Widening Circle

The Widening Circle outlines a new approach to priesthood, suggesting that we only begin to understand what a 'priest' is once we have understood what priesthood is theologically and biblically - God's way of blessing the world. The key ideas of the book are (1) that Christ is the 'true High Priest' - he is therefore our clue to understanding the nature of priesthood; (2) that the priestly ministry of Christ consists of two parts - MEDIATION (mediating God to us and us to God) and ENABLING (enabling us and all of creation to reach its divine destiny, to be a true reflection of the glory of God); and (3) that priesthood is therefore the way God blesses the world, by choosing a part to be the means of blessing the whole. He chooses humanity to care for and bless the earth, Israel as a priestly nation to bless the world, and the church as his means of blessing the rest of humanity.