John Henry Newman was a great thinker - a seminal theologian and philosopher - but he possessed something more than intellectual brilliance: he possessed wisdom and a profound devotional life. He brought to any practical topic an awareness of the unity and consistency of the Christian faith. His writings are shot through with insights that get to the very core of what Christianity means. Who better to take as a spiritual guide? Through the Year with Newman is a collection of reflections and prayers - one for every day of the year. It focuses on core Christian doctrines as presented with piercing clarity by Newman. It concentrates less on controversial issues than on matters of faith common to all Christians; but it also gets across the essence of the distinctive achievement of Newman, a sense of his central ideas and of the complexion of his thought.

Bernard Dive is a freelance editor and writer; he edited Through the Year with Newman, an anthology of Newman's writings. He has degrees in English and Theology and a Ph.D in English from the University of Cambridge.