18 September 2025
The Archbishop of York's chosen Advent Book for 2025 is 'Listening to the Music of the Soul' by the Rt Rev'd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, Bishop of Chelmsford.
Speaking about the book, which was published today, Archbishop Stephen said:
"Listening to the Music of the Soul is a book to be read carefully, even reverentially, for its themes touch the inner person very deeply"
The Rt Rev'd Arun Arora, Bishop of Kirstall said:
"A deeply personal and poignant accompaniment to Advent, this book is a balm to the soul. Bishop Guli leads us on a journey of music and scripture with a multi-layered depth that provides room for both questioning and lasting hope,"
Jane Williams, McDonald Professor in Christian Theology at St Mellitus College said:
"There are riches to be found in every chapter - books to follow up, writers and speakers to explore and, above all, music to listen to. There is nothing senitmental here, but there is a fearless emotion and boundless hope."
About 'Listening to the Music of the Soul'
“Listening to the music of the soul” is a wonderfully evocative phrase – but what does it really mean for the everyday anxieties of life? Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani invites us on the deepest journey of all: one within our very souls. To listen to the music of the soul, Bishop Guli writes, is to “connect in a meaningful way to our innermost being” – to release the pressure to be someone we are not, and inhabit our lives more fully, in deep and authentic relationship with God.
Bishop Guli’s invitation is rooted in her own remarkable story. She arrived in the UK as a refugee forty years ago, following the murder of her brother in the wake of the Iranian Revolution. Growing up as a Christian in Iran and later fleeing to escape religious persecution, she knows exactly what it means to experience an identity shaped by complexity – and the struggle we all share to make sense of who we are.
In a highly digital world of social media soundbites, polarized debates, and the demand for instant responses, Bishop Guli offers another way. This Advent, her invitation to us to pause and “listen to the music of the soul”, is a call to rest in life’s nuances, in the fertile spaces in between, where beauty and pain coexist – and where, in that very tension, we encounter God most profoundly.
Relating her vivid life story to the biblical narratives of Advent, Bishop Guli encourages us to see our own journeys within the greater story of God’s unending love and His purpose for our salvation. Each chapter invites us to listen to a musical interpretation of its theme (accessible via QR code), whether flight, angels, or hope, and encourages us to respond in a way that is deeply personal. From Mary’s Magnificat and its hope for the overlooked, to the harmonies of silence and darkness, fear and hope, and light and space that accompany the season of Advent, Listening to the Music of the Soul draws into the beauty of God’s reconciliation with humanity through the birth of Jesus.
The accompanying music to each chapter, whether familiar or not, becomes a companion to us on this journey, helping us tune our hearts to the deeper music of the soul. And in that inner music, we find ourselves drawn into the wider melody of God’s love, where our lives are held within the heartbeat of His eternal song of salvation.
ISBN: 9780281091331
Published by SPCK Publishing
