A new book by the former head of CYTÛN, Churches Together in Wales, draws parallels between the Gospel story of the Transfiguration and the Medieval Celtic tale of Bendigeidfran and Branwen in the Mabinogion. 

Spirituality or Religion: do we have to choose? by Gethin Abraham-Williams, challenges the hide-your-head-in-the-sand attitude of many in today's churches to the issues that really trouble people.

“Too many Christians prefer to live in a state of institutional amnesia”, says the author, “rather than open the door to reality and work through the problems, however painful.” And he makes a strong case for not separating the practice of religion and the exploration of contemporary spirituality.

The author brings to his perceptive analysis the insights he gained when he was formerly a member of the First Minister's Inter Faith Forum.  “Wales owes him an enormous debt,” says Bible translator, John Henson. It's a book “addressed to a wide audience, despite the new experience for many of being invited into the dark passages of a Celtic myth”.

The author's argument in Spirituality or Religion? Do we have to choose? is that spirituality and religion need each other. Without spirituality, our churches and chapels are likely to be boring, monotonous and desiccated; without religion spirituality can become disconnected from its God base, turning flaky and ultimately useless.

Spirituality or Religion: do we have to choose? will be published on November 8, by O-Books, price £11.99.