Alumni Services

June 2020

Cosmology, a hat-trick of theology, a children's adventure, and something a little different.

1.

Author

Andrew Kennedy

Degree Chemistry
Book

The Cosmology of People and the time travel solution: An Astrobiological Proposal

An introduction to the Chronolith Project and the first stage of a remarkable new investigation into the nature of humans and their interstellar future.

Six years in the writing, The Cosmology of People was born out of a critical journey through the physics of the Human condition to see whether and how Humans might travel to the stars. In this book the reader will find intriguing ideas about what we might know about reality if we truly lived in a simulation, and how lies, truth, good and evil work in a multiverse, about the origins of our universe and those characteristics of human existence that travel back and forth in time. The book proposes solutions to the problems of the origins of languages, of dreams and the reality we share, of consciousness and the coincidence factor of our universe, about particles and probabilities, about space and the likelihood of extraterrestrial intelligences coming to our aid.

The Cosmology of People and the time travel solution: An Astrobiological Proposal

2.

Author Matthew Kim
Degree

PhD Divinity

Books

A Little Book for New Preachers: Why and How to Study Homiletics

Finding Our Voice: A Vision for Asian North American Preaching

The Big Idea Companion for Preaching and Teaching: A Guide from Genesis to Revelation

A Little Book for New Preachers: Why and How to Study Homiletics

One of the central tasks of pastoral ministry is preaching the Word of God. Yet those who are called to ministry may feel unprepared, unable, or unwilling to step into this role. Moreover, the discipline of homiletics sometimes gets lost amid the exegetical questions, theological debates, and denominational disputes that overwhelm our attention. In this brief introduction to preaching, Matthew Kim helps to prepare those called to preach the Word. A seasoned preacher himself, Kim provides proven insight and guidance about the importance and history of preaching, the characteristics of faithful preaching, and the personal habits of a faithful preacher. With his help, both those training for ministry and those new to the pastoral task will be encouraged as they undertake their calling.

Finding Our Voice: A Vision for Asian North American Preaching

The message of what God has done in Christ is good news to all, but to have the greatest impact on its hearers--or even to be understood at all--it must be culturally contextualized.

Finding Our Voice speaks clearly to an issue that has largely been ignored: preaching to Asian North American (ANA) contexts. In addition to reworking hermeneutics, theology, and homiletics for these overlooked contexts, Kim and Wong include examples of culturally-specific sermons and instructive questions for contextualizing one's own sermons.

Finding Our Voice is essential reading for all who preach and teach in ANA contexts. But by examining this kind of contextualization in action, all who preach in their own unique contexts will benefit from this approach.

The Big Idea Companion for Preaching and Teaching: A Guide from Genesis to Revelation

Haddon Robinson's widely used and influential text, Biblical Preaching, has influenced generations of students and preachers. In The Big Idea Companion for Preaching and Teaching, trusted leading evangelical homileticians, teachers of preaching, and experienced pastors show that Robinson's "big idea" approach to expository preaching still works in today's diverse cultures and fast-paced world. This accessible resource offers an insider's view on figuring out the big idea of each book of the Bible, helping preachers and teachers check their interpretation of particular biblical books and passages. The contributors offer tips on how to divide each book of the Bible into preaching and teaching passages, guidance on difficult passages and verses, cultural perspectives for faithful application, and suggested resources for interpreting, preaching, and teaching. Pastors, teachers, Bible study leaders, small groups, and college and seminary students and professors will find a wealth of valuable information in this resource.

3.

Author

Sophie Kirtley

Degree English Literature and French
Book

The Wild Way Home

When Charlie’s longed-for brother is born with a serious heart condition, Charlie’s world is turned upside down. Upset and afraid, Charlie flees the hospital and makes for the ancient forest on the edge of town. There Charlie finds a boy floating face-down in the stream, dressed in deerskins, injured, but alive. But when Charlie sets off back to the hospital to fetch help, it seems the forest has changed. It’s become a place as strange and wild as the boy dressed in deerskins. Now it’s something vast and strange. Something ancient. Something WILD. And Charlie is a long, long way from home. Charlie has unwittingly fled into the Stone Age, with no way to help the boy or return to the present day. Or is there…? Fans of Piers Torday and Sophie Anderson will delight in this thrilling, wise and heartfelt adventure as Charlie and the Stone Age boy set out together to find what they have lost – their courage, their hope, the family and their way home. 

My time at Edinburgh laid a lot of important foundations for my future as a writer - I was in the very first cohort of students who were able to take Creative Writing modules as part of their English Literature degree... and I greedily took two! In fact the feedback from my then tutor Robert Alan Jamieson has stayed etched in my mind ever since: 'If Sophie doesn't go on to a future career as a published author then I'll be very surprised...'  I'm delighted to finally be proving Alan's predictions right!

The Wild Way Home

Beyond books

A new look at other creative endeavours by alumni.

Music

Artist James Giles
Degree

PhD Philosophy

Album

A Man in the Alley

James Giles has just released his new album "A Man in the Alley". James Giles is an artist who explores human experience with his music and lyrics. His sounds are a blend of alternative rock, indie, folk, and ambient styles. He immerses his listeners in specific moments of awareness--love, loss, desire, fear--melodically and poetically developing them to the point where they become the essence of awareness.

How to listen

Your submission

If you are a member of the alumni community and have recently published a book, we would be delighted to include it in the Alumni Bookshelf.  We would also like to hear about your other creative endeavours that have been officially released. Email the editor, Brian Campbell, with the following information:

  • your name
  • degree details
  • book  (or other) details, including a link for further information

Email Brian Campbell

Please note

Books are added to the bookshelf in order of submission. All of the further information links listed are the external websites of the book publisher, the author, or the bookseller. The University of Edinburgh is not responsible for the content and functionality of these sites. We reserve the right to not publish all submissions we receive.