Calla Press Publishing is pleased to announce the release of Roots and Fruit: An Introduction to the Christian Faith by acclaimed poet and scholar Timothy E. G. Bartel, made available January 24, 2026. Already garnering strong interest, Roots and Fruit offers readers a lyrical and accessible entry point into the foundations of Christianity through poetry.
Written for seekers and the curious alike, Roots and Fruit presents the core narratives of the Christian faith in poetic form. Readers will encounter essential biblical stories, including God’s creation of the world, the fall of humanity, the deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt, and the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Along the way, the poems introduce central figures of Scripture—Joseph, Moses, Mary, John, and others—whose lives continue to shape Christian belief and imagination.
Running parallel to these biblical narratives are thoughtful explanations of how these stories inform Christian doctrine and practice. Bartel gently guides readers through key theological concepts such as the Trinity and the incarnation, while also illuminating lived expressions of faith including prayer and communion. The result is a work that bridges story, belief, and practice with clarity and reverence.
Timothy E. G. Bartel brings a distinguished literary and academic voice to this project. A poet and professor from California, his poems, translations, and essays have appeared in Christianity and Literature, First Things, The Hopkins Review, Modern Age, and other notable publications. He is the author of four collections of poetry and three volumes of essays, most recently The Poets and the Fathers: Theology and Poetry from Gregory Nazianzus to Scott Cairns.
Bartel currently lives in Houston with his family, where he serves as Professor of Great Texts and Theology at Saint Constantine College. With Roots and Fruit: An Introduction to the Christian Faith, Calla Press Publishing is proud to offer a beautifully written work that invites readers to explore Christianity’s deepest roots and the fruit it bears in belief and life.
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