‘The Church in the Market Place’ is an account of a major project of renewal and growth for St Nicholas church in Durham. The author, who was Vicar at the time, went on (eventually) to be the Archbishop of Canterbury, so it's very interesting to read about some of his early struggles with faith and guidance.

This book describes a project that made the church more appealing to the local community. Naturally such a project was expensive, and the proposal was rejected at first… leading to a year of renewal and rebuilding of the congregation, before the building project went ahead.

The book is written in a clear and interesting style, recounting the author’s worries and his own growth in faith. He doesn’t over-spiritualise, nor does he preach - instead he lets the story stand for itself as a testimony to God’s leading and the unlikely things that can be done if people are willing to pray.

The book won’t appeal to everyone; it’s unlikely to be of interest to anyone who is not a Christian believer, other than those who live in the locality or who have visited Durham and are interested in the story of St Nic’s transformation.

But if you like this kind of book, then I’d definitely recommend it. ( )