An Advent Book of Days
Meeting the Characters of Christmas
By (author) Gregory Kenneth Cameron
- ISBN: 9781640605893
- Trim size: 5 x 7 inches
- Weight: 6.4 ounces.
- Pages: 112
- Publication Date: 12 Oct 2021
- Format: Paperback
An Advent Book of Days: A Journey Through the Characters of Christmas
Step into the wonder of Advent with An Advent Book of Days, a beautifully illustrated devotional that brings the Christmas story to life in a fresh and inspiring way.
Each day from December 1st to Christmas Day, meet a new character from the Nativity—Gabriel, Mary, the shepherds, the star, and even the ox and ass—and explore their role in the greatest story ever told.
Blending scripture, history, legend, and art, Bishop Gregory Kenneth Cameron offers reflections and prayers that deepen faith and encourage contemplation. Inspired by the medieval Books of Hours, this unique devotional invites you to experience Advent through the eyes of those who witnessed the miracle of Christ’s birth.
Perfect for personal reflection or family devotion, An Advent Book of Days is a timeless companion for the Christmas season—one that will inspire, uplift, and bring new depth to the most beloved story of all.
This little book overflows with blessings. An Advent Book of Days is a fresh compliment to the well-beloved and familiar Christmas story. Thoughtfully put together, it welcomes the reader in like a warm friend, delighting and encouraging him along the way.“It is my hope that these reflections, whenever they are read, will help us to discover new depths in the Christmas story, to deepen our faith, and perhaps even to learn something new or unexpected; because over two thousand years, the story of Christmas has become filled with unexpected delights arising from Scripture, history, legend and faith.” —Gregory Kenneth Cameron
Media
"Gregory Kenneth Cameron’s An Advent Book of Days offers a series of 25 brief devotional sketches that highlight the “Characters of Christmas.” Following a traditional Advent calendar format (December 1-24) plus an additional devotional for Christmas day, Cameron briefly but captivatingly tells the stories of the most significant characters of the Christmas story. Although most of the characters highlighted are humans – either historical or legendary (e.g., the little drummer boy) – a few non-human characters are also included in the mix (including the star, Bethlehem, and the ox and ass). These devotional vignettes, by examining specific characters and the role each one plays, draw us deeper into the story of Christmas and deeper into the life of Jesus." -- Englewood Review
"Advent is a season rich with images, characters, and themes that can disappear all too easily in the commercial feeding frenzy that is the “pre-Christmas rush.” Gregory Cameron’s book tries to address this. Advent Book of Days comprises 25 short chapters to examine a person or an image that appears in the Christmas story as we have received it. Cameron lays out the scriptural and/or anecdotal material that we have today, and leads us on to a reflection on what that might teach us now.
Refreshingly, the author wants the material that we have inherited to teach us something about how to conduct our lives in the present. Cameron is a keen artist and iconographer, which probably explains why each chapter begins with a (very well reproduced) painting or image, which serves as a visual aid for the reflection that follows. A short prayer concludes each section.
Cameron has produced a very fine manual, and a good way of carving out a short daily space for reflection in the one part of the year when this is the hardest thing to do. I should say, too, that, although also available as an ebook, the printed edition is of a quality that eludes many publishers these days, and makes repeated use more inviting. Highly recommended." -- The Revd Peter McGeary, Church Times
