In the Footsteps of St Philip

In the Footsteps of St Philip

Second Edition

Felix Gibbins

Of all the Twelve, Philip says the least. He leaves behind only a handful of recorded words.
He performs no miracle and founds no faction. And yet, in every scene where he appears,
something essential about the nature of discipleship is laid bare.

Philip of Bethsaida is one of the most overlooked figures in the New Testament. He is not given the great confessions of Peter, the theological profundity of John, or the drama of Thomas. He is present, steady, and quietly indispensable. When the crowd needs feeding, it is Philip who is asked about bread. When the Greek visitors seek an audience with Jesus, it is Philip they approach. When the Upper Room fills with the anguish of departure, it is Philip who gives voice to the longing of every searching heart: "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."

In the Footsteps of St Philip traces this apostle from his first encounter with Christ on the shore of the Sea of Galilee to the ancient city of Hierapolis in Asia Minor, where tradition holds that he gave his life for the faith he had spent decades proclaiming. Along the way, it explores the theological depths that Philip's brief appearances open up: the nature of discipleship, the reality of the Eucharist, the witness of martyrdom, the formation of conscience, and the enduring question of how God calls ordinary people to extraordinary faithfulness.

This fully revised and expanded second edition also examines Philip the Deacon, whose bold ministry in Samaria and encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch on the Gaza road illuminates what it means to be led by the Spirit into places and people one would never have chosen. The book holds the two Philips together, exploring the tradition that blurred their stories and the gifts that tradition unwittingly preserved.

Richly researched, accessibly written, and rooted in scripture, patristics, and the living tradition of the Church, this is a book for anyone who has ever felt too ordinary to be of use to God, and needed to meet someone who felt the same way.

What the Book Contains

Nine chapters move through the apostle's story in two distinct movements. The first six chapters follow Philip through the Gospel record: his call from the lakeside, his witness to the great self-disclosures of Christ in John's Gospel, his journey to Hierapolis, and the theological themes his life opens up around discipleship, the Eucharist, the Trinity, evangelisation, and the meaning of martyrdom. The final three chapters broaden the canvas to explore Philip the Deacon, the remarkable twentieth-century rediscovery of the apostle's tomb at Hierapolis, and Philip's place in the tradition, art, and liturgy of the Church.

Every chapter is equipped with a threefold apparatus designed for individual and group use:

A Reflection and Spiritual Challenge, offering personal prayer material and a practical call to action rooted in the chapter's themes.

Questions for Study Groups, carefully framed for parish, small-group, and seminary discussion.

A Prayer, gathering the chapter's substance into direct address to Christ.

The book may be read straight through as a sustained biographical and theological study, used chapter by chapter as a structured course of personal prayer, or taken as a ready-made study programme for a parish group or seminary cohort.

Chapters at a Glance

Introduction

Chapter One: The Call from the Sea of Galilee

Chapter Two: Witness to the Divine

Chapter Three: The Apostle's Journey to Hierapolis

Chapter Four: Discipleship, Eucharist, and the Trinity

Chapter Five: Evangelisation and the Witness of Martyrdom

Chapter Six: Philip's Enduring Message for Today

Chapter Seven: Philip the Deacon and Discipleship

Chapter Eight: The Tomb Rediscovered at Hierapolis

Chapter Nine: Philip in Tradition, Art, and Liturgy

Philip heard two words on the shore of Galilee.
He spent the rest of his life discovering what they meant.

This is an invitation to walk with him.