newstephen

The Stephen Experience: Teachings of Stephen the Martyr

KELSO,
Auckland NZ
present

The Stephen
Experience
- Teachings of Stephen the Martyr

2nd edition, with new Foreword and essay by Prof. R.M. Cocks, new Introduction, Contents & Index. Additional Teachings: These, and the research are presented in a more coherent and compelling way. Thanks to many friends who have supported, challenged, and helped in producing this improved edition.
About The Author
ABOUT THIS BOOK:

The spirit of Stephen the Martyr was teaching over a period of seven years, in the 1970s
Stephen focuses so much on Christianity's heart, that Evangelicals, Charismatics, Catholics, and Liberal Christians alike, could accept his spiritual guidance, and be led ever deeper in life in Christ.
This Christ, while revealed in organised religion, is in all, through all, and above all.
Many kinds of internal evidence, and the very spirituality have led linguists, scientists, theologians, and philosophers to affirm that the teaching is genuinely Stephen's.
That he made himself known, and taught, in itself speaks volumes about the resurrection, and the reality of life in Spirit.
His teaching relates to the main themes of Christianity: the Fall, the Cross, the Atonement, Salvation, Life in Christ, the Communion of Saints, Grace, Holy Spirit, Guidance, and Love. He teaches from the point of view of Spirit. His theology is close to that of St John. Yet Christ is universal, and not confined to Christianity.

More about this book:

It records seven years of conversations with St. Stephen the Martyr between 1974-80, Thomas Ashman being the channel.

Stephen's teaching is in line with the mysticism of St. John and St. Paul, the Perennial Philosophy, the Stoics, and with the thinking of some leading modern theoretical physicists.

He turns our normal thinking on its head, seeing all things from the point of view of a God who is in all through all and above all.

His words are sane and simple, and are intended to undergird the life of prayer and meditation.

During the years he spoke, and afterwards, there was much striking meaningful coincidence, many signs of the working of Spirit.

Stephen spoke a little in the language he used 2000 years ago, the form of Koiné Greek spoken in Macedonia and Thrace.

Cocks' linguistic detective work covered twenty years, and it has been checked by two Greek scholars. They agree that the words are genuinely of that time and place, and that there is valid reasoning about these words.

(The detective work seems to show that Stephen's parents were born in Thrace, and although Jews, they saw themselves as Celts; that Stephen was born in Ancyra (modern Ankara) in Galatia, and in his early teens, was to be initiated as an Essene in Judaea. From this background he preached the gospel of Jesus. He was neither identified with the Jerusalem church, nor with St. Paul.)

Stephen seems to refer to himself as a carnyx, a Celtic war trumpet. Listen to its sound! Read a Home Page about it.

Associated with the Stephen experience was much meaningful coincidence, or synchronicity. Read about some fascinating examples of this

[There is a sequel to The Stephen Experience, namely
Into the Wider Dream. This book surveys in detail what theoretical physicists and psychologists have written about synchronicity or meaningful coincidence. In addition, there is an account of an extended series of personal meaningful coincidences.]

REVIEWS

An English bishop, who has recently read this book, wrote:

"– I have been very affected by it. What comes to mind immediately is: 1. the sense of life after death being very close, very normal and not very intimidating; 2. Stephen’s experience of being at first after his death very tied up with his identity as Stephen but later leaving that behind and only picking it up again in order to communicate with Thomas and the others; 3. the way in which individuality becomes much less important but that nevertheless the ‘ego’ is not something to be avoided but something which contributes to this experience of being part of the whole." . . . . .

"It has to be said that most people do not really believe in God at a rational level, though probably most do at an emotional level. This is why almost everyone fumbles over the resurrection of Jesus. For most it's an impossible miracle they cannot believe in and for others it's an impossible miracle which proves their Christian faith.

What Stephen confirms for me is that it is an entirely natural event, which if only they believed should surprise no one. As Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, the great Russian Orthodox leader in this country who died a year or so ago said - I paraphrase him: 'How strange to believe that life can die and not believe that life can live!' " Aug. 2004

The Bishop of Christchurch N.Z., the Rt. Rev. Dr David Coles :
"Michael is a retired priest in this diocese and has for many years explored alternative religious experiences. The book is certainly not mainstream but for those who wish to explore "other dimensional" spiritual experience through the eyes of an Anglican priest focusing on the Communion of Saints, it will be of considerable interest."

Prof. Emerit. Mary Carman Rose: "A wondrous book! Stephen is a wonderful spiritual director."
She describes how she experiences this book.
[She is Catholic, formerly professor of philosophy at Goucher College, Towson Md., and has taught in a seminary for priests. She is former editor of The Journal of the Academy of Religion and Psychic Research.]

Prof. Richard Cocks, teaching philosophy at Le Moyne Catholic Univ. Syracuse NY, and Oswego State Univ. NY. writes on Stephen from the point of view of Philosophy.

Dr John Moss scientist, and lifelong student of communicators like Stephen, writes about St. Stephen, as does
Leslie Price, founder of The Christian Parapsychologist.