The Ascension is a key Christian doctrine that receives very little attention in the textbooks on Christian doctrine most widely used in ministerial training. There are almost no books focusing solely on this topic and this dearth also affects those who preach at the Ascension – a major feast day that concludes the Easter season - and also at the Feast of Christ the King which concludes the Christian year and which has a central focus on the Ascension. After more than twenty years of teaching ordinands and readers in training, Moira Astin provides a comprehensive and readable book that also covers the required academic ground for those in training. In straightforward language, it considers: · the Ascension in the gospels · in Paul’s letters and in Hebrews and Revelation · its heavenly and earthly meanings · theological understandings over the centuries · why the Ascension matters today · its importance for understanding other key doctrines such as the incarnation and resurrection.

Moira Astin has taught doctrine to those training for the Church of England ministry for over 20 years. She currently teaches for St Augustine’s College of Theology and is also the Archdeacon of Reigate.