In our bewildering age when the mental health of so many is fragile and people feel adrift and uncertain, an unlikely hero can offer surprising and much needed wisdom. We think of prophets as strong and confident figures, but the prophet Jonah is neither of these. In fact he’s barely taken seriously at all and is crowded out of his own story by the whale that swallowed him up. Robert Atwell uncovers how the book of Jonah offers a strikingly relevant theology for our time - one that grapples with isolation, protest, anger, fear, and depression, all under the shadow of divine presence in the midst of personal turmoil. For those who feel unmoored, Jonah's story becomes a surprising source of consolation. Ultimately, it maps the contours of grace - a grace that feels especially absent in today’s world. Alone among the prophets, Jonah is named by Jesus and described as a ‘sign’. In this short, deeply comforting book, Atwell explores how Jonah still speaks to us, offering insight and hope to a restless generation.

Robert Atwell is the former Bishop of Exeter and served on the Liturgical Commission on the Church of England. He was previously a Benedictine monk and compiled Celebrating the Saints and Celebrating the Seasons.