Kenneth Stevenson – författare

There is a rich vein of writing within Anglican tradition that has helped to form the theology and spirituality of the contemporary church. For many readers, much of this material remains unfamiliar and is often difficult to access. Love's Redeeming Work draws together the works of major writers from the sixteenth century to the present day who have contributed to this development.Each selected writer is introduced with a brief biography, which gives background information about the author, and highlights the relationships that existed with others from the same period. This will enable the reader to set the writings in their proper context, enhancing understanding of the material.The selections then follow. In some instances these may be familiar, but other examples will introduce fresh ideas for every reader. Each writer's selection is concluded with a list of source texts, which can encourage readers to explore in more depth those areas which intrigue and excite them.Love's Redeeming Work traces a path that has enabled Anglicanism in particular, and the wider church as well, to develop an ever-deepening awareness of the need for a spiritual depth in the Christian life informed by a better knowledge of tradition. In exploring this material, it is the compilers' hope that readers will find new riches that will encourage and sustain their own quest for holiness.

An historical survey of the role of the Lord's prayer throughout the history of the Church's thought and its worship. This study surveys the contributions of biblical scholars and theologians from the Early Fathers to the modern day, from Eastern and Western traditions and from Catholic and Reformed, Enlightenment and Modernist sources.

Kenneth Stevenson is one of the UK's leading liturgical scholars with an international reputation. Much of his work is in the borderlands of theology, worship and history. The essays in this book are worked examples of the importance of interpretation and liturgy, particularly in the light of the growing impact in recent years of reception-history, and how this interacts not only with biblical scholarship but with worship and doctrine as well. Interpretation and Liturgy is a big subject, and one that is unlikely ever to go away. It is part of the twofold movement of divine initiative and human aspiration - or to put it yet more directly, what some would immediately call the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, others would call the religious imagination, and others again would call both.

To Join Together is a study of the Roman Rite of Marriage wherein historical liturgical practice celebrated three stages: betrothal, luminality, and incorporation. These stages, though they faded from the liturgy, continue to maintain a lively existence in family life. Dr. Stevenson calls for a return to the three-stage ritual celebration and offers specific recommendations for their incorporation into the Roman Rite of Marriage.

The eucharist is one of the central acts of worship for Christians — some would say the most important. Yet within the manytraditions of Christianity, there appears to be no united voice —even in an age like ours in which ecumenical agreements unthinkable until recently have sought convergence and achieved it.Anglicans have often been described as occupying a 'middle ground' between Catholics and Protestants. They have even been criticised for being woolly!In this well-presented and readable book, two scholars have set out to chart an Anglican course through the key-areas of eucharistic presence and sacrifice — how Jesus is present at the Supper and how the celebration relates to the self-offering ofChrist. They quote many authors from different viewpoints over the past four hundred years — including poets. They tell a story that is rich and varied. And they make accessible to a fresh generation what it means to define, sift, probe and discuss the meaning of the Holy Communion, yet still hold on to that vital aspect of all Christian belonging and living — the mystery of Christ Himself.

As today's church re-examines the theology of baptism, the appropriateness of the rite and its relevance to a secular society we realise that the wisdom of the great seventeenth-century divines still has a vital significance today.

This informative and inspirational guide to the principal festivals and major holy days of the Christian year is essential reading for all those with responsibility for planning or leading worship. Exploring the biblical readings and prayers for forty principal festivals and holy days, and tracing their liturgical and historical development through the centuries, All the Company of Heaven brings alive many treasures from our Christian past and offers creative suggestions for celebrating these festivals today.

Harnesses biblical, pastoral, historical and liturgical insights, exploring the significance of the different versions of the Lord's Prayer, the shape of the prayer, its varied uses in public worship and private devotion, its summary of the gospel.

Awareness of the liturgical seasons of the year has increased greatly in recent years, as the popularity of the "Common Worship Times and Seasons" volume has illustrated. Churches are constantly looking for ways to enrich their seasonal celebrations, and the first point of better celebration is better understanding. Of all the seasons, Advent is the least understood, the least studied. An entirely Western phenomenon without much of a preaching or liturgical tradition, it is characterised as much by its folk customs - the advent wreath and the Feast of St Nicholas - as by its biblical themes. Here is a book that helps to create a fuller theology of Advent. Kenneth Stevenson characteristically draws on biblical, historical and liturgical evidence to show how the churches have understood and kept Advent down the centuries, and finds that the season has much to say to contemporary concerns in today's church and world, from how we do mission to Richard Dawkins' brand of atheism and a surprising number of issues in between.

The Eucharist is central to Christian worship throughout the world. Jesus only left two commandments - to love God and our neighbour, and to share bread and wine in remembrance of him. It is a sacrament rich in symbol and image that takes everyday items and infuses them with spiritual meaning.In this short, reflective companion, Kenneth Stevenson explores some of the Eucharist's many layers of meaning - as sacrifice, memorial, sustenance for the Christian journey, sign of the new creation, anticipation of the heavenly feast - and more. As a basic guide, he uses the Gospel of Luke in which feeding is a particularly strong theme. Taking well known stories such as Jesus eating with sinners, feeding the five thousand, the Last Supper and the evening meal at Emmaus after the resurrection, he grounds our understanding of the Eucharist in scripture and shows how it can shape our entire Christian experience. It is an ideal gift for baptism, confirmation or first communion.