge and Durham University with degrees in history and theology. Ordained deacon in 1990 and priest in 1994 Emma has worked in parish ministry and university chaplaincy for over twenty years. She recently completed a PhD in theology at University of Nottingham. She has written a number of book chapters and articles on aspects of ministry and has given papers and lectures on parish ministry and theology and mothering.

• Introduction PART I: Exploring Ministry 1 Ministry: Ontology and Function 2 Ministry: Relationship and Grace 3 Maternal Imagery for Clergy in the Christian Tradition PART II: Mothering: Gender, Theory and Practice 4 Mothering: Gender and Culture 5 Mothering: Questions of Instinct and Inter-Subjectivity 6 Mothering as a Practice PART III: Mothering as a Metaphor for Ministry 7 Using Mothering to Think about Ministry 8 The Virtue of Humility and the Issue of Power 9 Using Maternal Language to Articulate Aspects of Parish Ministry: Some Examples Conclusion

’This is a wise, kind, intelligent book which many (men as well as women) will find illuminates their experience of ministry and helps them cope with overload, anxiety and the perennial guilt trap which is often their lot.’ Angela Tilby, Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, UK 'This imaginative, thoughtful and thought-provoking book is a gift to all those who are seeking new language to express what ministry might mean in the twenty-first century. The exploration of motherhood as a metaphor for ministry opens up not only new language but a whole new way of ministering.' Paula Gooder, Freelance Writer, Canon Theologian, and Lecturer in Biblical Studies '... engaging and thought-provoking' Christine Worsley, Church Times ’Emma Percy makes an important and novel contribution to the growing corpus of academic writing exploring the generic practise of ministry in these changing times.’ Regent’s Review '... [Percy’s] work on a contemporary reading of motherhood is extremely valuable for ministers of any church denomination, regardless of their theology of ministry.' Worship