Publisher's Synopsis
The major rituals of the Church act as staging posts through life. They are the 'rites of passage' of the Christian life; dividing our lives and the lives of those around us into distinct parts. Roger Grainger examines these rituals, in the light of anthropological study, and shows how the structure of the rite itself echoes the change that the rite celebrates. He shows how we can use the insights of his work to create new services to help structure changes in our lives by laying ourselves open to the healing power of God who works through these rituals. He also argues that services for Baptism, Marriage and Death have meaning not only for Christians but also for those who are 'outside' the Church. Indeed, it is great opportunity for the Church to show the 'outsider' that Christian rituals can provide the key to problems that secular society cannot solve.
