Beyond the Face

Brilliantly explores how portraits can help us relate to other people in an intentional and expectant way* Written in an accessible manner, this is a book that will deepen our empathy for friends and strangers* Uses a three-step method of noticing, responding, and reflecting to help us recognise ourselves and others in portraits* ‘I found the approach of this book to be transformational in my own spiritual journey'' ~ Dr Anne Moseley, Faculty member, Oxford Centre for Mission StudiesOur lives are made up of a complex web of relationships with those we initially get to know through their face. The quality of these relationships influences what we believe and value, and how we think and behave. Focussing on the human face, Stephen Girling explores how portraits can help us relate to other people in a new way. Outlining a three-step method of noticing, responding, and reflecting, he gives the reader a tool with which we can go beyond the face in a portrait to see ‘something of the eternal’ in the other person. With this tool we are able both to see ourselves more completely and better relate to people who we previously never noticed, kept at a distance, or actively disliked.With society becoming ever more polarised and fragmented, this is a timely book that will deepen our empathy for friends and strangers, guiding us towards a kinder and more generous way of living.