John Reader Livres

Previous eds. published as: Missing links: the hunt for earliest man.

The book delves into the evolving nature of church mission and Christian identity through the lens of 'blurred encounters,' where traditional hierarchies dissolve into more fluid interactions. It challenges the conventional urban vs. rural theology dichotomy and addresses practical implications for church leadership and management. Engaging with insights from recent church reports, contributors from various professional and academic backgrounds explore themes of power, conflict, and future opportunities for faith-based engagement. This work is essential for practitioners and those in ministerial training.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

The book explores the need to reshape practical theology in response to globalization's influence on faith and community. It highlights the challenges posed by alternative lifestyles, spiritualities, and the decline of traditional institutions, as well as the impact of technology on religious practices. The author critiques the current state of practical theology, suggesting it risks becoming outdated, and proposes a reflexive spirituality rooted in Christian tradition as a way forward. This work engages insights from sociology, politics, and philosophy to address these evolving spiritual landscapes.

Lenin was an enigmatic leader, a resolute and audacious politician who had an immense impact on 20th century history. This biography is a reliable introduction to one of the key figures of the post-Tsarist Russia and the revolution.

A magisterial study of the city from its beginnings to the mega-conurbations of today.Cities is a fascinating exploration of the nature of the city and city life, of its structures, development and inhabitants.From the ruins of the earliest cities to the present, John Reader explores how cities coalesce, develop and thrive, how they can decline and die, how they remake themselves. He investigates their parasitic relationship with the countryside around them, the webs of trade and immigration they rely upon to survive, how they feed and water themselves and dispose of their wastes. The book is a sweeping exploration of what the city is and has been, fit to stand alongside Lewis Mumford’s 1962 classic The City in History .

Human beings are the most adaptable animals in the world. We successfully occupy every corner of the globe, from the tundra to the rain forest, from the high Andes to the blazing Kalahari. Nearly hairless, small of tooth and weak of limb, we human beings have nevertheless made ourselves at home everywhere. The reason, explains John Reader in this provocative study of human ecology, is that humans uniquely possess the most effective adaptive mechanism of all: culture. Moving into all kinds of environments, human beings have devised sets of beliefs, rules, and technologies specifically designed to ensure survival in the face of whatever obstacles the land, the weather, and that particular environment raise. This timely and important book provides heartening evidence of the resourcefulness with which human beings, everywhere and at all times, have responded to the challenges that have faced man on earth.

Focusing on the influence of globalization on engineering, the book explores how evolving working practices and creativity are affected by established economic norms. It argues that heightened reflexivity among engineers can redefine the profession's future and its foundational values. Targeted at both practicing engineers and trainees, it serves as an introduction to the social and political challenges currently facing the field, encouraging a deeper understanding of the context in which engineering operates.

Exploring the intersection of theology and New Materialism, this work highlights the importance of relational and apophatic themes in shaping a materialist theology. It draws on the ideas of Deleuze and New Materialist thinkers while integrating insights from Relational Christian Realism, particularly those of Latour and Badiou. The book delves into concepts such as transcendence and human agency, addressing contemporary issues like climate change. It advocates for creating spaces of faithful dissent to navigate the complexities of modern theology.