The answer to the question ‘What do aging NT profs do with their spare time?’ turns out to be– write fiction. Richard Bauckham is a long time good friend of mine from the U.K. and he has writtten a children’s book which is delightful. As Christmas is coming and people are always asking for good recommendations of what to give their children or grandchildren that will actually nurture them into some decent Christian values, decent human values, I am happy to give my unconditional endorsment to Richard’s new book. You’ll even learn the origins of a popular game played in St. Andrews. Hopefully before long, I too will find a publisher for a work of fiction– my first novel entitled ‘The Lazarus Effect’. In the meantime, please by all means go out and get a copy of this wonderful short story for children. Here are the particulars about it below in the advertisement. Please note that you will need to order it through Amazon.com.UK. Go to the drop down menu on the front page at the Amazon site and click on the U.K. page.

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From Bibles to Bears!

Richard Bauckham, Professor of New Testament Studies and Wardlaw Professor,
in St Mary’s College, is well known as a prolific author of theological
and religious books, but he has now branched out into something completely
different – children’s literature.

His first story book for children, a ‘comic fantasy’ called The MacBears of Bearloch (Aultbea Publishing), has recently been published.

The story is a humorous fantasy about a family of bears and their friends
who live by a secret loch in the forgotten lands of the north, a country
rather like Scotland. There is grumpy Grampa MacBear, reliable Mother
MacBear, and her four ‘bearns’ (as bear cubs are known in Bearloch):
sensible Duff, imaginative Beth, mischievous Tosh, and Baby Brother. The adventures include islands that move, a mysterious horse, a haiku contest, the oldest
creature from the depths of the ocean, and much more.

Richard said: “I wrote the kind of children’s book I enjoy reading. It’s a bit different
from the kinds that are mostly being written now. It’s a fantasy that is
not a struggle between good and evil, and not about witches and magicians
or kings and queens. It is also, I hope, funnier.

“The children’s books I’m most conscious of being influenced by are the
wonderful Moomin books of Finnish author Tove Jansson. I hope it has
something of the spirit of the Moomins. Bearloch is related to Scotland
much as Moominvalley is related to Finland.

“It was tremendous fun to write, and a refreshing change from most other
things I do!”

The MacBears of Bearloch is available at £4.99 from Ottakers or the Ladyhead Bookshop in St Andrews. It can also be ordered from Amazon.