Bacon Sandwiches and Salvation: An A-Z of the Christian Life

by Adrian Plass

In this hilarious book, Adrian Plass brilliantly skewers the cliches and jargon of church culture. Subversive, laugh-out-loud fun! p>What are the two most important things in the universe? Bacon sandwiches and salvation, according to Adrian Plass. In this book, he combines one-line definitions with more thoughtful pieces, producing a volume that will make you laugh, cry and reflect. Despite the fact that someone once offered him five million pounds never to write another word for publication (one hilarious story recounted here) this is a glorious book. Vintage Plass.. . more or less frequent visitor who should be allowed in when he knocks at the door and sat firmly down in a corner. As long as he is everything up and restricts vision. Adrian Plass works through the alphabet, combining one-line definitions with more thoughtful pieces - a laugh-out-loud book on Christians and Christian culture. neither fed nor entertained he will usually get bored after a while and go away. b> (1) cannot be expressed in words (2) cannot be sworn at. nothing to worry about. Go in /b>(1) injunction to the congregation at the end of communion (2) something that is only possible for those blessed with an en-suite bathroom and toilet. Pillar of the big thick thing that holds

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Christian, Christianity, Theology, Religion

237 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Adrian Plass is a writer and speaker who has produced over thirty books in the last twenty years. The best known of these is probably The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass, a gentle satire on the modern church, which has sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide. This and other books have travelled to other countries and are translated into a number of foreign languages. Other books include biography, novels, short stories, a fictionalised account of the author's experiences as a residential child care worker, and collections of poems and sketches. A bemused Anglican, Adrian lives with his wife and daughter in a small market town near the Sussex South Downs.

Adrian has been in demand as a speaker in venues as varied as prisons, schools, churches, festivals, literary dinners and theatrical settings. His work also includes contribution to national and local radio and television. Live presentations combine humour, poetry, and story telling, largely revolving around his own inadequacies and struggles as a Christian and a human being.

In recent years Adrian has been joined by his wife Bridget in presenting a more varied and dramatic style of performance. Adrian and Bridget met at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and have found particular satisfaction in being allowed to ‘do a bit of acting’. They have also been privileged to work alongside World Vision on several occasions, visiting Bangladesh and Zambia, writing two books and touring both in the UK and abroad with the aim of encouraging people to take up child sponsorship

Their work now takes them as far away as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Africa, while trips to Europe have introduced the added dimension of speaking through interpreters. Not easy when you're trying to be funny!

Adrian's latest books include ‘Jesus Safe Tender and Extreme‘, published by Zondervan, ‘Blind Spots in the Bible’, published by BRF, and most recent of all ‘Bacon Sandwiches and Salvation’ published by Authentic Media. He and Bridget have also collaborated with friends in Canada to produce a CD of his favourite sketches from the last 20 years called ‘Preaching to the Converted’ while ‘A Touch of Plass’, CTA’s documentary video, is now out on DVD.

2008 began with a visit to Bolivia for Bridget and Adrian in collaboration with the charity Toybox to look at projects involving street children. Later on there will be a DVD, a book and a number of presentations promoting their work.

Adrian's central motivation continues to be his love for Jesus, although some may feel he expresses it rather eccentrically. His passion is to communicate the need for reality in faith, and a truth that he learned during a difficult stage in his life: "God is nice and he likes me..." Some have described his work as being ‘one long confessional’. They may well be right!

Reviews

[Zareen Cave · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle satire on church activities & the language used to describe them

I dipped in and out of it but decided to finish reading this book this weekend. Parts for the book are very amusing. Some written in an ironical manner. I enjoyed the humour immensely .

[Jane Riordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very amusing take on the quirks of modern Christianity; you would have to be a very tight lipped Christian not to have the humour raise a smile.

Easy to dip into with some good play on words and acute observations.

[Fabulous Fork · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite entertaining A - Z of Christianity, plus puns, stories and jokes.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adrian Plass, “Bacon Sandwiches and Salvation: An A-Z of the Christian Life” (London: Authentic, 2008).

Adam = first example of someone who ruined his life by taking banned substances that had been growing in his garden. It was his bird's idea, and she got nicked as well. (p7)
Alpha = outreach system that has brought thousands to faith, but has left in its wake a small, deeply confused group of people who have mistakenly asked Nicky Gumbel into heir lives. (p8)
Anglican =
(1)a charismatic
(2)an anti-charismatic
(3)one who is in favour of women in the priesthood
(4)one who is not in favour of women in the priesthood
(5)one who has close links with Rome
(6)one who abhors Rome
(7)one who sees no problem with the ordination of gay clergy
(8)one who is absolutely opposed to the ordination of gay clergy
(9)etc … (p9)

Babylon = what a lot of preachers do. (p15)
Backsliding = activity shared by wavering Christians and penguins. (p15)
Beatitude = a phrase widely used in marriage: 'I am so sick and tired of your whole B. attitude.' (p17)
Bildad = phrase completing a sentence frequently used by supposedly grown-up offspring to their fathers: 'Any chance of you paying this …' (p17-18)
Bull of Bashan = usual old nonsense that we've come to expect from Bashan. (p24)
Damnation = Holland (.. as in a Nation of Dams). (p39)
Doctrine =
(1) what they do up the the Health Centre. )
(2) the things that I believe, not to be confused with heresy, which is the things other people believe. (p45)
Envy = sin mentioned in a passage of Romans that also includes homosexuality, greed and murder. Openly admitting to being envious was more or less taboo for christians and non-Christians alike until the mid-sixties, when a few people came out of the closet and confessed to their inclinations. Nowadays, of course, debate rages in the Anglican Church an elsewhere abut the suitability of ordaining those who publicly espouse the envious lifestyle. (p49)
Go in peace =
injunction to the congregation at the close of the Anglican Communion service.
Something that is only possible for those blessed with an ensuite bathroom and toilet. (p65)
Mass = E over C squared, according to Einstein. (p114)
Medad =
(1) a man named in the eleventh chapter of 'Numbers'.
(2) the person married to Memum. (p114)
Meetings = see Methodism.
Methodism = see Meetings. (p114-115)
Name above all names = aardvark (p124)
Pulpit = useful suggestion as to what might be done with quite a large proportion of what we loosely call Christian literature. (p149)

[Wyndy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is hilarious. I love British humour and since the author is a retired British magistrate guess what, the humour is British. Also, since the author is a member of the Church of England (Anglican) many of the daffynitions include references to the Anglican Church. But, I think that most readers are familiar enough with Anglican-isms to understand the references. The words are presented in 3 basic methods, a regular definition, a silly definition (many with both) and a real life story that many times shares the short falls of how we represent Christianity to the world of unbelievers. My whole family enjoys this book and it has the place of honour in the bathroom beside the throne.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dictionary of Christianese, with Adrian Plass's unique style of humour, blending the ridiculous with some very thought-provoking anecdotes and comments. Well worth reading - just so long as you're not easily offended by someone poking gentle humour at the church.

[Bill Forgeard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic. Very funny. Comfortable with the many weakneses of Christians! Hilarious in poking fun at church foolishness. Turns dry occasionally in presenting a challenge to the norm. Adrian Plass paints us pretty accurately - he's good for my soul.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A humorous take on the various aspects of Christian life, whilst dropping in some very true and serious points.