Churches Together in Britain and Ireland

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland

living spirituality network

articles

 

Recent articles can be found in the regular LSN Newsletters.

Opening Doors and Windows
by James Roose-Evans - Fifth Bleddfa Annual Lecture

James Roose-Evans has lived a remarkable life by any reckoning. He's a renowned theatre director, the Founder of the Hampstead Theatre and the Bleddfa Centre for the Creative Spirit, an Anglican priest, and the author of some 17 books ranging from children's titles to classic texts on the theatre, to spiritual and autobiographical works such as ‘Inner Journey: Outer Journey' and, more recently, ‘Opening Doors and Windows - A Memoir in Four Acts' (The History Press, £12.99) and ‘Finding Silence - 52 Meditations for Daily Living', with a Foreward by his friend Mark Tully (The History Press, £8.99).
A pioneering figure not only in the world of theatre and the arts, but also in the area of spirituality, James continues to write, direct, teach and meditate. He has kindly allowed us to re-print extracts from his Fifth Bleddfa Annual Lecture in our Summer 2011 newsletter, and to make the entire text available here on our website. If you would like to hear James in person, there's a recorded interview at www.theatrevoice.com/2438/james-roose-evans-career link to external website

Opening Doors and Windows by James Roose-Evans – Fifth Bleddfa Annual Lecture (PDF)

Interview with John Philip Newell

John Philip Newell is a poet, scholar and teacher with a special interest in the Celtic world. He is a former Warden of Iona Abbey and teaches each year, with his wife Ali, at the Casa del Sol retreat centre in New Mexico. His books and cds have sold over 100,000 copies and this summer he will publish the third in a series of richly-illuminated hard-back prayer books. The new collection is called Praying with the Earth - A Prayer Book for Peace and is published by Canterbury Press. An accompanying cd, Chanting for Peace - Praying with the Earth (produced by Material Media) is already available through his website. link to external website A small stock of several of his previous publications are available for sale from the LSN office - please contact us.

In a fascinating and wide-ranging interview with LSN Director Eley McAinsh, John Philip Newell describes the vision behind the new work:

LSN interview with John Philip Newell (PDF)

Mysticism and Contemporary Spirituality
Joint conference of the Centre for Radical Christianity and the Living Spirituality Network, held in Sheffield on 6th November 2010

We're very grateful to URC Minister John Hetherington for allowing us to put his report on our recent Sheffield conference on our website. John is the author of a Free to Believe booklet entitled Reshaping Christianity: Mysticism, Spirituality and Global Faith which was quoted in one of the talks at the conference.
Conference report from John Hetherington (PDF)

The Contemplative Voice of Thomas Merton
Bridget Hewitt
Bridget Hewitt has recently completed her Masters in Christian Spirituality at Sarum College, gaining a Distinction in her studies. Based in Hexham in Northumberland, she runs a number of groups in her home, including a discussion group for young people and a meditation group. Married to Jonathan, she has three sons and an elderly, much-loved Labrador called Kelpie. She loves being out in nature, particularly in the mountains, and is deeply drawn to the wild beauty of Scotland's north west. This is an extract from her dissertation in which she considers the relevance of Thomas Merton's contemplative voice for today. 
The Contemplative Voice of Thomas Merton - Bridget Hewitt (PDF)

Where the Spirit Meets the Bone
Eley McAinsh
This is a talk given by LSN Director Eley McAinsh at the morning service at St Mark's Church, Broomhill, Sheffield on 7th November 2010. It followed on from LSN's joint conference with The Centre for Radical Christianity, at St Mark's, on Saturday 6th November, on the theme of 'Mysticism and Contemporary Spirituality'.
Where the Spirit Meets the Bone - Eley McAinsh (PDF)

Deeper into God
Sr Cecilia Goodman CJ 
A lecture by Sr Cecilia Goodman, Director of St Bede's Pastoral Centre in York, which gives us a profound insight into the meaning of dwelling in depth.
Read online
Deeper into God - Sr Cecilia Goodman CJ (Download PDF)

Poems of Celtic Spirituality
Kenneth Steven
This poem, Clonmacnoise, is from his latest work Salt and Light which is largely inspired by the Celtic Christian world.
Read online
Poems of Celtic Spirituality - Kenneth Steven (Download PDF)

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footprints in sand
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