Cardinal-elect Timothy Radcliffe has been long been one of the most popular preachers across the globe, speaking in retreats which he gives in English or in his equally fluent French.

Radcliffe has spent most of his life as a Dominican based at the order's Blackfriars base in Oxford, apart from his nine years as master of the order in Rome, but has always travelled widely, being in huge demand as a speaker.

His books have been bestsellers, particularly I Call You Friends, Seven Last Words and What Is the Point of Being a Christian?, which won the 2007 Michael Ramsey Prize for theological writing.

His appeal is ecumenical too, and he has lectured in Westminster Abbey, while his book Why Go to Church? included a foreword by Rowan Williams, who was then Archbishop of Canterbury.

His other books include Alive in God, Take the Plunge and I Call You Friends, all published by Bloomsbury Continuum.

We derive substantial income from the sales of foreign rights in his books. He is known the world over.

Prologue: 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening' (1 Sam. 3.9)
1 'Where are you?' (Gen. 3.8-20)
2 'Where is Abel, your brother?' (Gen. 4.1-16)
3 'Where is Sarah, your wife?' Welcoming the strangers (Gen. 18.1-16)
Three absences
4 'What is your name?' (Gen. 32.23-33)
5 'And if they ask "What is His name?", what shall I say?' (Exod. 3.1-14)
What name?
6 'What is it for you here, Elijah?' (1 Kgs 19.8-18)
7 'I am young. I do not know how to speak' (Jer. 1.4-10)
8 'Is it good for you to be angry?' (Jon. 4.1-13)
Four Prophets
9 'Have you not seen him whom my heart loves?' (Song 1.12-2.7)
We see his face
10 'How will this happen?' (Lk. 1.26-38)
11 'Child, why have you treated us like this?' (Lk. 2.41-52)
12 'How can you, being a Jew, ask from me "to drink", while I am a Samaritan woman?' (Jn. 4.4-42)
13 'Who do you say that I am?' (Mt. 16.13-28)
Who is he? Who am I?
14 'Whose wife will she be?' (Mk. 12.18-28)
15 'What is truth?' (Jn. 18.28-19.16)
Questioning Him
16 'What are these words that you are hurling at each other while walking?' (Lk. 24.13-35)
17 'Do you love me more than these?' (Jn. 21.1-22)
18 'I opposed him to his face' (Gal. 2.1-14)
Epilogue: 'For our conversation is in heaven' (Phil. 3.20)
Acknowledgements
Image credits
Notes