Elisheva Mechanic

I contributed to a book on characters in the Bible entitled Kingdom Encounters: Biblical Characters in Life- changing Conversation, 2009 while studying at Ridley Hall in Cambridge, UK. I had written articles for a Christian journal, but it was satisfying to see my efforts published in a book while I was doing my ordination training for the Anglican Ministry.

I later decided to write an introduction to Christian theology as I realised that so often students begin their studies in theology with little background and a great deal of trepidation. Hopefully my book Getting to Know God: An Introduction to Christian Theology will be a guide to new theological students and Christians wanting to know more about their faith and to find their way into the fascinating study of Christian theology.

My book, Growing to Love God: An Introduction to Christian Spirituality is an introduction to a wide spectrum of writers in the field of Christian spirituality. I have included some of the wonderful themes of prayer, meditation, the need for silence and stillness before God, as well as spiritual formation and spiritual direction. I consider the work and lives of writers from different ages, including Theresa of Avila, Francis of Assisi, John Calvin, Gregory of Nyssa, Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen among others. I have included the work of African theologians looking at the topic of hospitality, something so important in African life. I am grateful to Michael Thorne for permission to include three of his poems. Writing this book has given me a hunger to delve for more and to pray more.

In our new art series my husband Roni and I have published Messianic Jewish art: A New Perspective which is a colour illustrated book and recently An Art Exploration. These present the work of Messianic artists done in various media including paintings, pastel drawings and mosaics. An Art Exploration is a colour illustrated book with commentary on the artwork. Learning from the masters includes artworks by Vermeer, de la Tour, Rembrandt van Rijn, Van Gogh and Jewish artists Moshe Castel and Marc Chagall.

I have also published The Temple in the Gospel of Mark, Following the Jewish Jesus: A Cross-Cultural Ministry, A Messianic Haggadah for Passover, The Story of the Passover: A Family Messianic Haggadah and The Psalms in the Life of Faith. This book introduces the Biblical Psalms and shows their value in the life of faith.