While the title of the book, published in 1989, is The Heart of the Parish, the subtitle, A Theology of the Remnant provides a clue to the subject of this book by Martin Thornton, an Anglican ascetic theologian. Previously published under the title Pastoral Theology: A Reorientation, the book explains that the Church parish is made up of three different levels of members. The smallest of these groups, says Thornton, is what he refers to as the Remnant, likening it to the remnant of Israel of the Old Testament. These are the folks that the parish priest must identify and nurture and nourish through individual spiritual direction. This remnant are the members that can be counted on to be the praying force of the spirit. He explains how to identify them, and offers tips for spiritual direction. While he can occasionally get somewhat technical, and some sections need to be reread in order to grasp what he's getting at (at least I have to!), it is nevertheless a very good and useful book. It is out of print, however, without too much effort copies can still be found (check the links in the Great places to buy books section. A very worthwhile read for the parish priest.
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