Mark Townsend

One city. Two religions. Three centuries. Four people. Separated by time and circumstance. A brother. An orphan. A refugee. A traitor. And one dark secret that links them all.

Will One Family's Guilty Secret Lay Bare History's Biggest Lie?

The Traitor's Child

In June 2007 Rev. Mark Townsend resigned from his ministry as a priest after his decision to share his story of brokenness and failure with the hierarchy. This book is the irreverent and whimsical, yet honest and gut-wrenching, story of his struggle to hold on to a faith within a world that seemed to be against him. It is a story that brings hope to all those who feel the established Western religious path has lost sight of compassion, grace and the one who could easily have been called ‘Friend of Failures.’ As the author gradually digs himself out of the consequential gutter the reader will discover that all such failures can be redeemed and may even produce glittering nuggets of gold. More importantly, the reader will begin to see that his or her own failure can also lead to real moments of magic - so long as it is not repressed but accepted. A major underlying theme of the whole diary is the notion that real magic does exist, and that the magical traditions such as Druidry can be a major blessing for those who crave for something more.

The Pagan Adventures of a Christian Priest

Diary of a Heretic

Matthew Fox

Barbara Erskine

For Pagans and Christians alike, Jesus Through Pagan Eyes offers a provocative portrait ofJesus—as a compassionate, life-affirming, nature-inspired spiritual teacher, freed from the limiting ideology of the Church. Rev. Mark Townsend sets the stage by exploring the historical evidence of who Jesus was as a human being before delving into the realm of metaphor and mythology, the notion of Christ, and the Church's conception of Jesus as Christ. The heart of this unique book lies in the thoughtful and deeply moving collection of stories, essays, and interviews about Jesus from today's most respected Pagan, Wiccan, and Druidic leaders. Contributors such as Maxine Sanders, Christopher Penczak, Janet Farrar, Diana Paxson, Philip Carr-Gomm, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, John Michael Greer, Selena Fox, and Raven Grimassi explore the historical figure of Jesus in relation to Witchcraft, the tarot, goddess worship, and shamanism—while illustrating how this god of the Christian church blesses and inspires those who embrace non-traditional spiritual paths. Whether you envision Jesus as an ascended master, a human teacher, or a mythic god-man, this remarkable book will introduce you to a Jesus who fits fully into the Pagan imagination. Praise: "Townsend uses Jesus to initiate dialogue, and he does so in way that is accepting and inclusive of many understandings and interpretations of Jesus, his purpose, and his relevance (or irrelevance) in the religious practices of contemporary Pagans." —Huffington Post "This work admirably promotes understanding between belief systems that have a sometimes uneasy relationship."—Publishers Weekly

Bridging Neopagan Perspectives with a Progressive Vision of Christ

Jesus Through Pagan Eyes

The point man leads the patrol into battle, looking for signs of danger. He is the first to face ambushes, hidden bombs and snipers. Few survive for long. Between 2007 and 2008, 20-year-old Kenny Meighan was the longest-serving point man in Helmand province. An exceptionally skilful and brave private, he was lucky to make it home alive. But in his hometown in Essex, where prospects are bleak and his father still suffers from the nightmares of his own war experience, Kenny's struggle is far from over.

Point Man

We hear a lot about the gospel of success, whether from Christian or New Age sources. But most of us are more accustomed to failure, or at least not reaching our hopes. Which, surely, is at the heart of the life of Jesus and his message. This book is a radical departure from much of what modern day Christianity (and gurus of all kinds) seem to offer. Rather than seeing Christianity as a group of people trying to change themselves into the ideal, it describes how such a practice is precisely what Jesus came to liberate us from.

The Beauty Of Failure In An Age Of Success

The Gospel of Falling Down

The Path of The Blue Raven is the story of a struggling man who all his life has wrestled with questions, searched for meaning and discovered it in unexpected places. Although representing the beginning of a new adventure in one man's life, this book is not just his story for it also offers a beautiful and breath-taking collection of real-life stories of others who walked a similar path and have found great healing and blessing through nature based spirituality. To many cultures, the raven was and is a symbol of initiation into a new path. In sharing his own journey, the author introduces readers to a world of like-minded people who have stepped off the mainstream path onto the path of personal magic. As the ex-Catholic monk Thomas Moore says, 'The soul has an absolute, unforgiving need for regular excursions into enchantment. It requires them like the body needs food and the mind needs thought.' This book offers pilgrims (of any path) a way back to the rich and deep inner magic of childhood dreams.

The Path of the Blue Raven

'An incredible story, powerfully and beautifully told.' - James O'Brien Five teenage friends leave Brighton to wage jihad in Syria. All except one are killed. This is their untold story. No Return is a unique insight into a hidden Britain, based on true events that so shocked intelligence experts they are now the Home Office's lead case study into youth radicalisation. Drawing on a cache of leaked classified documents and unprecedented access to all the main players, award-winning investigative journalist Mark Townsend reveals the shocking truth behind what drew these young Britons to martyrdom in a foreign land. The end result is a fast-paced and powerfully gripping true crime account of radicalisation - and how it can be prevented.

Mark Townsend

Books

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