Resources from Living Stones

A Living Stone – Selected Essays and Addresses of Michael Prior CM

Please email the editor for details on acquiring this book for £20 plus postage, and other titles, including printed copies of the annual Living Stones Yearbook.

“The Bible, in its land tradition, is part of the problem, but the Bible also, in its Gospel message, is part of the solution—provided that people such as Macpherson and ourselves, take up Michael Prior’s challenge.” Professor Gregory Heille OP.

“…a very challenging and necessary book. Duncan Macpherson deserves enormous praise and credit for the way he has painstakingly edited this book, bringing together a lifetime of work by Michael Prior. It is indeed a lasting memory to Michaela and should be a constant challenge to all biblical scholars and students.” Martin O’Kane.

A Review by Professor Mary Grey

“Duncan Macpherson’s biographical introduction charts the fascinating evolution of this Cork-born, humorous Scripture scholar, lover of story and song alike, from academic to Palestinian activist and advocate. Not that Michael ever lacked causes: I remember him – in the early eighties–bringing the entire gypsy community from Ealing into the splendid drawing room of St Mary’s College to plead their cause. But the book takes off when he begins to argue the Palestinian case and engage in a Biblical critique. The first section on ‘New Testament Scholar’ is interesting more with hindsight, when we realise what he would make of his biblical scholarship. For example, ‘Perspectives on Luke’ (1976) would be developed into his ‘Jesus the Liberator’ (1995) when he interprets Luke as challenging us to subvert all oppressive patterns in society, a perspective also discussed in ‘Jesus and the Evangelization of the Poor’. Prior is humble as to the length of time needed for him to experience a conversion as to what the real situation of Israel-Palestine meant in terms of injustice. (I sympathise with this, as my own moment of conversion was not until 1997, when I was asked to write a document for the theology commission of the International Council of Christians and Jews on their justice policy, but not allowed to mention Palestine!).”

Read the full review here

Books by, or about, Michael Prior