Paul Ricoeur, the philosopher behind so much of the recovery of the Bible and its message. Mercy and hope, guilt and forgiveness – the former Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney explores and explains the thinking of Paul Ricoeur, with a profound understanding of the human being and God’s grace. Dr Gillies is now an Honorary Research Fellow in the University of Glasgow, and lives with his wife Liz in St Andrews, Scotland.

“Robert Gillies’ book grants us a profound and moving insight into the life and thought of Paul Ricoeur and one which should be taken with the utmost seriousness. Writing as a scholar and a pastor, Gillies explores deep theological themes concerning the nature of sin and guilt, grace and forgiveness. Out of a learned and often poetic understanding of Ricoeur’s immense output and his significance as a philosopher and, ultimately, a theologian, Gillies offers his readers a kind of conversation with Ricoeur that is rooted in the conviction that human life is essentially ethical in its aim. His book draws upon his own pastoral experience as a priest and bishop to follow through Ricoeur’s often recessed private life and his contribution to Christian thought in a complex narrative of guilt, forgiveness and hope. No easy resolutions are tolerated, but there is a profound sense of the human condition under God’s grace. This is a book to be pondered and treasured.”  

The Revd Prof David Jasper DD FRSE, The University of Glasgow and Renmin University, Beijing

 “Gillies excels at making Ricoeur’s work both accessible and relevant.  His careful scholarship is met with a wealth of personal and professional experience that the author has earned through his vocation as a parish priest and diocesan bishop.  This rare combination of scholarship and practical wisdom echoes in method the integrative project of Ricoeur’s own philosophy,  deepens the reader’s interpretation of Ricoeur, and further demonstrates the lasting value of Ricoeur for both academic theologians and practitioners alike.” 

Dr Michael DeLashmutt, Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs, Associate Professor of Sacred Theology, The General Theological Seminary, New York