Book review

Book Review

Love to curl up with a good book?

We have just the thing – our alumni are a talented bunch and many have a great tale to tell.

Reverend Mark Edwards MBE (Theology and Ministry, St John College, 1991-95) has published the third in a series of books chronicling his journey from a life in foster care to his life serving the Church. In ‘Beyond the Collar’, his third book following ‘Tears in the Dark’ and ‘Life after Care’, Mark describes his experiences from when he was ordained in the 1990s and living in Cumbria. “My first book ‘Tears in the Dark‘ (published by Authentic Media in 2004), told of my time being bought up in care from the age of 3, focusing in particular on my time in a Lincolnshire children’s home and the subsequent difficulties I faced in my later teenage years. It was an honest and raw account of a young man’s struggle with coming to terms with being abandoned by his parents to the care system. The book extends to the period from when I left care and the issues that I faced having to adjust to life outside an institution, through to my conversion to Christianity, my marriage, family and my training for ministry. ‘Tears in the Dark’ was well received and endorsed by Sir Cliff Richard. It concluded with my ordination in 1995. It naturally left people wanting to know what happened after I was ordained. “On that basis, I always had in mind to write another book. ‘Beyond the Collar’ picks up from where ‘Tears in the Dark’ left off at my ordination in Carlisle Cathedral in 1995 and follows my journey as a newly ordained Deacon through my first curacy and my first post as Team Vicar in the Cumbrian town of Barrow-in-Furness. During this period, I was still struggling with many of the issues from my childhood which the book demonstrates...all the time trying to be true to my priestly calling of serving others. It has received much acclaim in the media, being described as powerful, honest and inspirational. The foreword was written by Pam Rhodes from BBC Songs of Praise fame. The principal message of the story was that, despite brokenness and pain, God continues to work with us to redeem and strengthen. It reinforces the idea that no-one is perfect, and yet, God can still use us. It was important to me to include the pain and hurt inflicted by others, to reflect the brutal reality at the time. I hope this book will serve as an encouragement to those who don’t have it all together. For me, my books are therapeutic as they give me the voice that I never had as a child or a young man, and I can only be authentic and true to myself.” Between ‘Tears in the Dark’ and ‘Beyond the Collar’, another book was published ‘Life After Care, which is a memoir of Mark’s struggles with his mental health within the care system. Mark was awarded an MBE for services to volunteering in 2010. Today he is a volunteer medic with the Northeast Ambulance Service and a special constable with Northumbria Police. “Through these roles, I see many broken lives and many in need of medical help. I see my volunteering work as an extension of my priestly calling to serve my communities – they help to contextualise my Faith in a caring and compassionate way. I have a lovely relationship with the cops at my station where they have nicknamed me the Rev!”