A holy life contains two essays included in one of Rowan Williams's latest books , Holy Living – The Christian Tradition for Today , Both texts deal in different ways with "how we can live sincerely and consistently in a community whose purpose is to be 'sacramental ', in the sense of embodying God's gift to humanity in Jesus", as the author himself puts it.
The two essays are characteristic of Rowan Williams' work. In the first, he starts from Benedict's famous monastic rule from the 6th century, and shows how the rule even today provides tools for our search for an authentic Christian life. The second essay concerns the relationship between a contemplative lifestyle and evangelism. It is based on a talk given by Rowan Williams in Rome during the Synod of Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church on 10 October 2012 in connection with the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Second Vatican Council.
Few Christian thinkers and theologians have had a greater influence in contemporary Europe, read and listened to within all church families but also in secular society. But it is above all in the role of priest, bishop and archbishop of the Anglican Church that Rowan Williams has won the ear and trust of many through his pastoral leadership.
A holy life is translated into Swedish by Alva Dahl.