Correcting an imbalance in a mean world

‘TIS MERCY ALL:
The Power of Mercy in a Polarised World
By Natalie Williams
SPCK. 178 pages. £11.99
ISBN 978 0 281 089 185

Natalie Williams, CEO of Jubilee Plus, has written books on how the church can be more engaged with working-class people and the poor. Now, in this book, Williams takes a deep dive into the theme of God’s mercy and how it works out in the lives of those who have been touched by that mercy.

The book is divided into four sections. Section 1 explores what the mercy of God is. Section 2 wrestles with how we can rely on God’s mercy in the light of the other truths that we know about God. Williams helpfully shows that all the attributes of God, even those that we think might conflict with mercy – like justice – actually leave space for mercy. Section 3 reflects on how the mercy of God can reframe our thought world and reshape our attitudes. Section 4 provides many practical suggestions on how we can display mercy in everyday life.