However, those days are now behind me
and I have brought off the back burner a project which has been simmering there
for some 30 years. The figure of Judas Iscariot in the Bible is intriguing. So
little is known about him yet he played such an important – and infamous – part
in the Jesus story. And what emerges, as we consider all the possible factors
that lay behind his final, fatal actions, is that everyone is liable to mess up
in very similar ways.
Each of the factors that may have
contributed to his betrayal of Jesus’ whereabouts to the authorities are
factors which can cause any one of us to stumble.
So I set about exploring those factors,
discovering parallel examples from the lives of famous and ordinary people, and
examining the research and the conclusions of experts in the relevant fields. And
then thinking about how to both prevent and cure the weaknesses thus exposed. The
result is The Judas Trap.
I took it to a small and relatively new
British Christian commercial publisher, Instant Apostle, partly because they
could offer a swift turn-round and partly because I liked their philosophy of
largely (but obviously not entirely!) giving a platform to new authors. I also
discovered, to my surprise, that their professional thoroughness in editing and
proofreading far surpassed what (to judge from the grammatical and printing
errors one finds in many recent books) appears to be a corner-cutting trend in
publishing generally.
Below is the Foreword to the book
written by a lay Christian woman who doesn’t have a theological background. It
serves as a useful summary of what the book is. I asked her to do this because
while the book is packed full of Bible stuff and carries commendations from two
senior Anglican clergy, it’s written for thinking people like Hilary who don’t
have the theological background I’ve been privileged to amass over the years.
Below her contribution are the other
commendations and the practical details of the book for anyone who wants to buy
a print or Kindle copy.
Foreword
to The Judas Trap
The
Judas Trap is a
fascinating challenge to us all. We are challenged to understand what made
Judas Iscariot deliver Jesus Christ to the Roman authorities, as described in
the New Testament. Judas is a very important person in the story of Jesus for Christians,
as he is considered to have "betrayed" Jesus. Judas is the person who
started the process of Jesus being crucified. So, it is important to face the challenge
that any one of us may have done exactly the same, if we found ourselves where
Judas was.
Derek Williams gives us clear, possible
explanations for why Judas did what he did, all backed by referenced evidence
from the literature and lots of easy to read examples, both historical and
contemporary. He has done a thorough job of investigating his topic of The Judas Trap. Maybe the reasons Judas
did what he did can apply to all of us. We are challenged to think how we might
be at risk of falling into one of the same traps, even 2000 years later.
The explanations use theories from many
disciplines: psychology, sociology, economics, ethics, and more. Derek uses the
evidence well. He uses it to support his proposed possible explanations of
Judas' behaviour. Each chapter addresses a single possible explanation,
starting with a clear, brief summary of what is in the chapter (what an invaluable
aspect of this book), an apposite quotation, a description of the
"trap" factor to be discussed, then the evidence and anecdote. But
there is more. Each chapter then
challenges the reader on whether we may fall into this specific trap, and then
gives practical suggestions on what to do now to avoid doing that. Perfect!
We are led through the process of
thinking how awful it was for Judas to do that; how, maybe, there was a reason
why he did it; well, maybe, we sometimes behave a bit like that, too; but
here's how we can avoid doing it any more. Phew!
This book challenges the reader to
think. However, it is easy to read, well signposted and very engaging. You may
want to read it one chapter at a time and have a pause between chapters to
think. I suggest your thinking will be interesting. You will have been
charmingly, gently challenged. Do accept the challenge and see where this
excellent book takes you.
Dr
Hilary Hearnshaw
Associate
Professor Emeritus of Clinical Care, University of Warwick
What reviewers say:
“I
highly commend this refreshing and engaging book in which Derek Williams uses
Judas Iscariot, that unfortunate icon of betrayal, to challenge us to a better
understanding of ourselves and more generous consideration of others. Williams’
accessible style, richly combining Christian reflection with telling historical
and contemporary references, provides a realistic yet encouraging view of
humanity, leading us to more gracious living.”
The Venerable Richard Brand, Archdeacon of Winchester
“Here
is practical wisdom on how to protect against our in-built tendency to go
wrong. Derek Williams is readable, thoughtful, brave, startling, challenging,
encouraging: take this book seriously, and you will grow as a disciple of Jesus
Christ. I recommend it highly.”
The Rt Revd Donald Allister, Bishop of Peterborough
Details of The
Judas Trap
The Judas Trap – why
people mess up (and how to avoid joining them) by Derek
Williams is published by Instant Apostle and is available from 21st
October 2016 at Christian bookshops, bookstores and on-line retailers. ISBN: 978-1-909728-54-7.
Non-fiction. Paperback 192pp £8.99. For Kindle readers, see online.
For review copies and media enquiries contact Manoj: info@instantapostle.com 